1. calx, calcis, f. (m., Pers. 3, 105 dub.; Sil. 7, 696; cf. App. M. 7, p. 483 Oud.; Pers. 3, 105; Grat. Cyn. 278. Whether Lucil. ap. Charis, p. 72 P. belongs here or to 2. calx is undecided) [Sanscr. kar-, wound, kill; akin with λάξ, calcar, calceus], the heel.
- I. Lit.: calces deteris, you tread on my heels, Plaut. Merc. 5, 2, 111: quod si ipsa animi vis In capite aut umeris aut imis calcibus esse Posset, Lucr. 3, 792; 5, 136: incursare pug nis, calcibus, πὺξ καὶ λάξ, Plaut. Poen. 4, 1, 3; Ter. Eun. 2, 2, 53: certare pugnis, calcibus, unguibus, Cic. Tusc. 5, 27, 77: uti pugnis et calcibus, id. Sull. 25, 71: concisus pugnis et calcibus, id. Verr. 2, 3, 23, § 56: subsellium calce premere, Auct. Her. 4, 55, 68: ferire pugno vel calce, Quint. 2, 8, 13: quadrupedemque citum ferratā (al. ferrato) calce fatigat, Verg. A. 11, 714: nudā calce vexare ilia equi, Stat. S. 5, 2, 115; Sil. 7, 697; 13, 169; 17, 541: nudis calcibus anguem premere, Juv. 1, 43.
Also of the heels of animals, Varr. R. R. 2, 5, 8; Col. 8, 2, 8: quadrupes calcibus auras Verberat, Verg. A. 10, 892.
Hence, caedere calcibus, to kick, λακτιζω, Plaut. Poen. 3, 3, 71: calce petere aliquem, to kick, Hor. S. 2, 1, 55: ferire, Ov. F. 3, 755: extundere frontem, Phaedr. 1, 21, 9: calces remittere, to kick, Nep. Eum. 5, 5; so, reicere, Dig. 9, 1, 5: aut dic aut accipe calcem, take a kick, Juv. 3, 295 al.
- 2. Prov.: adversus stimulum calces (sc. jactare, etc.) = λακτίζειν πρὸς κέντρον (Aesch Agam. 1624; Pind. Pyth. 2, 174; W. T. Act. 9, 5), to kick against the pricks, Ter. Phorm. 1, 2, 28 Don. and Ruhnk.; cf. Plaut. Truc. 4, 2, 55, and s. v. calcitro: calcem impingere alicui rei, to abandon any occupation: Anglice, to hang a thing on the nail, Petr. 46.
- B. Meton. (pars pro toto), the foot, in gen.: calcemque terit jam calce, Verg. A. 5, 324 Serv. and Heyne.
- II. Transf. to similar things.
- A. In architecture: calces scaporum, the foot of the pillars of a staircase; Fr. patin de l’échiffre, Vitr. 9, praef. § 8.
- B. Calx mali, the foot of the mast, Vitr. 10, 3, 5.
- C. In agriculture, the piece of wood cut off with a scion, Plin. 17, 21, 35, § 156.
2. calx, calcis, f. (m., Varr. ap. Non. p. 199, 24, and Cato, R. R. 18, 7; Plaut. Poen. 4, 2, 86; dub. Cic. Tusc. 1, 8, 15; and id. Rep. Fragm. ap. Sen. Ep. 108 fin.; cf. Rudd. I. p. 37, n. 3; later collat. form calcis, is, f., Ven. Fort. Carm. 11, 11, 10) [χάλιξ].
- I. Liv.
- A. A small stone used in gaming, a counter (less freq. than the dim. calculus, q. v.), Plaut. Poen. 4, 2, 86; Lucil. ap. Prisc. p. 687 P.; cf. Paul. ex Fest. p. 46 Müll.
- B. Limestone, lime, whether slaked or not, Lucr. 6, 1067; Cic. Mil. 27, 74: viva, unslaked, quicklime, Vitr. 8, 7: coquere, to burn lime, Cato, R. R. 16; Vitr. 2, 5, 1: exstincta, slaked, id. l. l.: macerata, id. 7, 2; Plin. 36, 23, 55, § 177: harenatus, mixed with sand, mortar, Cato, R. R. 18, 7: materies ex calce et harenā mixta, Vitr. 7, 3.
Since the goal or limit in the race-ground was designated by lime (as later by chalk, v. creta), calx signifies,
- II. Trop., the goal, end, or limit in the race-course (anciently marked with lime or chalk; opp. carceres, the starting-point; mostly ante-Aug.; esp. freq. in Cic.): supremae calcis spatium, Lucr. 6, 92 Lachm.; Sen. Ep. 108, 32; Varr. ap. Non. p. 199, 24: ad calcem pervenire, Cic. Lael. 27, 101; so, ad carceres a calce revocari, i. e. to turn back from the end to the beginning, id. Sen. 23, 83: nunc video calcem, ad quam (al. quem) cum sit decursum, id. Tusc. 1, 8, 15: ab ipsā (al. ipso) calce revocati, id. Rep. Fragm. ap. Sen. l.l.; Quint. 8, 5, 30 dub.; v. Spald. N. cr.
- b. Prov., of speech: extra calcem decurrere, to digress from a theme, Amm. 21, 1, 14.
- B. In gen., the end, conclusion of a page, book, or writing (mostly post-class.): si tamen in clausulā et calce pronuntietur sententia, Quint. 8, 5, 30: in calce epistulae, Hier. Ep. 9; 26 fin.; 84 init.: in calce libri, id. Vit. St. Hil. fin.