cŏhors (or cors; cf. Non. p. 83, 14 sq.; later aspirated orthog. of MSS. chors; cf. the letter C, and Schneid. ad Varr. R. R. 1, 13, 3), rtis, f. [Sanscr. root har, rapio; cf. Gr. χορός].
- I. A place enclosed around, a court, enclosure, yard, pen, etc., esp. for cattle, poultry, etc.
- (α) Cohors, Varr. R. R. 1, 13, 2 sq.; 2, 2, 9; Cato ap. Fest. p. 146, 29 Müll.; Col. 8, 3, 8; 7, 3, 8; Ov. F. 4, 704.
- (β) Cors, Varr. ap. Non. l. l.; Glaucia ap. Cic. de Or. 2, 65 fin.; Col. 2, 14, 18; Vitr. 6, 9; Mart. 3, 58, 12; 13, 45, 2; Pall. 1, 22.
- II. Meton. (cf. chorus).
- A. Lit., the multitude enclosed, fenced in; hence, in milit. lang., a company of soldiers, a division of an army, a cohort, the tenth part of a legion, comprising three manipuli or six centuriae (always written cohors), Varr. L. L. 5, § 88; Cincius ap. Gell. 16, 4, 6; Veg. Mil. 2, 6; so Caes. B. G. 3, 1; id. B. C. 1, 73; Sall. J. 90, 2; 105, 2; Verg. G. 2, 279; id. A. 11, 500 al.: praetoria, the prœtorian or bodyguard of the general, Caes. B. G. 1, 40; Sall. C. 61, 3 al.
Hence, trop.: habere scortorum cohortem praetoriam, Cic. Cat. 2, 11, 24.
- 2. Opp. legiones, auxiliary troops, allies, Sall. J. 46, 7; Vell. 2, 112, 5; Tac. H. 4, 19; Flor. 3, 21, 18.
- 3. A troop of cavalry: centurio cohortis sextae equestris, Plin. Ep. 10, 106 (107) sq.
- 4. Per synecdochen, an army in gen.: cohors Inachiae servatrix, Stat. Th. 5, 672.
- B. Specif., the train or retinue of the prœtor in a province: praetoria, Cic. Verr. 2, 1, 14, § 36; cf. id. ib. 2, 2, 27, § 66; Cat. 10, 10; Tib. 1, 3, 2; Hor. Ep. 1, 3, 6; 1, 8, 14.
- C. In gen., a crowd, multitude, company, throng, attendants (mostly poet. or in post-Aug. prose): vaga, Cat. 63, 25: gigantum, Hor. C. 2, 19, 22: fratrum stipata, Verg. A. 10, 328; cf. Ov. M. 11, 89; Hor. Epod. 16, 60; Tac. A. 6, 9: amicarum, of courtiers, Suet. Calig. 19; id. Ner. 5; id. Galb. 7 al.: canum, Plin. 8, 40, 61, § 143: oratorum, Gell. 19, 8, 15: sectatorum, id. 13, 5, 1.
Of things: febrium, Hor. C. 1, 3, 31.