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ambāges , is, f. (nom. and
I.gen. sing. dub., though mentioned in Charis. p. 25 P. and found in Tac. H. 5, 13 MS.; but found in abl. sing.: “ambage,” Ov. H. 7, 149; Plin. 2, 9, 6, § 41; Val. Fl. 1, 227; also, “ambagine,” Manil. 4, 304; the plur. is complete, gen. ambagum, Ov. M. 7, 761; cf. Schneid. Gr. II. p. 403) [ambi-ago], a going round, a roundabout way (poet.; in prose only postAug.; syn.: ambago, sinus, flexus, circuitus).
I. Lit.: variarum ambage viarum (of the windings of the labyrinth), Ov. M. 8, 161; cf.: “dolos tecti ambagesque resolvit,” Verg. A. 6, 29: “(Luna) multiformi ambage torsit ingenia contemplantium,” Plin. 2, 9, 6, § 41: “itinerum ambages,” id. 36, 13, 19, § 2: “longis ambagibus,” Claud. IV. Cons. Hon. 226.—
II. Of speech.
A. Circumlocution, evasion, digression: “ambages mitte,” Plaut. Cist. 4, 2, 81; so id. Ps. 5, 1, 10 (not elsewh. in Plaut.): ambages mihi Narrare occipit, * Ter. Heaut. 2, 3, 77: “per ambages et longa exorsa tenere,” Verg. G. 2, 46; Liv. 9, 11 fin.: “ne te longis ambagibus morer,” Hor. Ep. 1, 7, 82: “missis ambagibus,” without circumlocution, directly, id. S. 2, 5, 9; Ov. M. 3, 692; 10, 19.—
B. Obscurity, ambiguity (as kindr. with ambiguus).—So of the Theban Sphinx: “immemor ambagum,” Ov. M. 7, 761; id. F. 4, 261.—Of the lang. of oracles: “ambage nexa Arcana tegere,” Sen. Oedip. 218: “eā ambage Chalcedonii monstrabantur,” Tac. A. 12, 63; 2, 54.—Also transf. to actions: “per ambages,” in an obscure, enigmatical manner, Liv. 1, 56; 1, 54; Plin. 19, 8, 53, § 169.
A Latin Dictionary. Founded on Andrews' edition of Freund's Latin dictionary. revised, enlarged, and in great part rewritten by. Charlton T. Lewis, Ph.D. and. Charles Short, LL.D. Oxford. Clarendon Press. 1879.

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hide References (18 total)
  • Cross-references in general dictionaries from this page (18):
    • Livy, The History of Rome, Book 9, 11
    • Ovid, Metamorphoses, 7.761
    • Ovid, Metamorphoses, 8.161
    • Ovid, Metamorphoses, 3.692
    • Plautus, Cistellaria, 4.2
    • Vergil, Aeneid, 6.29
    • Vergil, Georgics, 2.46
    • Horace, Satires, 2.5.9
    • Tacitus, Annales, 12.63
    • Tacitus, Historiae, 5.13
    • Plautus, Pseudolus, 5.1
    • Pliny the Elder, Naturalis Historia, 2.41
    • Pliny the Elder, Naturalis Historia, 36.2
    • Livy, The History of Rome, Book 1, 56
    • Livy, The History of Rome, Book 1, 54
    • Seneca, Oedipus, 218
    • C. Valerius Flaccus, Argonautica, 1.227
    • Ovid, Fasti, 4
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