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.

1. spĕcŭla, ae, f. [specio].

  1. I. A high place from which to look out, a look-out, watch-tower: specula, de quo prospicimus, Varr. L. L. 6, § 82 Müll.: praedonum adventum significabat ignis e speculā sublatus, Cic. Verr. 2, 5, 35, § 93: dat signum speculā ab altā, Verg. A. 3, 239; Luc. 6, 279: tamquam ex aliquā speculā prospexi tempestatem futuram, Cic. Fam. 4, 3, 1; id. Phil. 7, 7, 19; Col. 7, 3 fin. al.
    Plur., Liv. 29, 23’ specularum significationem Sinon invenit, Plin. 7, 56, 57, § 202; Stat. Th. 6, 547; App. de Mundo, p. 69, 40.
    1. * B. Trop., a watchtower: stetit Caesar in illā amicitiae speculā, Plin. Pan. 86, 4.
  2. II. In gen.
    1. A. In speculis esse, to be on the watch or lookout: nunc homines in speculis sunt, observant, quemadmodum sese unusquisque vestrum gerat, Cic. Verr. 1, 16, 46; cf. id. Deiot. 8, 22: in speculis omnis Abydos erat, Ov. H. (17), 18, 12: in speculis atque insidiis relicti, Cic. Mur. 37, 79: diem unum in speculis fuit, Liv. 34, 26: gentis paratas pendere in speculis, Claud. B. Get. 569.
    2. B. Poet., like σκοπιά, a high place, height, eminence: in speculis summoque in vertice montis Planities ignota jacet, Verg. A. 11, 526; so of the summits of mountains, id. E. 8, 59; id. A. 10, 454; of the high walls of a city, id. ib. 11, 877; 4, 586.

2. spēcŭla, ae, f. dim. [spes; cf. recula, from res], a slight hope (rare but class.): estne quid in te speculae? Plaut. Pers. 2, 5, 9; id. Cas. 2, 4, 27: ulla nec specula est, id. Rud. 3, 3, 3; Cic. Clu. 26, 72: oblectabar speculā, id. Fam. 2, 16, 5: cassae speculae renuntias fortiter, App. M. 6, p. 175, 17: tenui speculā solabar clades ultimas, id. ib. 10, p. 253, 5.

spĕcŭlum, i, n. [specio; hence, that in which one sees himself].

  1. I. Lit., a looking-glass, mirror (usually made of polished metal): speculum a speciendo, quod ibi se spectant, Varr. L. L. 5, § 129 Müll.; cf.: speculum, quod in eo specimus imaginem, id. ib. 6, § 82: homines sibi habere speculum, ubi os contemplarent suom, etc., Plaut. Ep. 3, 3, 2: quid opu’st speculo tibi, quae tute speculo speculum es maximum? id. Most. 1, 3, 94; cf. id. Men. 5, 9, 3: speculi imago, Lucr. 4, 279; cf. id. 4, 331: speculis apparent simulacra, id. 4, 98: speculorum levitas, Cic. Univ. 14: quotiens te in speculo videris alterum, Hor. C. 4, 10, 6: ut in speculo rugas aspexit aniles, Ov. M. 15, 232: se in speculo contemplari, App. Mag. p. 283, 4: cava specula, id. ib. p. 284, 2 et saep.
    On the material and use of mirrors, v. Plin. 33, 9, 45, § 128; 34, 17, 48, § 160; 37, 5, 16, § 64; 37, 7, 25, § 97; Stat. S. 3, 4, 94; Sen. Q. N. 1, 17.
    With tanquam, ut, etc.: inspicere, tamquam in speculum, in vitas omnium, Ter. Ad. 3, 3, 61; 3, 3, 74; Cic. Pis. 29, 71; id. Fin. 5, 22, 61; id. Rep. 2, 42, 69.
    1. B. Poet., transf., of the mirror-like smoothness of water: lympharum in speculo, Phaedr. 1, 4, 3.
  2. II. Trop., a mirror, copy, imitation (rare; more freq. connected with tamquam or ut, etc.; v. supra, I.): futuri temporis, Lucr. 3, 974; 4, 166: infantes et bestias putat specula esse naturae, Cic. Fin. 2, 10, 32; cf. corresp. with imago, Plaut. Men. 5, 9, 3: omne opus Vergilianum de quodam Homerici operis speculo formatum est, Macr. S. 5, 2 med.