Lewis & Short

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2. lĕgo, lēgi, lectum (gen. plur. part. legentum, Ov. Tr. 1. 7, 25), 3, v. a. [Gr. λέγω, λόγος, λογάς, etc.; Lat. legumen, di-leg-ens, neg-leg-o, etc.; cf. Germ. lesen], to bring together, to gather, collect.

  1. I. Lit.
    1. A. In gen.: oleam, Cato, R. R. 144: nuces, Cic. de Or. 2, 66, 265: herbas collibus, Ov. M. 14, 347: flores et humi nascentia fraga, Verg. E. 3, 92; cf.: roscida mala, id. ib. 8, 38: flores in calathos, Ov. F. 5, 218: spolia caesorum, Liv. 5, 39: quos (montanos asparagos), Juv. 11, 69.
      Of the dead who have been burned: ossa, Ov. H. 10, 150: homini mortuo ossa, Cic. Leg. 2, 24, 60: ossa filii, Sen. de Ira, 2, 33, 6; cf. Quint. 8, 5, 21; Lact. de Mort. Persec. 21, 11: reliquias legerunt primores equestris ordinis, Suet. Aug. 100.
    2. B. Esp.
      1. 1. To take out, pick out, extract, remove: quibusdam et radi ossa et legi … quae sine totius pernicie corporis haerere non poterant, Sen. Prov. 1, 3, 2: ossa vivis, id. ad Marc. 22, 3: ossa in capite lecta, id. Ben. 5, 24, 3: ossa e vulneribus, Quint. 6, 1, 30.
      2. 2. To pluck, strip, gather fruit from (a tree, etc.): oleam qui legerit, Cato, R. R. 144, 1: ficus non erat apta legi, Ov. F. 2, 254.
      3. 3. Poet.: legere fila, to wind up: extrema Lauso Parcae fila legunt, i. e. spin the last thread of life, Verg. A. 10, 815; cf.: quae dedit ingrato fila legenda viro, Ov. F. 3, 462: stamen, Prop. 4 (5), 4, 40 (42).
      4. 4. Naut. t. t.: vela legere, to draw together, furl: omnis navita ponto umida vela legit, Verg. G. 1, 373: vela legunt socii, id. A. 3, 532: ipse dabit tenera vela, legetque manu, Ov. H. 15, 215; Val. Fl. 2, 13: prora funem legit Argus ab alta, draws in, takes in, id. 1, 312: ancoras classis legit, is weighing anchor, Sen. Troad. 759.
      5. 5. To take to one’s self unjustly, to carry off, steal, purloin, plunder, abstract (not in Cic.): omnia viscatis manibus leget, omnia sumet: crede mihi, auferet omnia, Lucil. ap. Non. 332 and 396, 4: majus esse maleficium stuprare ingenuam quam sacrum legere, Auct. Her. 2, 30 fin.: sacra divum, Hor. S. 1, 3, 117: soceros legere et gremiis abducere pactas, Verg. A. 10, 79 Serv. ad loc. (but Forbig. renders legere here as = eligere, sumere; cf. 8. infra).
      6. 6. Of places, to go, pass, or wander through (poet.): nec me studiosius altera saltus Legit, Ov. M. 5, 579: pars cetera pontum Pone legit, sails through, Verg. A. 2, 207: vada dura lego, id. ib. 3, 706: freta, id. ib. 3, 127: aequora Afra, Ov. F. 4, 289: Ioniumque rapax Icariumque legit, id. ib. 4, 566: vestigia alicujus, to follow one’s footsteps, to track or pursue him: subsequitur pressoque legit vestigia gressu, id. M. 3, 17; cf.: et vestigia retro Observata legit, Verg. A. 9, 392: tortos orbes, to wander through, id. ib. 12, 481.
      7. 7. To pass or sail by, to skirt, to coast along a shore, land, or place (mostly poet.): Inarimen Prochytenque legit, Ov. M. 14, 89; 15, 705; 709: primi litoris oram, coast along, i. e. not enter into details, Verg. G. 2, 44; id. E. 8, 7: navibus oram Italiae, Liv. 21, 51 fin.: oram Campaniae, Suet. Tib. 11; cf. terram, id. Aug. 16.
