I. Lit.
A. Of gold, golden (syn.: “aureolus, auratus, aurifer): patera,” Plaut. Am. 1, 1, 104 and 263: “vasa,” Vulg. Exod. 12, 35; ib. 2 Tim. 2, 20: “torulus,” Plaut. Am. prol. 144: “imber,” Ter. Eun. 3, 5, 37: “funis,” Lucr. 2, 1154: torques. Vulg. Gen. 41, 42: “simulacra,” Lucr. 2, 24: “mala Hesperidum,” id. 5, 33: “aurea mala,” Varr. R. R. 2, 1, 6: “pelles,” id. ib.: “corona (a gift for distinction in war),” Liv. 7, 37, 1; Inscr. Orell. 363; 3453; 3475: “corona,” Vulg. Exod. 25, 11: “candelabra,” ib. Apoc. 1, 12: nummus, and absol.: aurĕus , i, m., the standard gold coin of Rome, a gold piece (first struck in the second Punic war), of the value of 25 denarii or 100 sestertii (weighing about 120 grains, and being about equal to £1, 1s. 1d. or $5.10), Cic. Phil. 12, 8: si (tibi) contigit aureus unus. Juv. 7, 122; “fully, aureus nummus,” Plin. 33, 3, 13, § 47; Suet. Calig. 42; id. Claud. 21; id. Vit. 16; id. Oth. 4; id. Dom. 7 al.—Of the Hebrew shekels (eccl. Lat.), Vulg. 4 Reg. 5, 5; ib. 2 Par. 9, 15; 9, 16.—Poet.: “vis aurea tinxit Flumen,” i. e. the power of changing every thing to gold, Ov. M. 11, 142.—
B. Furnished with gold, wrought, interwoven, or ornamented with gold, gilded: “victimam auream polcram immolabat,” i. e. with gilded horns, Naev. 1, 12 (cf. Hom. Od. 3, 426): “sella,” Cic. Phil. 2, 34, and Prop. 5, 10, 28: “cingula,” Verg. A. 1, 492: “Capitolia,” id. ib. 8, 347. templa, Prop. 5, 1, 5: “cuspis,” Ov. M. 7, 673: “Pactolus,” whose waters flowed with gold, id. ib. 11, 87; cf: Lucr 5, 911 sq.—
C. Of the color of gold, glittering like gold, golden: “liquidi color aureus ignis,” Lucr. 6, 205: “Barba erat incipiens, barbae color aureus,” Ov. M. 12, 395; Plin. 37, 5, 20, § 76; Gell. 2, 26, 5; Pall. Mart. 13, 4: “lumina solis,” Lucr. 5, 461; so, “aurea Phoebe,” Verg. G. 1, 431; Ov. M. 2, 723: “luna,” id. ib. 10, 448; Hor. Epod 17, 41: “aureus sol,” Verg. G 1, 232; 4, 51; so Ov. M. 7, 663: sidera, Verg A. 2, 488; “11, 832: caesaries,” golden locks, id. ib. 8, 659: “coma,” Cat. 61, 95, and Ov. M. 12, 395: “aurea mala,” Verg. E. 3, 71, and 8, 52: Aurea pavonum ridenti imbuta lepore Saecla, the golden species of peacock, full of laughing beauty, Lucr 2, 502.—
II. Trop., of physical and mental excellences or attractions, golden, beautiful, splendid: “aurea Venus,” Verg. A. 10, 16; Ov M. 10, 277; “15, 761: Amor,” id. Am. 2, 18, 36: “Copia,” Hor. Ep. 1, 12, 28: “Aurea Phoebi porticus,” Prop. 3, 29, 1: “litus,” Mart. 11, 80: “aether,” Ov. M. 13, 587: “medicamentum,” Col. 6, 14, 5 al.: “dicta, vita,” Lucr. 3, 12 and 13: “mores,” Hor. C 4, 2, 23: “Qui nunc te fruitur credulus aureā,” id. ib. 1, 5, 9: “tua mater Me movet atque iras aurea vincit anus,” Tib. 1, 6, 58: “mediocritas,” the golden mean, Hor. C. 2, 10, 5: “aetas,” the golden age, Ov. M. 1, 89: “tempus,” Hor. Epod. 16, 64.—Hence, Virgo = Astraea, Albin. 2, 23.
