I.any object composed of materials perceptible by the senses, body, substance (opp. anima and animus; cf. the definition in Dig. 41, 3, 30 pr.).
I. Lit. (very frequent in every period and species of composition).
A. In gen., a body, whether living or lifeless: “tangere aut tangi nisi corpus nulla potest res,” Lucr. 1, 305: “animi voluptates et dolores nasci fatemur e corporis voluptatibus et doloribus, etc.,” Cic. Fin. 1, 17, 55; cf. id. Tusc. 4, 10, 23: “vita, quae corpore et spiritu continetur,” id. Marcell. 9, 28: “parvissima quaeque Corpora constabunt ex partibus infinitis,” Lucr. 1, 617: “ignea rerum,” id. 1, 680: “terraï,” id. 5, 236: “acerbum Neptuni,” id. 2, 472: “aquae,” id. 2, 232 et saep.—Poet., plur. for sing.: “nudabant corpora (nymphae) venti,” Ov. M. 1, 527; Tib. 1, 8, 52 (cf. σώματα, Soph. Elec. 1232).—
B. In partic.
1. The flesh of animal bodies: “ossa subjecta corpori,” Cic. N. D. 2, 55, 139; cf. Quint. 1, prooem. § 24; “12, 10, 5: amittere,” to become poor, lean, Lucr. 1, 1038; Cic. Fam. 7, 26, 2 fin.; cf.: “abiit corpusque colorque,” Ov. H. 3, 141; “and the opp. facere,” to become fat, to thrive, Cels. 7, 3 fin.; cf.: “quo cibo fecisti tantum corporis,” Phaedr. 3, 7, 5.—In a play upon words: “inque omni nusquam corpore corpus erat,” Mart. Spect. 7, 6.—
b. Transf., the wood under the bark of a tree, Plin. 17, 24, 37, § 234.—Of discourse: “nervis illis, quibus causa continetur, adiciunt superinducti corporis speciem,” the covering, integument, Quint. 5, 8, 2; 2, 10, 5: “corpus eloquentiae facere,” the substance, the most essential part, id. 10, 1, 87; cf.: “corpus orationis enervatur,” Petr. 2.—
2. A lifeless body, a corpse, Caes. B. G. 2, 10; 2, 27; Liv. 32, 13, 8 et saep.; Ov. M. 7, 548; id. F. 2, 835 al.—In a double sense, Cic. Sull. 31, 89 Halm.—Poet., the souls of the dead, the shades or departed spirits, Verg. A. 6, 303; 6, 306.—
3. As opposed to the head, the trunk, Ov. M. 11, 794.—
4. In mal. part., the body, person: “usuram ejus corporis cepit sibi,” Plaut. Am. prol. 108: “illa quae corpus puplicat volgo suum,” id. Bacch. 4, 8, 22; id. Cist. 2, 3, 21; cf.: “corpore quaestum facere,” id. Poen. 5, 3, 21 al.; “v. quaestus.— Hence also,” the testicles, Phaedr. 3, 11, 3; Hor. S. 1, 2, 43.—
5. Periphrastically for the individual, the person (esp. poet., to suggest that which is physically admirable or excellent; “also freq. in the histt.): delecta virum corpora,” Verg. A. 2, 18; cf.: “lectissima matrum,” id. ib. 9, 272: “quo pulchrior alter non fuit, excepto corpore Turni,” id. ib. 7, 650; “11, 690: septena quot annis Corpora natorum,” id. ib. 6, 22: “ultor vestrae, fidissima corpora, mortis,” Ov. M. 3, 58; 7, 655: “sororum,” Sil. 14, 105; Val. Fl. 2, 653: “conjugum vestraque ac liberorum vestrorum,” Liv. 21, 13, 7; Tac. A. 4, 72 et saep.: “uti corpora nostra ab injuriā tuta forent,” Sall. C. 33, 2; Liv. 9, 8, 5; 31, 46, 16: “qui liberum corpus (sc. Virginiam) in servitutem addixissent,” id. 3, 56, 8; so, “liberum,” Sall. C. 33, 2; Liv. 5, 22, 1; 29, 21, 6; Plin. Pan. 33, 1.—Of animals: corpora magna boum, heads, Verg. G. 3, 369: “seu quis Pascit equos ... Corpora praecipue matrum legat,” id. ib. 3, 51; id. A. 1, 193: “pro tribus corporibus triginta milia talentum auri precatur accipias,” Curt. 4, 11, 6.—
II. Meton., a whole composed of parts united, a body, frame, system, structure, community, corporation, etc.; “of ships,” the framework, Caes. B. C. 1, 54.—Of fortifications: “totum corpus coronā militum cingere,” Caes. B. G. 7, 72.—Of a land: “Sicilia dirempta velut a corpore majore,” Just. 4, 1, 1.—Of the state: “alterum (praeceptum Platonis), ut totum corpus rei publicae curent, nec dum partem aliquam tuentur, reliquas deserant,” Cic. Off. 1, 25, 85: “quae (multitudo) coalescere in populi unius corpus poterat,” Liv. 1, 8, 1; cf. id. 34, 9, 3; and: “nullum civitatis,” a political body, id. 26, 16, 9; 38, 9, 12; Tac. G. 39; Just. 3, 2, 2: “totum corpus Macedoniae,” id. 7, 1, 12; Liv. 26, 16, 9: “sui corporis regem creari,” id. 1, 17, 2: “corpus mercatorum,” guild, Ambros. Ep. 20, 6: “corpori valido caput deerat (sc. exercitui dux),” Liv. 5, 46, 5: “oriundi ab Sabinis sui corporis creari regem volebant,” id. 1, 17, 2; cf. id. 4, 9, 4; 6, 34, 5 al.: “fabrorum et naviculariorum,” Dig. 50, 6, 5: “utros ejus habueris libros ... duo enim sunt corpora ... an utrosque, nescio,” Cic. Q. Fr. 2, 11 (13), 4; so of a book, id. Fam. 5, 12, 4; Sen. Tranq. 9, 6; Suet. Gram. 6; Dig. 32, 50 al.; cf.: “corpus omnis Romani juris,” Liv. 3, 34, 7; “hence, Corpus Juris,” title of a Roman collection of laws, Cod. Just. 5, 13: “rationum,” Dig. 40, 5, 37: “patrimonii,” ib. 4, 2, 20: “omnia maternae hereditatis,” ib. 4, 31, 79.
