I.a spear (syn.: hastile, dolo, gaesum, sarisa, sparus, lancea, pilum, spiculum, telum, etc.).
I. Lit.
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.—
2. Transf., beyond the milit. sphere: “jacet, diffidit, abjecit hastas,” i. e. has lost his courage, Cic. Mur. 21, 45.—
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.—
C. A little spear with which a bride's hair was parted into locks, Ov. F. 2, 560.—
II. Transf.
A. Of the form of a comet: jubae effigies mutata in hasta est. Plin. 2, 25, 22, § 90.—
B. I. q. membrum virile, Auct. Priap. 45, 1.