      8. 8. Pregn., to choose from a number, to pick out, single out, select, elect (class.): alia esse oportet forma quem tu pugno legeris, pick out to fight with, Plaut. Am. 1, 1, 160: judices, Cic. Phil. 5, 6, 16: omnia, quae leget quaeque reiciet, id. Fin. 4, 15, 40: scribam, to elect, appoint, id. Clu. 45, 126: condiciones nubendi, id. Cael. 15: cives in patres, Liv. 23, 22: viros ad bella, Ov. M. 7, 669: geminasque legit de classe biremes, Verg. A. 8, 79: legit virum vir, each one singles out his man (of the combatants in a battle), id. ib. 11, 632: senatum ad modum pristinum redegit duabus lectionibus: prima ipsorum arbitratu, quo vir virum legit, Suet. Aug. 35; Tac. H. 1, 18: neque ejus legendam filiam (sc. virginem Vestalem) qui domicilium in Italia non haberet, At. Cap. ap. Gell. 1, 12, 8.
          1. * (β) With inf.: fidissima custos Lecta sacrum justae veneri occultare pudorem, Stat. Th. 1, 530.
  2. II. Trop.
    1. * A. To catch up, i. e. overhear a conversation: nunc huc concedam, ut horum sermonem legam, Plaut. Ps. 1, 4, 21 (cf. sublegere, id. Mil. 4, 2. 98).
    2. B. To catch with the eye, to view, observe, behold, survey, see.
      1. * 1. In gen.: tumulum capit, unde omnes longo ordine posset Adversos legere, Verg. A. 6, 755 Heyne ad loc.; and cf. Verg. A. 6, 34.
      2. 2. In partic., to read or peruse a writing: ut eos libros per te ipse legeres, Cic. Top. 1: defensionem causae, id. Verr. 2, 5, 43, § 112: legi apud Clitomachum, A. Albium jocantem dixisse, etc., id. Ac. 2, 45, 137: aliquid studiose intenteque, Plin. Ep. 9, 13, 1: significas legisse te in quadam epistula mea, jussisse Verginium, etc., id. ib. 9, 19, 1: philosophorum consultorumque opiniones, Quint. 12, 11, 17: liber tuus et lectus est et legitur a me diligenter, Cic. Fam. 6, 5, 1: orationem, Quint. 1, 1, 6: aiunt multum legendum esse non multa, Plin. Ep. 7, 9, 15.
        With a pers. obj.: antiquos et novos, Quint. 2, 5, 23: antiquos studiosius, id. 3, 6, 62: poëtas, id. 1, 4, 4.
        In pass.: Horatius fere solus legi dignus, Quint. 10, 1, 96: si cum judicio legatur Cassius Severus, id. 10, 1, 116: dumque legar, mecum pariter tua fama legetur, Ov. Tr. 5, 14, 5: sepulcra legens, when reading epitaphs, Cic. de Sen. 7, 21: legentium plerisque, Liv. 1 praef. § 4: opus nescio an minimae legentibus futurum voluptati, to my readers, Quint. 3, 1, 2; cf. id. 9, 4, 2; 2, 5, 3: nec Cynicos nec Stoica dogmata, Juv. 13, 121.
        Absol.: legendi usus, Lact. 3, 25, 9: memoriam continuus legendi usus instruit, Macr. S. 1, 5, 1.
        1. b. In partic.
          1. (α) To read out, read aloud, recite (esp. freq. in post-Aug. authors): convocatis auditoribus volumen legere, etc., Cic. Brut. 51, 191: codicem pro contione, id. Fragm. ap. Quint. 4, 4, 8: audio me male legere, dumtaxat versus, orationes enim commodius, Plin. Ep. 9, 34: obturem impune legentibus aures, Hor. Ep. 2, 2, 105: quem vero arripuit tenet occiditque legendo, with recitation, id. A. P. 475: quis dabit historico quantum daret acta legenti, to read him the news, Juv. 7, 104.
          2. (β) To find in an author or a writing: ut scriptum legimus, Cic. Deiot. 7, 19: legi etiam scriptum, esse avem quandam, etc., id. N. D. 2. 49 init.: ego vero haec scripta legi, id. Planc. 39, 94: praeterea scriptum legimus, Gallos in venatibus tinguere sagittas, Gell. 17, 15, 7. relatum legere, Nep. praef. 1.
            Pass.: in aliis codicibus non peccato sed peccatis legitur, Aug. Cont. Jul. Rel. 1, 22; id. Don. Persev. 6 init. al.
    3. C. A publicist’s t. t.: legere senatum, to read over or call off the names of senators (which was done by the censors; v. lectio, II. A. 2.): censores fideli concordia senatum legerunt, Liv. 40, 51; 9, 29; 9, 30; 9, 46; 43, 15 al.
      Hence, lĕgens, entis, Part. as subst. m., a reader (poet. and in post-Aug. prose for lector), Ov. Tr. 1, 7, 25.
      Plur., Liv. praef. 4; Quint. 3, 1, 2; Plin. 8, 16, 17, § 44; Tac. A. 4, 33.
