Lewis & Short

† lampăs, ădis (late Lat. also lampă-da, ae, Jul. Val. Rer. G. Alex. 3, 28: lampadarum, Vulg. Ezech. 1, 13), f., = λαμπάς, a light, torch, flambeau (mostly poet.; cf.: lucerna, lychnus, laterna).

  1. I. Lit.: lampades ardentes, Plaut. Men. 5, 2, 86: illatae lampades, Att. ap. Cic. N. D. 3, 16, 41: lampadas igniferas, Lucr. 2, 25: vidi argenteum Cupidinem cum lampade, Cic. Verr. 2, 2, 47, § 115: pinguis, Ov. M. 4, 403: pingues lampades, Lucr. 4, 403: ardens, Verg. A. 9, 535: Salmoneus, dum flammas Jovis imitatur, lampada quassans, id. ib. 6, 587: lampadibus densum rapuit funale coruscis, with torches, Ov. M. 12, 247; Vulg. Exod. 20, 18: lampas ignis, id. Gen. 15, 17.
    Used at weddings, a wedding-torch: tene hane lampadem, Plaut. Cas. 4, 4, 17; Ter. Ad. 5, 7, 9.
    Hence, poet.: lampade primā, at her wedding, Stat. S. 4, 8, 59; cf. id. ib. 1, 2, 4.
    1. B. Esp., a lamp: ferreae lampades, Col. 12, 18, 5: aënea, Juv. 3, 285: praecinctae lampades auro, Ov. H. 14, 25: accipere oleum cum lampadibus, Vulg. Matt. 25, 4.
  2. II. Trop.
    1. A. From the Grecian torch-race (which consisted in keeping the torch burning during the race and handing it, still lighted, to the next one), are borrowed the expressions: lampada tradere alicui, to give or resign one’s occupation to another: nunc cursu lampada tibi trado, now it is your turn, Varr. R. R. 3, 16, 9: quasi cursores, vitai lampada tradunt, i. e. they finish their course, die, Lucr. 2, 79: qui prior es, cur me in decursu lampada poscis? i. e. do you wish to succeed to my estate while I am yet alive? Pers. 6, 61.
    2. B. In gen., splendor, brightness, lustre: aeterna mundl, Lucr. 5, 402; cf.: rosea sol alte lampade lucens, id. 5, 610: Phoebeae lampadis instar, the light of the sun, the sun, Verg. A. 3, 637: postera cum primā lustrabat lampade terras Orta dies, the first beams of light, first rays of dawn, id. ib. 7, 148.
    3. C. Hence, poet., like lumen, for day: octavoque fere candenti lumine solis Aut etiam nonā reddebant lampade vitam, on the ninth day, Lucr. 6, 1198; so of the moonlight: decima lampas Phoebes, Val. Fl. 7, 366; cf.: cum se bina formavit lampade Phoebe, i. e. after two moons, Nemes. Cyn. 130: lampade Phoebes sub decima, the tenth month, Val. Fl. 7, 366.
    4. D. A meteor resembling a torch: emicant et faces, non nisi cum decidunt visae. Duo genera earum: lampades vocant plane faces, alterum bolidas, Plin. 2, 26, 25, § 96; cf. Sen. Q. N. 1, 15: nunc sparso lumine lampas emicuit caelo, Luc. 1, 532; 10, 502.