Lewis & Short

lux, lūcis (adverb. abl. luce, luci, and lucu, and in these old forms also used as m.; v. infra; in Plaut. lux is usually m.; Brix ad Plaut. Capt. 5, 4, 11), f. [luceo], light.

  1. I. Lit.
      1. 1. In gen., the light of the sun and other heavenly bodies: cum id solis luce videatur clarius, Cic. Div. 1, 3, 6; id. Tusc. 1, 37, 90; id. Cat. 1, 3; id. Cael. 9: per umbras Stella facem ducens multā cum luce cucurrit, Verg. A. 2, 694: a lucifero donec lux occidat, till sunset, Juv, 13, 158.
        The light, splendor, brightness of shining bodies: viridi cum luce zmaragdi, Lucr. 4, 1126: luce coruscus ahenā, Verg. A. 2, 470: lucem non fundentes gemmae, Plin. 37, 7, 25, § 94: ferri, Stat. Th. 8, 124.
      2. 2. In partic., the light of day, daylight, day: diurna, Lucr. 6, 848: Metellus cum primā luce in campum currebat, Cic. Att. 4, 3, 4: ante lucem, id. de Or. 2, 64, 259: primā luce ad eum accurrit, at daybreak, dawn of day, Caes. B. G. 1, 22: luce sub ipsā, on the very verge of day, Verg. G. 4, 490: in luci, by day, Lucr. 4, 233: luce reversā, Juv. 6, 312.
        Hence,
        1. b. In abl. adverb.: luce, luci, and (ante-class.) lucu, by daylight, in the daytime: ut luce palam in foro saltet, Cic. Off. 3, 24, 93; so, luce, id. Pis. 10, 23; Auct. Her. 4, 36, 48; Verg. A. 9, 153 al.: nocte ac luce, Juv. 15, 43: ut veniamus luci, Plaut. Cas. 4, 2, 7: cum luci simul, id. Merc. 2, 1, 31: luci claro, id. Aul. 4, 10, 18; cf. Non. 210, 9: quis audeat luci, Cic. Phil. 12, 10, 25: quodsi luce quoque canes latrent, id. Rosc. Am. 20, 56; Liv. 35, 4, 5: cum primo lucu ibo hinc, Ter. Ad. 5, 3, 55: cum primo luci, Plaut. Cist. 2, 1, 49.
    1. B. Transf.
      1. 1. The heavenly bodies: illae, quae fulgent luces, Cic. Arat. 96.
      2. 2. A day: centesima lux est ab interitu P. Clodii, Cic. Mil. 35, 98: longiore luce ad id certamen nobis opus est, Liv. 3, 2: anxia nocte, anxia luce gemit, Ov. M. 2, 806: crastina, Verg. A. 10, 244: natali die mihi dulcior haec lux, Juv. 12, 1: septima quaeque lux, id. 14, 105; cf.: natura volvente vices et lucis et anni, id. 13, 88.
        Hence, poet.: lux aestiva, summer, Verg. G. 4, 52: lux brumalis, winter, Ov. Tr. 1, 11, 39.
      3. 3. Life: qui ab Orco mortuom me reducem in lucem feceris, Ter. Hec. 5, 4, 12: corpora luce carentum, i. e. of the dead, Verg. G. 4, 255; Sil. 13, 473; cf.: simul atque editi in lucem sumus, Cic. Tusc. 3, 1, 2.
      4. 4. An eye, the eyesight: effossae squalent vestigia lucis, Stat. Th. 11, 585: damnum lucis ademptae, Ov. M. 14, 197.
      5. 5. A light, of an eminent man to whom all eyes turn: Luce nihil gestum, nihil est Diomede remoto, Ov. M. 13, 100.
        Of a beloved person: o lux salve candida, Plaut. Mil. 4, 8, 34.
  2. II. Trop.
    1. A. The sight of all men, the public view, the public, the world: nec vero ille in luce modo, atque in oculis civium magnus sed intus domique praestantior, Cic. Sen. 4, 12: Isocrates forensi luce caruit, id. Brut. 8, 32: familiam abjectam et obscu ram e tenebris in lucem vocare, id. Deiot. 11, 30: res occultas aperire in lucemque proferre, id. Ac. 2, 19, 62.
    2. B. Light, encouragement, help, succor: lux quaedam videbatur oblata, non modo regno, sed etiam regni timore sublato, Cic. Phil. 1, 2, 40: civibus lucem ingenii et consilii porrigere, id. de Or. 1, 40, 184; cf.: lucem adferre rei publicae, id. Manil. 12, 33.
    3. C. A light, an ornament: hanc urbem, lucem orbis terrarum, Cic. Cat. 4, 6, 11: genus sine luce, undistinguished, obscure, Sil. 8, 248.
    4. D. Light, illustration, elucidation: historia testis temporum, lux veritatis, Cic. de Or. 2, 9, 36.
    5. E. That which enlightens, the source of illumination: ratio quasi quaedam lux lumenque vitae. Cic. Ac. 2, 8, 26; cf.: ego sum lux mundi, Vulg. John, 8, 12; id. ib. 12, 26.