Lewis & Short

Parsing inflected forms may not always work as expected. If the following does not give the correct word, try Latin Words or Perseus.

saxum (in inscrr. also SAKSVM; from collat. form saxus; a vocative SAXE, Inscr. Orell. 2982), i, n. [root sak-; Sanscr. ska; cf. secare], any large, rough stone; a detached fragment of rock; a rock (in gen.; whereas rupes is a steep rock, crag, cliff).

  1. I. In gen., Lucr. 4, 266 sq.; cf. id. 1, 882: non est e saxo sculptus, Cic. Ac. 2, 31, 100: pars ludicre saxa Jactant, inter se licitantur, Enn. ap. Non. 134, 13 (Ann. v. 76 Vahl.): (Sisyphum) adverso nixantem trudere monte Saxum, etc., Lucr. 3, 1001: miser impendens magnum timet aëre saxum Tantalus, id. 3, 980: saxo cere comminuit brum, Enn. ap. Serv. Verg. A. 1, 412 (Ann. v. 586 Vahl.); cf.: si glebis aut saxis aut fustibus aliquem de fundo praecipitem egeris, Cic. Caecin.21,60: magni ponderis saxa, in muro collocare, Caes. B. G. 2, 29; cf. id. ib. 7, 22 fin.; 7, 23; 7, 46: (Thyestes) summis saxis fixus asperis, Enn. ap. Cic. Tusc. 1, 44, 107 (Trag. v. 413 Vahl.); cf.: aspicite religatum asperis Vinctumque saxis (Prometheum), Cic. poët. Tusc. 2, 10, 23: speluncas saxis pendentibu’ structas, Lucr. 6, 195; cf., of the cave of Cacus: jam primum saxis suspensam hanc aspice rupem, Verg. A. 8, 190: tot congesta manu praeruptis oppida saxis, id. G. 2, 156: inter saxa rupesque, Liv. 21, 40: saxa spargens tabo, Enn. ap. Cic. Tusc. 1, 44, 107 (Trag. v. 414 Vahl.): vesco sale saxa peresa, Lucr. 1, 326: nec turbida ponti Aequora fligebant naves ad saxa, id. 5, 1001: si ad saxum quo capessit, Plaut. Rud. 1, 2, 89 et saep.: lapis non saxum est, Plin. 36, 22, 49, § 169.
    In apposition: in saxis silicibus uberiores aquae sunt, in limestone rocks, Vitr. 8, 1.
      1. 2. Prov.
        1. a. Saxum volvere, i. e. to strive or endeavor in vain (alluding to the stone of Sisyphus): satis diu hoc jam saxum volvo, Ter. Eun. 5, 8, 55.
        2. b. Inter sacrum saxumque stare; v. sacrum, A. 2. b.
  2. II. In partic.
    1. A. For Saxum Tarpejum (cf. Fest. p. 343 Müll. and v. Tarpejus, II.), the Tarpeian Rock: horribilis de saxo jactus, Lucr. 3, 1016; Plaut. Trin. 2, 1, 31; Cic. Att. 14, 16, 2; Hor. S. 1, 6, 39; Tac. A. 2, 32; 4, 29; Dig. 48, 19, 25; v. Tarpeius.
    2. B. Saxum sacrum, the sacred rock on the Aventine, at which Remus consulted the auspices, Cic. Dom. 53, 136; called saxum alone, Ov. F. 5, 150.
    3. C. A superior kind of Cimolian chalk (creta Cimolia), Plin. 35, 17, 57, § 196.
    4. D. Saxa Rubra; v. ruber, II. B.
  3. III. Transf.
      1. 1. Plur.: saxa, stony ground, rocky places: mitis in apricis coquitur vindemia saxis, Verg. G. 2, 522: Ligurum, Mart. 3, 82, 22.
      2. 2. A stone wall: Romulus saxo lucum circumdedit alto, Ov. F. 3, 431.
      3. 3. The strong foundation of a building: Capitolium quadrato saxo substructum, Liv. 6, 4, 12.