Lewis & Short

fax, făcis (also in the nom. sing. ‡ faces, acc. to Paul. ex Fest. p. 87, 9 Müll.; gen. plur.: facum, acc. to Charis. p. 113 P., but without example), f. [root bhā, to shine; cf. favilla], a torch, firebrand, flambeau, link, orig. of pine or other resinous wood.

  1. I. Lit. (syn.: taeda, funale, cerĕus, candela, lucerna, laterna): alii faces atque aridam materiem de muro in aggerem eminus jaciebant, * Caes. B. G. 7, 24, 4; Liv. 22, 16, 7: ambulare cum facibus, Hor. S. 1, 4, 52: malleolos et faces ad inflammandam urbem comparare, Cic. Cat. 1, 13, 32; cf.: ego faces jam accensas ad hujus urbis incendium exstinxi, id. Pis. 2, 5: servi in tecta nostra cum facibus immissi, id. Att. 14, 10, 1; cf.: faces incendere, id. Phil. 2, 36, 91: si te in Capitolium faces ferre vellet, id. Lael. 11, 37: ardentem facem praeferre, id. Verr. 2, 4, 34, § 74: castris inicere, Tac. H. 4, 60; subdere urbi, Curt. 5, 7, 4: faces ferro inspicare, Verg. G. 1, 292; cf.: facis incidere, Plin. 18, 26, 63, § 233: dilapsam in cineres facem, Hor. C. 4, 13, 28.
    At weddings, the torch carried before the bride on the way to her home, usually made of white-thorn (Spina alba) or pine, the nuptial torch: spina, nuptiarum facibus auspicatissima, Masur. ap. Plin. 16, 18, 30, § 75; Fest. s. v. patrimi, p. 245; s. v. rapi, p. 289 Müll.; Varr. ap. Non. 112, 27; id. ap. Serv. Verg. E. 8, 29; Plaut. Cas. 1, 30; Cat. 61, 98 sq.; Verg. E. 8, 29; Ov. M. 10, 6; Stat. Th. 2, 259 al.; hence, nuptiales, Cic. Clu. 6, 15; Liv. 30, 13, 12: maritae, Ov. H. 11, 101: legitimae, Luc. 2, 356.
    Cf. Anthon’s Dict. of Antiq. p. 434, and v. infra. Torches were also carried in funeral processions, Verg. A. 11, 142; Prop. 3, 13 (4, 12), 17; Ov. F. 2, 561; id. H. 21, 172; Sen. Tranq. 11; id. Vit. Beat. fin.; id. Ep. 222; and in the Eleusinian mysteries, Juv. 15, 140.
    An attribute of Cupid, Tib. 2, 1, 82; Prop. 3, 16 (4, 15), 16; Ov. M. 1, 461; 10, 312 al.; of the Furies, Verg. A. 7, 337; Ov. M. 4, 482; 508; 6, 430; Quint. 9, 3, 47 al.
    1. B. Transf.
      1. 1. On account of the use of torches at weddings (poet.), a wedding, marriage: face nuptiali digna, Hor. C. 3, 11, 33; cf.: te face sollemni junget sibi, Ov. M. 7, 49.
        And referring at the same time to the funeral torch: viximus insignes inter utramque facem, i. e. between marriage and death, Prop. 4 (5), 11, 46.
      2. 2. The light of the heavenly bodies (poet.): dum roseā face sol inferret lumina caelo, Lucr. 5, 976; cf.: Phoebi fax, Cic. poët. Div. 1, 11, 18: canentes Rite crescentem face Noctilucam, Hor. C. 4, 6, 38: aeterna fax, i. e. the sun, Sen. Thyest. 835.
      3. 3. A fiery meteor, fire-ball, shooting-star, comet: noctivagaeque faces caeli flammaeque volantes, Lucr. 5, 1191; cf.: nocturnasque faces caeli, sublime volantes, id. 2, 206: emicant et faces non nisi cum decidunt visae, etc., Plin. 2, 26, 25, § 96: tum facibus visis caelestibus, tum stellis iis, quas Graeci cometas, nostri cincinnatas vocant, Cic. N. D. 2, 5, 14; id. Cat. 3, 8, 18; Liv. 41, 21, 13; 29, 14, 3; Verg. A. 2, 694; Ov. M. 15, 787; Luc. 1, 528; Petr. 122; Sen. Oet. 232.
        1. b. Of lightning: facem flammantem dirigere, Val. Fl. 1, 569; id. 4, 671.
      4. 4. Of the eyes: oculi, geminae, sidera nostra, faces, Prop. 2, 3, 14: has ego credo faces, haec virginis ora Dianae, Val. Fl. 5, 380; cf.: tranquillaeque faces oculis et plurima vultu materinest, Stat. Ach. 1, 164.
      5. 5. Prima fax (noctis), early torchlight, immediately after dark (post-class.); cf.: luminibus accensis, Auct. B. Afr. 89: tempus diei occiduum, mox suprema tempestas, hoc est diei novissimum tempus: deinde vespera: ab hoc tempore prima fax dicitur, deinde concubia, etc., Macr. S, 1, 3 fin.; Gell. 3, 2, 11; 18, 1 fin.; App. M. 2, p. 119, 20.
  2. II. Trop.
    1. A. That which illuminates, makes conspicuous (poet.): incipit parentum nobilitas facem praeferre pudendis, Juv. 8, 139; cf. Sall. J. 80.
    2. B. That which inflames or incites, incitement, stimulus, cause of ruin, destruction (freq. and class.): cum corporis facibus inflammari soleamus ad omnes fere cupiditates eoque magis incendi, quod, etc., Cic. Tusc. 1, 19, 44: me torret face mutua Calais, flame of love, Hor. C. 3, 9, 13; cf.: iraï fax, Lucr. 3, 303: dicendi faces, flames, fires of eloquence, Cic. de Or. 2, 51, 205; cf.: alicui quasi quasdam verborum faces admovere, id. ib. 3, 1, 4: alicui acriores ad studia dicendi faces subdere, Quint. 1, 2, 25 Spald.: hortator studii causaque faxque mei, guide, leader, Ov. Pont. 1, 7, 28; and: incitator et fax omnium, Prud. στεφ. 10, 67: subicere faces invidiae alicujus, Cic. Mil. 35, 98; cf.: flagrantibus jam militum animis velut faces addere, Tac. H. 1, 24: acerrimam bello facem praetulit, id. ib. 2, 86: (rogationes promulgavit) duas faces novantibus res ad plebem in optimates accendendam, Liv. 32, 38, 9: inde faces ardent, a dote, Juv. 6, 139: adolescentulo ad libidinem facem praeferre, i. e. to be a leader or guide, Cic. Cat. 1, 6, 13: Antonius omnium Clodi incendiorum fax, instigator, id. Phil. 2, 19, 48; cf.: fax accusationis et origo, Plin. Ep. 4, 9, 3: fax hujus belli (Hannibal), Liv. 21, 10, 11; Vell. 2, 25, 3: dolorum cum admoventur faces, Cic. Off. 2, 10, 37; cf. id. Tusc. 2, 25, 61: (dolor) ardentes faces intentat, id. ib. 5, 27, 76: quae (Agrippinae) Gaium et Domitium Neronem principes genuere totidem facis generis humani, destroyers, Plin. 7, 8, 6, § 45.
      Absol.: cum his furiis et facibus, cum his exitiosis prodigiis (i e. Gabinio et Pisone), Cic. Har. Resp. 2, 4.