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anfractus (not amfr- ), ūs, m. id., pr.
I.a breaking round; hence, a bending, recurving, turning (in the ante-class. per. rare; v. the preced. art.).
I. Lit.: “quid pulchrius figurā (sc. sphaericā) quae nihil incisum anfractibus, nihil eminens, habere potest?Cic. N. D. 2, 18, 47.—Hence, of the circular motion of the sun (acc. to the ancient belief): “solis anfractus,a circuit, revolution, Cic. Rep. 6, 12; cf. id. Leg. 2, 8.—Of the crookedness of horns: “cornua convoluta in anfractum,Plin. 11, 37, 45, § 124.—Of the coils of a serpent, Val. Fl. 7, 523; Stat. Th. 5, 520.—Also freq., particularly in the histt., of the turning or winding of a road, etc., a tortuous, circuitous route: “si nullus anfractus intercederet,Caes. B. G. 7, 46: “illa (via) altero tanto longiorem habebat anfractum,Nep. Eum. 8, 5: “per anfractus jugi procurrere,Liv. 44, 4: “anfractus viarum,id. 33, 1: “litorum anfractus,the windings, id. 38, 7 al.; Luc. 1, 605. —
II. Trop., of discourse, = ambages, circumlocution, digression: “quid opus est circuitione et anfractu?Cic. Div. 2, 61, 127: “oratio circumscripta non longo anfractu, sed ad spiritum vocis apto,id. Part. Or. 6, 21: “quae omnia infinitus anfractus habent,ramifications, Quint. 6, 1, 15, where Bonn. and Halm read tractatus.—Of legal matters, intricacies, prolixity: “judiciorum,Cic. Clu. 56, 159: “juris,Quint. 12, 9, 3.
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