I.a spot, mark, stain (class.).
I. Lit.
A. In gen., Plin. 37, 10, 56, § 155: “(bos) maculis insignis et albo,” i. e. with white spots, Verg. G. 3, 56: “maculis albis equus,” id. A. 9, 49: “maculis auro squalentibus ardens (rex apum),” id. G. 4, 91: in ipsis quasi maculis (terra), ubi habitatur, in those spots, i. e. small places, Cic. Rep. 6, 19 fin.: “parcit cognatis maculis similis fera,” Juv. 15, 160; cf. 5, 104.—
2. Transf., a mesh in a net, a hole in network or in a web: “rete grandibus maculis,” Varr. R. R. 3, 11, 3; Col. 8, 15, 1: “reticulum minutis maculis,” Cic. Verr. 2, 5, 11, § 27: “retia maculis distincta,” Ov. H. 5, 19. —Of the meshes of a spider's web, Plin. 11, 24, 28, § 81.—
B. In partic., a spot, stain, blot, blemish, mole, etc.: “maculari corpus maculis luridis,” Plaut. Capt. 3, 4, 63: “est corporis macula, naevus,” Cic. N. D. 1, 28, 79: “maculas auferre de vestibus,” Ov. F. 3, 821: “extrahere,” Plin. 20, 13, 50, § 120: “in veste facere,” id. 12, 25, 54, § 123: “e veste abluere,” id. 28, 7, 23, § 109: “mederi maculis corporis,” id. 36, 19, 33, § 140; cf.: “lentigines ac maculas e facie tollere,” id. 20, 2, 4, § 9.—
II. Trop. (acc. to I. B.), a blot, stain, stigma, blemish, fault in character: quem scis scire tuas omnes maculasque notasque, Lucil. ap. Non. 350, 13: “inest amoris macula huic homini in pectore,” Plaut. Poen. 1, 1, 70: “jam ego ex corpore exigam omnis maculas maerorum tibi,” id. Capt. 4, 2, 61: vitium commune omnium est, Quod nimium ad rem in senecta attenti sumus: hanc maculam nos decet Effugere, * Ter. Ad. 5, 8, 31: “delenda vobis est illa macula, Mithridatico bello suscepta,” Cic. Imp. Pomp. 3, 7: “est hujus saeculi labes quaedam et macula, virtuti invidere,” id. Balb. 6, 15: “vitae splendorem maculis aspergere,” id. Planc. 12, 30: “furtorum et flagitiorum,” Cic. Verr. 2, 5, 46, § 121: “adulescentiae,” id. ib. 1, 4, 11: “familiae,” id. Clu. 5, 12: “in oratione nitida notabile humilius verbum et velut macula,” Quint. 8, 3, 18; 8, 5, 28: “ne Claudiae genti eam inustam maculam vellent,” Liv. 3, 58: “plurima sunt nitidis maculam haesuram figentia rebus,” enduring disgrace, Juv. 14, 2.
