previous next
dextĕra or dextra , ae, f. (as in most langg.; cf. Gr. δεξιά, Germ. die Rechte, etc.; sc. manus),
I.the right hand (freq. a sign of greeting, of fidelity; a symbol of strength, courage, etc.).
A. Prop.: “cedo sis dexteram,” Plaut. Poen. 1, 2, 102; Ter. Heaut. 3, 1, 84: “quod ego te per hanc dextram oro,” id. And. 1, 5, 54; cf.: “per dexteram te istam oro, quam, etc.,” Cic. Deiot. 3; cf. also Sall. J. 10, 3; Hor. Ep. 1, 7, 94 al.; and: “dexterae, quae fidei testes esse solebant,” Cic. Phil. 11, 2, 5: “fidem more Persarum dextra dare,” Nep. Dat. 10, 1: “vos libertatem atque patriam in dextris vostris portare,” Sall. C. 58, 8; cf. Verg. A. 2, 291; Hor. Epod. 7, 10; Ov. M. 13, 176; Sil. 1, 77 et saep.: miserat civitas Lingonum vetere instituto dona legionibus dextras, hospitii insigne, a pair of hands clasped in each other, made of gold, silver, etc., Tac. H. 1, 54; cf. id. ib. 2, 8 (so in Gr. δεξιὰν πέμπειν and φέρειν).— Prov.: dextra tenet calamum; “strictum tenet altera ferrum,” Ov. H. 11, 3.—
2. Transf.
a. The right side: “picus et cornix est ab laeva, corvus porro ab dextera,” Plaut. As. 2, 1, 12; cf. Cic. Div. 1, 39, 85: “ab dextera,” Plaut. Am. 1, 1, 89; id. Mil. 3, 1, 13; Ter. And. 4, 3, 19; Sall. C. 59, 2; Ov. M. 2, 5 al.: “ilico equites jubet dextera inducere,” Plaut. Am. 1, 1, 88; so, “dexterā,” id. ib. 177; Caes. B. C. 2, 15, 3; Sall. J. 101, 9; Liv. 21, 43 et saep.: “specta ad dexteram,” Plaut. Poen. 3, 4, 1; so, “ad dexteram,” id. Rud. 1, 2, 67; Ter. And. 4, 4, 12; Att. ap. Cic. Div. 1, 22 fin.; Cic. Univ. 13; Caes. B. C. 1, 69, 3 et saep.—
b. Poet., the hand, in gen.: “omne sacrum rapiente dextra,” Hor. Od. 3, 3, 52; id. S. 2, 1, 54.—
B. Trop., pledge of friendship: “renovare dextras,” Tac. A. 2, 58; cf.: “Graecia tendit dexteram Italiae suumque ei praesidium pollicetur,” Cic. Phil. 10, 4, 9: “nec veriti dominorum fallere dextras,” Verg. A. 6, 613; cf. id. ib. 3, 610; Nep. Dat. 10, 1; Just. 11, 15, 13: “ne fas, fidem, dextras, deos testes fallat,” Liv. 29, 24.
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.

The National Endowment for the Humanities provided support for entering this text.

hide Dictionary Entry Lookup
Use this tool to search for dictionary entries in all lexica.
Search for in
hide References (27 total)
  • Cross-references in general dictionaries from this page (27):
    • Cicero, For King Deiotarius, 3
    • Cicero, Philippics, 10.4.9
    • Cicero, Philippics, 11.2.5
    • Ovid, Metamorphoses, 2.5
    • Ovid, Metamorphoses, 13.176
    • Plautus, Miles Gloriosus, 3.1
    • Vergil, Aeneid, 6.613
    • Vergil, Aeneid, 2.291
    • Horace, Satires, 2.1.54
    • Caesar, Civil War, 1.69.3
    • Caesar, Civil War, 2.15.3
    • Tacitus, Annales, 2.58
    • Tacitus, Historiae, 1.54
    • Plautus, Amphitruo, 1.1
    • Plautus, Asinaria, 2.1
    • Plautus, Poenulus, 1.2
    • Plautus, Poenulus, 3.4
    • Plautus, Rudens, 1.2
    • Sallust, Catilinae Coniuratio, 58
    • Sallust, Bellum Iugurthinum, 101
    • Sallust, Bellum Iugurthinum, 10
    • Cornelius Nepos, Datames, 10.1
    • Livy, The History of Rome, Book 29, 24
    • Livy, The History of Rome, Book 21, 43
    • Cicero, De Divinatione, 1.39
    • Sallust, Catilinae Coniuratio, 59
    • Cicero, Timaeus, 13
hide Display Preferences
Greek Display:
Arabic Display:
View by Default:
Browse Bar: