Lewis & Short

porta, ae (portabus for portis, Cn. Gell. ap. Charis. p. 40 P.), f. [from root par-, to pierce, pass through; Gr. περάω, πείρω, πόρος, ford; Lat.: peritus, ex-perior, and v. periculum], a city-gate, a gate.

  1. I. Lit.: hic (miles) portas frangit, at ille (amans) fores, Ov. Am. 1, 9, 20: rectā portā invadam extemplo in oppidum antiquom et vetus, Plaut. Bacch. 4, 4, 60; id. Ps. 2, 2, 3: si Hannibal ad portas venisset, Cic. Fin. 4, 9, 22: pedem portā efferre, id. Att. 8, 2, 4; 7, 2, 6; Verg. A. 4, 130: ad portam praesto esse, Cic. Pis. 23, 55: portā introire, id. ib. 23, 55: egressus portā Capenā, id. Tusc. 1, 7, 13: extra portam Collinam, id. Leg. 2, 23, 58: porta Carmentalis, Liv. 2, 49, 8: pars egressa portis erat, id. 3, 60, 9; 23, 46, 10: omnibus portis effundi, id. 24, 1, 3: portā Capenā Romam ingressus, id. 26, 10, 1; 33, 26, 9: signa portis efferre, id. 27, 2, 5: portis ruere, id. 27, 41, 8: eādem portā signa infesta urbi inferre, id. 28, 3, 13: patefactā portā Romani erumpunt, id. 28, 36, 8: subito omnibus portis eruptione factā, Caes. B. G. 3, 6; 19; 5, 51: omnibus portis prorumpunt, Tac. H. 4, 20; 34: portarum claustra, Verg. A. 7, 185: limina portarum, id. ib. 2, 803: portas obice firmā claudere, Ov. M. 14, 780: portas reserare hosti, id. A. A. 3, 577: portā triumphali ducere funus, Tac. A. 3, 47: sanctae quoque res, veluti muri et portae, quodammodo divini juris sunt, Gai. Inst. 2, 8: vidi Portas (Carthaginis) non clausas, a proof that the people were fearless, Hor. C. 3, 5, 23.
    Connected with urbis: qui urbis portas occuparent, Cic. Phil. 14, 6, 15: bellum a portis hujus urbis avolsum, id. Rep. 1, 1, 1.
    With per (rare except in Livy): per unam portam praesidium Romanum irrumpit, Liv. 9, 24, 12: paulo ante lucem per effractam portam urbem ingreditur, id. 24, 46, 7: per aversam portam silentio excedere, id. 10, 34, 4; 4, 46, 6; 23, 47, 8: elapsus per eam portam quae … ad Darii castra pervenit, Curt. 4, 10, 25; Vulg. Gen. 34, 20: in fastigio portae, id. 2 Reg. 18, 24.
    Prov.: porta itineri longissima, the way to the gate is the longest (sc. in making a journey), i. e. it is the first step that costs, Varr. R. R. 1, 2, 2.
    1. B. Transf., in gen., like our gate, of an avenue, entrance, passage, outlet, door of any kind (syn.: fores, janua, ostium).
      Of the gates of a camp: ab decumanā portā castra munita, Caes. B. G. 3, 25; so, principalis, Liv. 40, 27: quaestoria, id. ib.: villarum, Plin. 28, 10, 44, § 157: venti, velut agmine facto, Quā data porta, ruunt, Verg. A. 1, 82.
      Of a cage: ex portā ludis emitti, said of hares, Plaut. Pers. 3, 3, 30: porta tonat caeli, Enn. ap. Vet. Gram. ap. Col. (Ann. v. 597 Vahl.); Verg. G. 3, 261: somni, id. A. 6, 893; cf. eburna, Hor. C. 3, 27, 41: ubi portitor aera recepit, Obserat umbrosos lurida porta rogos, the portal of the infernal regions, Prop. 4 (5), 11, 8: belli portae, Enn. ap. Serv. Verg. A. 7, 622; Hor. S. 1, 4, 61 (Ann. v. 271 Vahl.): mortis, Vulg. Psa. 9, 15: inferi, id. Isa. 38, 10: portae, quae alibi Armeniae, alibi Caspiae, alibi Ciliciae vocantur, passes, gorges, defiles, Plin. 5, 27, 27, § 99; Nep. Dat. 7, 3; Val. Fl. 3, 496: solis, the signs of Cancer and Aries in the zodiac, Macr. Somn. Scip. 1, 12, and S. 1, 17: jecoris, a part of the liver (so too in Gr. πύλη), Cic. N. D. 2, 55, 137: fluviorum, Vulg. Nahum, 2, 6.
      Of the fundament, Cat. 15, 17.
  2. * II. Trop.
    1. A. Et quibus e portis occurri cuique deceret, by what way, by what means, Lucr. 6, 32.
    2. B. As the symbol of strength: portae inferi, the powers of hell, Vulg. Matt. 16, 18.