I.Abl. altari, Petr. 135, Vulg. Gen. 33, 20, ib. Matt. 23, 20 al.) [cf. adoleo, adolesco, as sacrificial terms, Paul. ex Fest. p. 5 Müll., or altus from its height, id. ib. p. 29; Serv. ad Verg. E. 5, 66].
I. That which was placed upon the altar proper (ara) for the burning of the victim (altaria sunt, in quibus igne adoletur, Paul. ex Fest. p. 5 Müll.; cf. id. ib. p. 29 ): “celeres urunt altaria flammae,” Tib. 4, 6, 17: “structae diris altaribus arae,” Luc. 3, 404: “aris altaria imponere,” Quint. Decl. 12, 26; Sol. 9.—Hence,
II. Poet. (pars pro toto), a high altar (built and ornamented with more splendor than the ara; cf. Voss ad Verg. E. 5, 66; “Hab. Syn. 129): Conspergunt aras adolentque altaria donis,” Lucr. 4, 1237: en quattuor aras; “Ecce duas tibi, Daphni, duas altaria Phoebo,” two high altars to Phœbus, Verg. E. 5, 66 (ubi v. Wagn. and Voss): “inter aras et altaria, i. e. in Capitolio,” Plin. Pan. 1, 5: “altaria thymiamatis,” Vulg. Exod. 30, 27; ib. Rom. 11, 3 al.—Sing. (eccl. Lat.): “aedificabit ibi altare Domino,” Vulg. Gen. 12, 7; ib. Psa. 25, 6; ib. Matt. 5, 23: “altare de terrā facere,” ib. Exod. 20, 24: “altare lapideum,” ib. ib. 20, 25: “altare aureum,” ib. Num. 4, 11; ib. Apoc. 8, 3 al. persaepe.—Also plur. of a single altar: “a cujus altaribus,” Cic. Cat. 1, 9 fin.: “ab altaribus fugatus,” id. Har. Resp. 5: “amoveri ab altaribus juvenem jussisset,” Liv. 2, 12: “Hannibalem altaribus admotum,” id. 21, 1: “altaria et aram complexa,” Tac. A. 16, 31: “sumptis in manus altaribus,” Just. 24, 2; Suet. Aug. 94.
