I.gen. sing. VENERVS, Inscr. Orell. 1364), f. v. veneror, the goddess of Love, the goddess Venus, Cic. N. D. 3, 23, 59 sq.; id. Div. 1, 13, 23; id. Or. 2, 5; Cic. Verr. 2, 4, 60, § 135; Varr. R. R. 1, 1, 6; Lucr. 1, 2; Hor. C. 1, 30, 1: “filius Veneris,” i. e. Cupid, Ov. M. 1, 463; cf. “puerum,” id. Am. 1, 10, 17; also Æneas, Verg. A. 1, 325; and in jest, Venere prognatus, of C. Julius Cœar, Cael. ap. Cic. Fam. 8, 15, 2: “Veneris mensis,” i. e. April, Ov. F. 4, 61.—
B. Transf.
1. Love, sexual love, venery (as euphemism freq.): “sine Cerere et Libero friget Venus,” Ter. Eun. 4, 5, 6: “Venus trivio conmissa,” Prop. 4 (5), 7, 19. Verg. G. 3, 97; Ov. M. 10, 80; 10, 434; 11, 306; 12, 198; App. M. 1, p. 106, 13; Quint. 8, 6, 24; Tac. G. 20; Col. 6, 27, 10.—
2. Like the Engl. love, to denote a beloved object, beloved: “nec veneres nostras hoc fallit,” Lucr. 4, 1185: “mea Venus,” Verg. E. 3, 68; Hor. C. 1, 27, 14; 1, 33, 13.—
3. Qualities that excite love, loveliness, attractiveness, beauty, grace, elegance, charms (sing. and plur.; “not in Cic.): quo fugit venus? quo color? decens Quo motus?” Hor. C. 4, 13, 17: “ac bene nummatum decorat suadela venusque,” id. Ep. 1, 6, 38; id. A. P. 42; Sen. Ben. 2, 28, 1: “fabula nullius veneris sine pondere et arte,” Hor. A. P. 320: “sermo ipse Romanus non recipere videatur illam solis concessam Atticis venerem,” Quint. 10, 1, 100: “quod cum gratiā quādam et venere dicatur,” id. 6, 3, 18; so (with gratia) id. 4, 2, 116.— “Of paintings: deesse iis unam illam suam venerem dicebat, quam Graeci charita vocant,” Plin. 35, 10, 36, § 79.—Plur.: “profecto Amoenitates omnium venerum atque venustatum adfero,” Plaut. Stich. 2, 2, 5: “Isocrates omnes dicendi veneres sectatus est,” Quint. 10, 1, 79.—
4. The planet Venus, Cic. N. D. 2, 20, 53; id. Rep. 6, 17, 17.—
5. The highest throw at dice, when each of the dice presented a different number, the Venus throw, Prop. 4 (5), 8, 45; Hor. C. 2, 7, 25; Aug. ap. Suet. Aug. 71; cf. in the foll.—
II. Derivv.: Vĕnĕrĕus or Vĕnĕrĭus , a, um, adj., of or belonging to Venus: “sacerdos,” Plaut. Rud. 2, 2, 23: “antistita,” id. ib. 3, 2, 10: “nepotulus,” id. Mil. 5, 20; 5, 28: “nutricatus,” id. ib. 3, 1, 54: “servi,” temple-slaves of the Erycinian Venus in Sicily, Cic. Verr. 2, 3, 20, § 50; 2, 5, 54, § 141; v. also infra, B. 2.: res, voluptates, etc., of or belonging to sexual love, venereous, venereal, Cic. Sen. 14, 47; id. Div. 2, 69, 143: “visa,” Plin. 34, 18, 50, § 166; Col. 12, 4, 3; cf. in a pun: homo, belonging to Venus and lascivious (of Verres), Cic. Verr. 2, 5, 54, § 141: “delphinus,” wanton, Gell. 7, 8, 1: “nostros quoque antiquiores poëtas amasios et Venerios fuisse,” id. 19, 9, 9: “pira,” a kind of pear, Venus-pear, Col. 5, 10, 18; 12, 10, 4; Plin. 15, 15, 16, § 56.—
B. Substt.
1. Vĕnĕrĕus (Vĕnĕrĭus ), i, m. (i. e. jactus), the Venus-throw at dice (v. supra, I. B. 5.), Cic. Div. 1, 13, 23; 2, 21, 48; 2, 59, 121; also Vĕnĕrĕum , i, n.: hoc Venereum est, Plaut. As. 5, 2, 55.—
2. Vĕnĕrĕi (Vĕnĕrĭi ), ōrum, m. (i. e. servi), the templeslaves of the Erycinian Venus (v. supra), Cic. Verr. 2, 2, 38, § 92; 2, 3, 25, § 61; id. Clu. 15, 43.—
3. Vĕnĕrĕae (Vĕnĕrĭae ), ārum, f. (i. e. conchae), a kind of mussels, Venus-shell, Plin. 9, 33, 52, § 103; 32, 11, 53, § 151.