Lewis & Short

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callĕo, ēre, v. n. and a. [callum].

  1. I. Neutr.
    1. A. Lit., to be callous, to be thickskinned (rare): plagis costae callent, Plaut. Ps. 1, 2, 4; Caecil. ap. Non. p. 258, 10: callent rure manus, Auct. Aetn. 260; Plin. 11, 37, 84, § 211.
    2. B. Trop.
      1. * 1. To be hardened, insensible, unfeeling: in illis rebus exercitatus animus callere jam debet atque omnia minoris existimare, Serv. Sulp. ap. Cic. Fam. 4, 5, 2; cf. callisco.
      2. 2. To be practised, to be wise by experience, to be skilful, versed in; in a pun on the literal sense A. supra: callum aprugnum callere aeque non sinam, Plaut. Poen. 3, 2, 2; cf. id. ib. v. 1; so id. Pers. 2, 5, 4: omnes homines ad suum quaestum callent, id. Truc. 5, 40 (cf. id. ib. 2, 4, 62: callidus ad quaestum); Amm. 15, 2, 4: melius quam viri callent mulieres, Att. ap. Non. p. 257, 31 (Trag. Rel. v. 28 Rib.): satin’ astu et fallendo callet? id. ib. p. 258, 6 (Trag. Rel. v. 475 ib.): quod periti sumus in vitā atque usu callemus magis, id. ib. 258, 5: si in re navali, cujus esset ignarus, offendisset, eo plus in ea, quorum usu calleret, spei nactus, Liv. 35, 26, 10: cottidiano usu ejus (negotii) callebant, Val. Max. 8, 12, 1; Plin. 8, 25, 38, § 91; 9, 29, 46, § 86: augurandi studio Galli praeter caeteros callent, Just. 24, 4, 3: arte, Ser. ap. Non. p. 258, 2; Sol. 8: bellis callere, by military experience, Sil. 6, 90 sq.: fidibus, App. Flor. n. 18.
  2. II. Act., to know by experience or practice, to know, have the knowledge of, understand (freq., esp. in the poets; in Cic. very rare): memini et scio et calleo et commemini, Plaut. Pers. 2, 1, 8; cf. id. ib. 3, 1, 52; id. Poen. 3, 1, 71: cuncta perdocte callet, id. Most. 1, 3, 122: alicujus sensum, Ter. Ad. 4, 1, 17: istaec malitiosa non tam calleo, Afran. ap. Non. p. 482, 10 (Com. Rel. v. 124 Rib.): in colubras callet cantiunculam, Pompon. ib. 482, 9 (Com. Rel. v. 118 ib.): jura, Cic. Balb. 14, 32; Gell. 16, 10, 3: urbanas rusticasque res pariter, Liv. 39, 40, 4: artem, Tac. A. 13, 3: legitimum sonum digitis callemus et aure, Hor. A. P. 274 al.
          1. (β) With inf. as object: multaque de rerum mixturā dicere callent, * Lucr. 2, 978; Hor. C. 4, 9, 49; Juv. 4, 142; Pers. 5, 105.
          2. (γ) With acc. and inf.: quem Marcellini consiliarium fuisse callebant, Sisenn. ap. Non. p. 258, 8.
          3. (δ) With rel.-clause: quo pacto id fieri soleat, calleo, Ter. Heaut. 3, 2, 37.
            Hence, callens, entis, P. a., acquainted with, versed in, skilful, expert (very rare): qui sunt vaticinandi callentes, Plin. 21, 31, 105, § 182: utriusque linguae, Gell. 17, 5, 3: bellandi, Amm. 16, 12, 32.
            * Adv.: callenter, skilfully, cunningly; for the class. callide, App. M. 4, p. 150, 3.

callis, is, m. (fem., Varr. R. R. 2, 2, 10; Liv. 22, 14, 8; 31, 42, 8; 36, 15, 9; Curt. 3, 10, 10; 4, 16, 11; Amm. 30, 1, 15; 31, 10, 9; cf. Neue, Formenl. 1, p. 673) [etym. dub.; acc. to Serv. ad Verg. A. 4, 405, and Isid. Orig. 15, 16, 10, from callum; cf. Doed. Syn. IV. p. 68], a stony, uneven, narrow footway, a foot-path, a mountain-path, etc.; most freq., a path made by the treading of cattle: callis est iter pecudum inter montes angustum et tritum, a callo pecudum perduratum, Isid. Orig. l. l.: callis = via pecorum vestigiis trita, Vet. Gloss.

  1. I. Lit.: per calles silvestres, Varr. R. R. 2, 9 fin.; 2, 10, 1 and 3; Cic. Sest. 5, 12 Orell.: inde prope inviis callibus ad dictatorem perfugerunt, Liv. 22, 15, 10; cf. id. 32, 11, 2; Verg. A. 4, 405; cf. Ov. M. 7, 626 al.: per calles ignotos, Liv. 31, 42, 8; 35, 27, 6; 36, 15, 9; 38, 2, 10; Curt. 7, 11, 7: secreti, Verg. A. 6, 443: surgens, Pers. 4 (3), 57.
  2. II. Transf.
    1. A. A mountain-pasturage, alp, declivity, mountain-pass, defile (cf. Vogel ad Curt. 3, 10, 10 N. cr.): rara per occultos lucebat semita calles, Verg. A. 9, 383 Heyne: nos hic pecorum modo per aestivos saltus deviasque callis exercitum ducimus, Liv. 22, 14, 8: per calles saltusque Macedonicorum montium, id. 44, 36, 10: in Ciliciae angustiis et inviis callibus dimicare, Curt. 4, 13, 6: angustis in Ciliciae callibus, id. 4, 9, 22; 5, 4, 4; 5, 4, 17; Liv. 35, 30, 10: quaestor, cui provincia vetere ex more calles evenerant, Tac. A. 4, 27 Orell. and Draeg. ad loc.; cf.: (provincia) semitae callesque, Suet. Aug. 19: calles consitae arboribus, Amm. 31, 10, 9.
    2. B. A way, path, road, in gen., Val. Fl. 3, 568; 5, 394 (but in Lucr. 6, 92, the correct read. is calcis, not callis; v. Lachm. ad h. l.).