Lewis & Short

Parsing inflected forms may not always work as expected. If the following does not give the correct word, try Latin Words or Perseus.

asta, ae, f., v. hasta.

Asta, ae, f., = Αστα, a town.

  1. I. In Liguria, now Asti, Plin. 3, 5, 7, § 49.
  2. II. In Hispania Bœtica, Liv. 39, 21; Mel. 3, 1, 4; Plin. 3, 1, 3, § 11; cf. Mann. Hisp. p. 286.
    Hence, Astensis, e, adj., of Asta: ager, Liv. 39, 21; and Astenses, ium, m., the Astensians, Auct. B. Hisp. 26.

hasta (asta), ae, f. [Sanscr. hastas, hand; cf. Gr. root χαδ- in χανδάνω, pre-hendo], a spear (syn.: hastile, dolo, gaesum, sarisa, sparus, lancea, pilum, spiculum, telum, etc.).

  1. I. Lit.
    1. A. Most freq. as a military weapon, a lance, pike, javelin (cf. Becker’s Antiq. III. 2, p. 242 sq.): nec eminus hastis aut comminus gladiis uteretur, Cic. de Sen. 6, 19: dum transit, striderat hasta, Enn. ap. Prisc. p. 817 P. (Ann. v. 365 Vahl.): Hastati spargunt hastas, id. ap. Macr. S. 6, 1 (Ann. v. 287 ib.): evelli jussit eam, qua erat transfixus, hastam, Cic. Fin. 2, 30, 97: amentatus hastas torquebit, id. de Or. 1, 57, 242; cf. id. Brut. 78, 271; id. Top. 17, 65: hastas vibrare, id. de Or. 2, 80, 325: jactare, id. ib. 2, 78, 316: dirigere in aliquem, Ov. M. 8, 66: contendere, to hurl, Verg. A. 10, 521: protendere aut colligere, Tac. A. 2, 21 al.
      As a symbol of war, sent in making a declaration of the same, Gell. 10, 27, 3; Paul. ex Fest. p. 101 Müll., and thrown into the enemy’s territory, Liv 1, 32 fin.; Varr. ap. Serv. Verg. A. 9, 53: pura, i. e. without iron, given to brave soldiers as a mark of distinction, Plin. 7, 28, 29, § 102; Suet. Claud. 28; Inscr. Orell. 3457; cf. Varr. ap. Serv. Verg. A. 6, 760, and Fest. l. l.
      As the symbol of legal ownership: festuca uti quasi hastae loco, signo quodam justi dominii, Gai Inst. 4, 16.
      1. 2. Transf., beyond the milit. sphere: jacet, diffidit, abjecit hastas, i. e. has lost his courage, Cic. Mur. 21, 45.
    2. B. A spear stuck in the ground at public auctions or where the tribunals of the cenlumviri were held (orig. as a sign of booty gained in battle or of magisterial authority): est enim ausus (Sulla) dicere, hasta posita, cum bona in foro venderet et bonorum virorum et locupletium et certe civium praedam se suam vendere, Cic. Off. 2, 8, 27; cf.: hastam in foro ponere et bona civium voci subicere praeconis, id. ib. 2, 23, 83: hasta posita pro aede Jovis Statoris, bona voci acerbissimae subjecta praeconis, id. Phil. 2, 26, 64: quos non illa inflnita hasta satiavit, id. ib. 4, 4, 9: emptio ab hasta, id. Att. 12, 3, 2: comitibus eorum sub hasta venditis, Liv. 23, 38, 7: municipia Italiae splendidissima sub hasta venierunt, Flor. 3, 21, 27: just hastae, Tac. A. 13, 28: cum censores se jam locationibus abstinerent, convenere ad eos, qui hastae hujus generis assueverant, Liv. 24, 18, 10; as a badge of dignity: hunc miratur adhuc centum gravis hasta virorum, Mart. 7, 63, 7.
      Hence, transf., the centumviral court: ut centumviralem hastam, quam quaestura functi consuerant cogere, decemviri cogerent, Suet. Aug. 36 fin.
    3. C. A little spear with which a bride’s hair was parted into locks, Ov. F. 2, 560.
    4. D. A spear, as a gymnastic weapon, Plaut. Bacch. 1, 1, 38; 3, 3, 24; id. Most. 1, 2, 73.
  2. II. Transf.
    1. A. Of the form of a comet: jubae effigies mutata in hasta est. Plin. 2, 25, 22, § 90.
    2. B. I. q. membrum virile, Auct. Priap. 45, 1.