aequor, ŏris, n. [aequus].
- I. In gen., an even, level surface (ante-Aug. poet.; only once in Cic. and once in Sallust): speculorum aequor, a plane surface, as of a mirror, Lucr. 4, 106; 291: in summo aequore saxi, upon the polished, smooth marble surface, id. 3, 905: camporum patentium aequora, * Cic. Div. 1, 42: campi, Verg. A. 7, 781; and without campus: Daren ardens agit aequore toto, id. ib. 5, 456: at prius ignotum ferro quam scindimus aequor, id. G. 1, 50; 1, 97; of the desert, id. ib. 2, 105: immensum spatiis confecimus aequor, id. ib. 541: primus in aequore pulvis, Juv. 8, 61; and once of the heavens: aequora caeli Sensimus sonere, Att. ap. Non. 505, 8 (Trag. Rel. p. 139 Rib.).
- II. Esp., the even surface of the sea in its quiet state, the calm. smooth sea (“aequor mare appellatum, quod aequatum, cum commotum vento non est,” Varr. L. L. 7, § 23 Müll.: quid tam planum videtur quam mare? ex quo etiam aequor illud poëtae vocant, Cic. Ac. Fragm. ap. Non. 65, 2 (cf. πόντου πλάξ, Pind. P. 1, 24).
Also, in gen., the sea, even when agitated by storms, Lucr. 1, 719: turbantibus aequora ventis, id. 2, 1: silvaeque et saeva quiērant aequora, Verg. A. 4, 523 et saep.: per undosum aequor, id. ib. 313: contracta pisces aequora sentiunt, Hor. C. 3, 1, 33: juventus Infecit aequor sanguine Punico, id. ib. 3, 6, 34 al.
Sometimes pleonast. with mare or pontus: vastum maris aequor arandum, Verg. A. 2, 780: tellus et aequora ponti, id. G. 1, 469.
Of the surface of the Tiber, Verg. A. 8, 89 and 96 (so, mare of the Timavus, id. ib. 1, 246; and unda of rivers, as of the Simoïs, id. ib. 1, 618).
In prose writers after the Aug. per.: placidum aequor, Tac. A. 2, 23: penetrare aequora, Val. Max. 9, 1, 1; so Curt. 4, 7; Plin. 4, 12, 24, § 76; Mel. 1, 2. Once even in Sallust: aequore et terrā, Sall. Fragm. ap. Don. ad Ter. Phorm. 2, 1, 13 (p. 390, n. 81 Kritz.) dub.