1. lūcīnus, a, um, adj. [lux], lightbringing, or, bringing to the light: hora, one’s natal hour, Prud. adv. Symm. 2, 222.
Class. only subst.: Lūcīna, ae, f. (lit., adj.; sc. dea).
- I. The goddess of childbirth (because she brings to the light): Juno Lucina, Plaut. Aul. 4, 7, 11: date ignem in aram, ut venerem Lucinam meam, id. Truc. 2, 5, 23: an facient mensem luces, Lucinaque ab illis Dicar? Ov. F. 6, 39; Ter. Ad. 4, 5, 41; Cat. 35, 13; cf. Cic. N. D. 2, 27, 68.
More freq. absol.: nascenti puero Casta fave Lucina, Verg. E. 4, 8: si vocata partubus Lucina veris affuit, Hor. Epod. 5, 5: facilis, Ov. F. 2, 449.
- B. Poet. transf., childbirth: Lucinam pati, Verg. G. 3, 60; cf.: Lucinae experta labores, id. ib. 4, 340: cui rugis uterum Lucina notabit, Ov. A. A. 3, 785.
- II. Of Hecate, as the producer of terrific dreams and nocturnal spectres: efficiat vanos noctis Lucina timores, Tib. 3, 4, 13 Dissen ad loc.