1. com-pēs (conp-), pĕdis, f. (m. acc. compedem meum, Vulg. Thren. 3, 7; plur. compedes parati, Lact. Mort. Persec. c. 21), a (wooden) fetter or shackle, for the feet (usu. in plur.).
- I. Prop., nom. and acc.: jubete huic crassas conpedis inpingier, Plaut. Capt. 3, 5, 76: ut istas conpedis Tibi adimam, id. ib. 5, 4, 30; id. Men. 1, 1, 4; id. Pers. 2, 3, 17; Ter. Phorm. 2, 1, 19; gen. conpedium, Plaut. Pers. 3, 3, 15, abl.: conpedibus levior filius, id. Capt. 5, 4, 28; Cato ap. Gell. 11, 18, 18; Hor. Ep. 1, 16, 77; Juv. 10, 182.
In sing. gen. compedis, Claud. in Eutr. prol. 2, 3; acc. compedem, Vulg. Thren. 3, 7; abl.: durā compede, Tib. 1, 7, 42: validā, id. 2, 6, 25; Hor. Epod. 4, 4; Ov. Tr. 4, 1, 5: magnā, Juv. 11, 80 (nom. and dat. of sing. apparently not in use).
Prov.: compedes, quas ipse fecit, ipsus ut gestet faber, Aus. Idyll. 7 fin.
- II. Trop., fetlers, bonds, bands, chains: corporis, Cic. Tusc. 1, 31, 75: ipsum Philippum compedes eas (urbes) Graeciae appellare, Liv. 32, 37, 4: grata (of the chains of love), Hor. C. 1, 33, 14: gratā compede vinctum aliquem puella tenet, id. ib. 4, 11, 24: nivali compede vinctus Hebrus, id. Ep. 1, 3, 3: aërias corpori imponere, of adverse winds, Varr. ap. Non. p. 28, 13.
And of a hinderance in gen.: has compedes, fasces inquam hos laureatos, etc., Cic. Att. 8, 3, 5.
- B. As a female ornament of silver, Plin. 33, 12, 54, § 151.