I.the heel.
I. Lit.: “calces deteris,” you tread on my heels, Plaut. Merc. 5, 2, 111: “quod si ipsa animi vis In capite aut umeris aut imis calcibus esse Posset,” Lucr. 3, 792; 5, 136: incursare pug nis, calcibus, πὺξ καὶ λάξ, Plaut. Poen. 4, 1, 3; Ter. Eun. 2, 2, 53: “certare pugnis, calcibus, unguibus,” Cic. Tusc. 5, 27, 77: “uti pugnis et calcibus,” id. Sull. 25, 71: “concisus pugnis et calcibus,” Cic. Verr. 2, 3, 23, § 56: “subsellium calce premere,” Auct. Her. 4, 55, 68: “ferire pugno vel calce,” Quint. 2, 8, 13: “quadrupedemque citum ferratā (al. ferrato) calce fatigat,” Verg. A. 11, 714: “nudā calce vexare ilia equi,” Stat. S. 5, 2, 115; Sil. 7, 697; 13, 169; 17, 541: “nudis calcibus anguem premere,” Juv. 1, 43.—Also of the heels of animals, Varr. R. R. 2, 5, 8; Col. 8, 2, 8: “quadrupes calcibus auras Verberat,” Verg. A. 10, 892.—Hence, caedere calcibus, to kick, λακτιζω, Plaut. Poen. 3, 3, 71: “calce petere aliquem,” to kick, Hor. S. 2, 1, 55: “ferire,” Ov. F. 3, 755: “extundere frontem,” Phaedr. 1, 21, 9: “calces remittere,” to kick, Nep. Eum. 5, 5; so, “reicere,” Dig. 9, 1, 5: “aut dic aut accipe calcem,” take a kick, Juv. 3, 295 al.—
2. Prov.: adversus stimulum calces (sc. jactare, etc.) = λακτίζειν πρὸς κέντρον (Aesch Agam. 1624; Pind. Pyth. 2, 174; “W. T. Act. 9, 5),” to kick against the pricks, Ter. Phorm. 1, 2, 28 Don. and Ruhnk.; cf. Plaut. Truc. 4, 2, 55, and s. v. calcitro: calcem impingere alicui rei, to abandon any occupation: “Anglice,” to hang a thing on the nail, Petr. 46.—
B. Meton. (pars pro toto), the foot, in gen.: “calcemque terit jam calce,” Verg. A. 5, 324 Serv. and Heyne. —
II. Transf. to similar things.
A. In architecture: calces scaporum, the foot of the pillars of a staircase; Fr. patin de l'échiffre, Vitr. 9, praef. § 8.—
B. Calx mali, the foot of the mast, Vitr. 10, 3, 5.—
C. In agriculture, the piece of wood cut off with a scion, Plin. 17, 21, 35, § 156.
