I.gen. aetheros; acc. reg. Gr. aethera; and so Stat. S. 4, 225; id. Th. 3, 525; “but poetry and prose of that per. also use aetherem,” Tert. adv. Marc. 1, 13; cf. Serv. ad Verg. A. 1, 58; plur. in late Lat. aethera, Ven. Fort. Carm. 3, 9, 7), m., = αἰθήρ [v. aestas], the upper, pure, bright air, the ether.
I. In gen.
A. Lit. (opp. aër, the lower atmospheric air): restat ultimus omnia cingens et coërcens caeli complexus, qui idem aether vocatur, extrema ora et determinatio mundi; “in quo cum admirabilitate maxima igneae formae cursus ordinatos definiunt,” Cic. N. D. 2, 40: “(astra) oriuntur in ardore caelesti, qui aether vel caelum nominatur,” id. ib. 2, 15.—
B. Transf., in the poets,
1. Heaven: Id, quod nostri caelum memorant, Graii perhibent aethera, Pac. ap. Varr. L. L. 5, § 17 Müll. (Trag. Rel. p. 87 Rib.): famā super aethera notus, Verg. A. 1, 379: “rex aetheris altus Juppiter,” id. ib. 12, 140: “regna profundi aetheros,” Stat. Th. 3, 524. —
2. Air, in gen.: clamor ad caelum volvendus per aethera vagit, Enn. ap. Varr. L. L. 7, § 104 Müll. (Ann. v. 520 Vahl.): “ignem ignes procudunt aetheraque aether,” Lucr. 2, 1115: ferar per liquidum aethera Vates, * Hor. C. 2, 20, 2: “nudoque sub aetheris axe,” Verg. A. 2, 512; 8, 28: “apes liquidum trans aethera vectae,” id. ib. 7, 65; Sil. 2, 513 al.—*
3. In opp. to the lower world, the upper world, the earth: “aethere in alto duros perferre labores,” Verg. A. 6, 436.—*
4. The brightness surrounding a deity: “aethere plena corusco Pallas,” Val. Fl. 5, 183.—
II. Aether personified, son of Chaos, and father of Cœlum, Cic. N. D. 3, 17 al.; also Jupiter, Cic. Ac. 2, 41. So in the poets often: “pater Aether,” Lucr. 1, 250: “pater omnipotens Aether,” Verg. G. 2, 325.