      Also, lectus, a, um, P. a., chosen, picked out, selected; choice, excellent (class.): argenti lectae numeratae minae, good, i. e. of full weight, Plaut. Ps. 4, 7, 50; so, argentum, Ter. Phorm. 1, 2, 3: ut neque vir melior neque lectior femina in terris sit, Cic. Inv. 1, 31, 52: lectissimi viri atque ornatissimi, id. Verr. 2, 1, 6, § 15; cf. id. Div. in Caecil. 9, 29: uxor lectissima, id. Inv. 1, 31, 52: (verbis) lectis atque illustribus uti, id. de Or. 3, 37, 150: nihil est aliud … pulcre et oratorie dicere nisi optimis sententiis verbisque lectissimis dicere, id. Or. 68, 227: juvenum lectissime, Stat. S. 5, 1, 247; cf.: viginti lectis equitum comitatus, Verg. A. 9, 48.
      Hence, adv.: lectē, choicely, selectly (very rare): ab lego lecte ac lectissime, Varr. L. L. 6, § 36 Müll.
      Comp.: lectius, Varr. R. R. 1, 54, 2 (al. lecta).

lex, lēgis, f. [perh. Sanscr. root lag-, lig-, to fasten; Lat. ligo, to bind, oblige; cf. religio], a proposition or motion for a law made to the people by a magistrate, a bill (cf. institutum).

  1. I. Lit.: legem ferre: antiquare, Cic. Off. 2, 21, 73: rogare, id. Phil. 2, 29, 72: leges ac jura ferre, Juv. 2, 72: legem promulgavit pertulitque, ut, etc., Liv. 33, 46: Antonius fixit legem a dictatore comitiis latam, qua, etc., Cic. Att. 14, 12: legem sciscere de aliqua re, id. Planc. 14, 35: populus R. jussit legem de civitate tribuenda, id. Balb. 17, 38: repudiare, id. Lael. 25, 96.
  2. II. Transf.
    1. A. A bill which has become a law in consequence of its adoption by the people in the comitia, a law (cf.: jus, fas; decretum, edictum, scitum): legem constituere alicui, Cic. Caecin. 14, 40: legem gravem alicui imponere, id. Ac. 2, 8, 23: legem neglegere, evertere, perfringere, id. Cat. 1, 7, 18: neglegere, perrumpere, id. Leg. 1, 15, 42: leges ac jura labefactare, id. Caecin. 25, 70: legem condere, Liv. 3, 34: leges duodecim tabularum, the laws composed by the decemvirs, the foundation of Roman legislation, Liv. 3, 33 sq.: nunc barbaricā lege certumst jus meum omne persequi, i. e. by the Roman law, that of the Twelve Tables, Plaut. Capt. 3, 1, 32.
    2. B. Esp. in phrases.
      1. 1. Lege and legibus, according to law, by law, legally: ejus morte ea ad me lege redierunt bona, Ter. And. 4, 5, 4: Athenas deductus est, ut ibi de eo legibus fieret judicium, Nep. Phoc. 3, 4.
      2. 2. Legis actio, a statutory process: actiones quas in usu veteres habuerunt legis actiones appellabantur, vel ideo quod legibus proditae sunt, … vel ideo quia ipsarum legum verbis accommodatae erant, et ideo inmutabiles proinde atque leges observabantur, Gai. Inst. 4, 11; cf. § 12 sqq.
      3. 3. Hence, in partic.: lege agere, to proceed strictly according to law.
        1. a. Of the lictor, to execute a sentence: Fulvius praeconi imperavit, ut lictorem lege agere juberet, Liv. 26, 15, 9.
        2. b. To bring a legal or statutory action: una injuria est tecum. Chr. Lege agito ergo, Ter. Phorm. 5, 7, 90: lege agito dicebatur ei cujus intentio contemptibilis adversario videbatur, Don. ad Ter. l. l.: lege agito mecum; molestus ne sis, Plaut. Aul. 3, 3, 11: lege egit in hereditatem paternam exheres filius, Cic. de Or. 1, 38, 175; 1, 36, 167; id. Verr. 2, 1, 45, § 115.
      4. 4. Fraudem legi facere, to evade the law: ut ne legi fraudem faciant aleariae, adcuratote ut, etc., the law against dicing, Plaut. Mil. 2, 2, 9: quod emancupando filium fraudem legi fecisset, Liv. 7, 16, 9; cf. Val. Max. 8, 6, 3; cf. also: facio fraudem senatus consulto, Cic. Att. 4, 12, 1.
