I.adamant, the hard est iron or steel; hence poet., for any thing inflexible, firm, lasting, etc. (first used by Verg.): “porta adversa ingens solidoque adamante columnae,” Verg. A. 6, 552; cf. Mart. 5, 11; “adamante texto vincire,” with adamantine chains, Sen. Herc. F. 807.—Trop. of character, hard, unyielding, inexorable: “nec rigidos silices solidumve in pectore ferrum aut adamanta gerit,” a heart of stone, Ov. M. 9, 615: “lacrimis adamanta movebis,” will move a heart of stone, id. A. A. 1, 659; so id. Tr. 4, 8, 45: “voce tua posses adamanta movere,” Mart. 7, 99: “duro nec enim ex adamante creati, Sed tua turba sumus,” Stat. S. 1, 2, 69. —
II. The diamond: “adamanta infragilem omni cetera vi sanguine hireino rumpente,” Plin. 20, prooem. 1. 37, 4, 15, § 55 sq.
