I. Lit., dark-colored, dark blue, dark green, cerulean, azure, κυάνεος; poet. epithet of the sky, of the sea, and other similar objects (as dark, opp. albus and marmoreus color, Lucr. 2, 771 sq., and syn. with ater, Verg. A. 3, 64; v. under II. A.).
A. Of the sky: caeli caerula templa, Enn. ap. Cic. Div. 1, 20, 40 (Ann. v. 50 Vahl.); id. ap. Varr, L. L. 7, § 6 Müll. (Ann. v. 66 Vahl.); cf.: “(zonae) extremae Caeruleā glacie concretae,” Verg. G. 1, 236.—Also subst.: caerŭla . ōrum, n., Ov. M. 14, 814: “per caeli caerula,” Lucr. 1, 1089; 6, 96; “and without caeli,” id. 6, 482.—Of the universe: “magni per caerula mundi,” Lucr. 5, 770; “and of the brightness of the stars: bigae,” Verg. Cir. 37.—Of mountain heights, Ov. M. 11, 158; cf. “candor,” Plin. 35, 6, 28, § 47: “splendor,” id. 37, 9, 51, § 134.—
B. Of the sea: “ponti plaga caerula,” Lucr. 5, 482; cf. id. 2, 772 sq.: “pontus,” Cat. 36, 11; Ov. M. 13, 838: mare, Cic. Ac. Fragm. ap. Non. p. 162, 30: “aequora,” Cat. 64, 7; so, “campi = mare,” Plaut. Trin. 4, 1, 15: “aquae,” Ov. M. 8, 229; 15, 699: “undae,” Tib. 1, 3, 37; 1, 4, 45; Varr. ap. Non. p. 254, 21: “vada,” Verg. A. 7, 198: “gurges,” Ov. M. 2, 528: “color (lacus) caerulo albidi or, viridior et pressior,” Plin. Ep. 8, 20, 4: “Oceani amictus,” Claud. Laud. Stil. 2, 249; App. M. 10, p. 254, 11.—Also subst.: cae-rŭla , ōrum, n., the sea, the blue surface of the sea: “caerula verrunt,” Verg. A. 4, 583; 3, 208; 8, 672; Stat. Th. 3, 250.—Of objects that have relation to the sea: “di,” sea-deities, Ov. M. 2, 8 sq.: deus, κατ̓ .ἐξοχήν, Neptune, Prop. 3 (4), 7, 62; cf. “of the same: Jovis frater,” Ov. M. 1, 275: “Triton,” id. ib. 1. 333: Nereus. id. H. 9, 14: “Thetis,” Tib. 1, 5, 46; “and of the same: mater (sc. Achillis),” Hor. Epod. 13, 16; Ov. M. 13, 288: “Psamathe,” a sea-nymph, id. ib. 11, 398: oculi Neptuni. Cic. N. D. 1, 30, 83: “currus (Neptuni),” Verg. A. 5, 819: “equi (Tritonis),” Ov. H. 7, 50: “Scylla (navis),” Verg. A. 5, 123; cf. “color. Ov M. 14, 555: puppis,” id. F. 2, 112; via. Plaut Rud. 1, 5, 10; Ov. H. 16, 104.—
C. Also of rivers and things that are connected therewith: “caeruleus Thybris,” Verg. A. 8, 64 amnis, Tib. 3, 4, 18; Stat. S. 1, 5, 51: Cydnus. Tib. 1, 7, 14: “crines,” Ov. M. 5, 432; guttae. id. ib. 5, 633.—
D. Of other darkblue objects: “omnes se Britanni vitro inficiunt, quod caeruleum efficit colorem, atque hoc horridiores sunt in pugnā aspectu,” Caes. B. G. 5, 14: “an si caeruleo quaedam sua tempora fuco Tinxerit. idcirco caerula forma bona'st?” Prop. 2, 18, 31 sq. (3, 11, 9 sq.); Mart. 11, 53, 1: “olearum plaga,” Lucr. 5, 1372; draco. Ov. M. 12, 13' angues, Verg. G. 4, 482; “colla,” id. A. 2, 381: “serpens,” Ov. M. 3, 38: “guttae (serpentis),” id. ib. 4, 578: vestis. Juv. 2. 97: “vexillum,” Suet. Aug. 25: “flos (heliotropi),” Plin. 22, 21, 29, § 57: “oculi (Germanorum),” Tac. G. 4; hence Germania pubes, Hor. Epod. 16, 7.—Hence, subst.: caerŭlĕum , i, n., a blue color, steel-color, both natural and artificial, Plin. 33, 13, 57, § 161 sq.; 35, 6, 28, § 47; Vitr. 7, 111; 9, 1.—
II. Transf.
A. In gen., dark, gloomy, dun, sable, black; poet. epithet of death, the night, rain, etc.: “stant Manibus arae Caeruleis moestae vittis,” Verg. A. 3, 64 Serv.: “imber,” id. ib. 3, 194; “5, 10: caeruleus (color) pluviam denuntiat,” id. G. 1, 453; so, “equi (Plutonis),” Ov. F. 4, 446: “ratis fati,” Prop. 2 (3), 28, 40. “puppis (Charontis),” Verg. A. 6, 410: “mors,” Albin. ad Liv. 1, 93: “nox,” Stat. S. 1, 6, 85: “umbra noctis,” id. Th. 2, 528; Verg. Cir. 214: “panis,” Juv. 14, 128: “baca (lauri),” Plin. 15, 30, 39, § 128: “bacis caerula tinus,” Ov. M. 10, 98.—
B. Dark green, green, greenish: “cucumis,” Prop. 4 (5), 2, 43. “coma,” Ov. M. 11, 158: “arbor Palladis,” id. A. A. 2, 518: campi caerula laetaque prata, Enn. ap. Macr. S. 6, 3.