    3. C. In gen., a law, precept, regulation, principle, rule, mode, manner: qui disciplinam suam legem vitae putet, Cic. Tusc. 2, 4, 11: communis condicio lexque vitae, id. ib. 4, 29, 62; id. Balb. 7, 18: haec lex in amicitia sauciatur, id. Lael. 12, 40: quaero cur vir bonus has sibi tam gravis leges imposuerit, id. Ac. 2, 8, 23: lex veri rectique, id. ib. 2, 9, 27: aliquam legem vitae accipere, Sen. Ep. 108, 6: ad legem naturae revertamur, id. ib. 25, 4: leges in historia observandae, Cic. Leg. 1, 1, 5: quis nescit primam esse historiae legem, ne quid falsi dicere audeat? id. de Or. 2, 15, 62; id. Fam. 5, 12, 3: vetus est lex amicitiae, ut idem amici semper velint, id. Planc. 2, 5: hanc ad legem formanda est oratio, id. de Or. 3, 49, 190: versibus est certa quaedam et definita lex, id. Or. 58: legibus suis (i. e. philosophiae) parere, id. Tusc. 5, 7, 19: leges Epicuri, id. ib. 5, 37, 108; 4, 4, 7; Sen. Ep. 94, 15; Suet. Ner. 24: vetus lex sermonis, Quint. 1, 5, 29: contra leges loquendi, id. 1, 8, 13: lex et ratio loquendi, Juv. 6, 453: secundum grammaticam legem, Gell. 13, 21, 22: legem esse aiunt disciplinae dialecticae, etc., id. 16, 2, 1: citharae leges, Tac. A. 16, 4: beneficii, Sen. Ben. 2, 10, 4: sic ingens rerum numerus jubet atque operum lex, Juv. 7, 102: scimus hujus opusculi illam esse legem, etc., Plin. Ep. 4, 14, 5: qui titulus sola metri lege constringitur, id. ib. 4, 14, 8.
      Of things: quā sidera lege mearent, by what law, what rule, Ov. M. 15, 71.
      Hence, sine lege, without order, in confusion, confusedly: exspatiantur equi … quaque impetus egit, Hac sine lege ruunt, Ov. M. 2, 204: jacent collo sparsi sine lege capilli, id. H. 15, 73: haec in lege loci commoda Circus habet, quality, nature, id. Am. 3, 2, 20; cf.: sub lege loci sumit mutatque figuras, id. Hal. 32.
    4. D. A contract, agreement, covenant: oleam faciundam hac lege oportet locare, etc., Cato, R. R. 145: in mancipii lege, a contract of sale, Cic. de Or. 1, 39, 178; cf.: Manilianas venalium vendendorum leges ediscere, id. ib. 1, 58, 246: collegii Aesculapii, Inscr. ap. Fabrett. p. 724, n. 443.
    5. E. A condition, stipulation (cf. condicio).
      1. 1. In gen. (mostly ante-class.): ego dabo ei talentum, primus qui in crucem excucurrerit, Set ca lege, ut offigantur bis pedes, Plaut. Most. 2, 1, 13: quia nequit, qua lege licuit velle dixit fieri, id. Stich. 3, 1, 58: estne empta mi haec? Pe. His legibus habeas licet, id. Ep. 3, 4, 39: hac lege tibi adstringo meam fidem, Ter. Eun. 1, 2, 22: legibus dictis, Liv. 9, 5, 3: dicta tibi est lex, Hor. Ep. 2, 2, 18: sed vos saevas imponite leges, Juv. 7, 229.
      2. 2. Hence of conditions or terms of peace: pax data Philippo in has leges est, Liv. 33, 30: quibus ante dictum est legibus, pacem fecerunt, id. 30, 43: pacemque his legibus constituerunt, Nep. Tim. 2: se sub leges pacis iniquae Tradere, Verg. A. 4, 618: leges et foedera jungere, id. ib. 12, 822: in leges ire, Stat. S. 1, 1, 27.
  3. F. In eccl. Lat. esp., the law of Moses: nolite putare quoniam veni solvere legem, Vulg. Matt. 5, 17; 11, 13; often called lex Moysi, id. Luc. 2, 22; id. Act. 15, 5; but more freq. lex Domini, id. Luc. 2, 23; id. Psa. 4, 2: lex Dei, id. 2 Esdr. 10, 28 sq.; also cf.: lex Altissimi, id. Eccl. 19, 21: lex tua, id. Psa. 39, 8; 118, 18: lex mea, id. Prov. 3, 1.
    Also of a precept of the Mosaic law: ista est lex animantium, Vulg. Lev. 11, 46: istae sunt leges quas constituit Dominus, id. Num. 30, 17.