I.a mountain, mount.
I. Lit.: “montium altitudines,” Cic. N. D. 2, 39, 98: “altissimi,” Caes. B. G. 3, 1: “avii,” Hor. C. 1, 23, 2: “inaccessi,” Plin. 6, 28, 32, § 144: “lapidosi,” Ov. M. 1, 44.—Prov.: “parturiunt montes, nascetur ridiculus mus, said where much is promised but little performed,” Hor. A. P. 139.—
II. Transf.
A. A mountain, i. e. a (heaped-up, towering) mass, a heap, quantity: “argenti montes,” Plaut. Mil. 4, 2, 73: “montes mali ardentes,” id. Merc. 3, 4, 32; id. Ep. 1, 1, 78: “ita mali maeroris montem maxumum conspicatus sum,” id. Most. 2, 1, 6: “mons in Tusculani monte,” i. e. a lofty, splendid building near Tusculum, Cic. Pis. 21, 48: “aquae,” Verg. A. 1, 105: “armorum,” Sil. 10, 549.—Of a wagon-load of stones: “eversum fudit super agmina montem,” Juv. 3, 258; Stat. Th. 1, 145.—Prov.: “montes auri polliceri,” to promise mountains of gold, to make great promises, Ter. Phorm. 1, 2, 18; so, “maria montesque polliceri,” Sall. C. 23, 3: “magnos montes promittere,” Pers. 3, 65.—
B. A mountain-rock, rock in gen. (poet.): “fertur in abruptum magno mons improbus actu,” Verg. A. 12, 687: “Graii,” Greek marble, Stat. Th. 1, 145.—
C. Mountain-beasts, wild beasts (late poet.): “consumant totos spectacula montes,” Claud. Cons. Mall. Theod. 310.
