I.nom. sing. ‡ faces, acc. to Paul. ex Fest. p. 87, 9 Müll.; gen. plur.: facum, acc. to Charis. p. 113 P., but without example), f. root bhā, to shine; cf. favilla, a torch, firebrand, flambeau, link, orig. of pine or other resinous wood.
I. Lit. (syn.: taeda, funale, cerĕus, candela, lucerna, laterna): alii faces atque aridam materiem de muro in aggerem eminus jaciebant, * Caes. B. G. 7, 24, 4; Liv. 22, 16, 7: “ambulare cum facibus,” Hor. S. 1, 4, 52: “malleolos et faces ad inflammandam urbem comparare,” Cic. Cat. 1, 13, 32; cf.: “ego faces jam accensas ad hujus urbis incendium exstinxi,” id. Pis. 2, 5: “servi in tecta nostra cum facibus immissi,” id. Att. 14, 10, 1; cf.: “faces incendere,” id. Phil. 2, 36, 91: “si te in Capitolium faces ferre vellet,” id. Lael. 11, 37: “ardentem facem praeferre,” Cic. Verr. 2, 4, 34, § 74: “castris inicere,” Tac. H. 4, 60; “subdere urbi,” Curt. 5, 7, 4: “faces ferro inspicare,” Verg. G. 1, 292; cf.: “facis incidere,” Plin. 18, 26, 63, § 233: “dilapsam in cineres facem,” Hor. C. 4, 13, 28.—At weddings, the torch carried before the bride on the way to her home, usually made of white-thorn (Spina alba) or pine, the nuptial torch: spina, nuptiarum facibus auspicatissima, Masur. ap. Plin. 16, 18, 30, § 75; Fest. s. v. patrimi, p. 245; s. v. rapi, p. 289 Müll.; Varr. ap. Non. 112, 27; id. ap. Serv. Verg. E. 8, 29; Plaut. Cas. 1, 30; Cat. 61, 98 sq.; Verg. E. 8, 29; Ov. M. 10, 6; Stat. Th. 2, 259 al.; “hence, nuptiales,” Cic. Clu. 6, 15; Liv. 30, 13, 12: “maritae,” Ov. H. 11, 101: “legitimae,” Luc. 2, 356.—Cf. Anthon's Dict. of Antiq. p. 434, and v. infra. Torches were also carried in funeral processions, Verg. A. 11, 142; Prop. 3, 13 (4, 12), 17; Ov. F. 2, 561; id. H. 21, 172; Sen. Tranq. 11; id. Vit. Beat. fin.; id. Ep. 222; “and in the Eleusinian mysteries,” Juv. 15, 140.—An attribute of Cupid, Tib. 2, 1, 82; Prop. 3, 16 (4, 15), 16; Ov. M. 1, 461; 10, 312 al.; “of the Furies,” Verg. A. 7, 337; Ov. M. 4, 482; 508; 6, 430; Quint. 9, 3, 47 al.—
B. Transf.
1. On account of the use of torches at weddings (poet.), a wedding, marriage: “face nuptiali digna,” Hor. C. 3, 11, 33; cf.: “te face sollemni junget sibi,” Ov. M. 7, 49.—And referring at the same time to the funeral torch: “viximus insignes inter utramque facem,” i. e. between marriage and death, Prop. 4 (5), 11, 46.—
2. The light of the heavenly bodies (poet.): “dum roseā face sol inferret lumina caelo,” Lucr. 5, 976; cf.: “Phoebi fax, Cic. poët. Div. 1, 11, 18: canentes Rite crescentem face Noctilucam,” Hor. C. 4, 6, 38: “aeterna fax,” i. e. the sun, Sen. Thyest. 835.—
3. A fiery meteor, fire-ball, shooting-star, comet: “noctivagaeque faces caeli flammaeque volantes,” Lucr. 5, 1191; cf.: “nocturnasque faces caeli, sublime volantes,” id. 2, 206: “emicant et faces non nisi cum decidunt visae, etc.,” Plin. 2, 26, 25, § 96: “tum facibus visis caelestibus, tum stellis iis, quas Graeci cometas, nostri cincinnatas vocant,” Cic. N. D. 2, 5, 14; id. Cat. 3, 8, 18; Liv. 41, 21, 13; 29, 14, 3; Verg. A. 2, 694; Ov. M. 15, 787; Luc. 1, 528; Petr. 122; Sen. Oet. 232.—
4. Of the eyes: “oculi, geminae, sidera nostra, faces,” Prop. 2, 3, 14: “has ego credo faces, haec virginis ora Dianae,” Val. Fl. 5, 380; cf.: “tranquillaeque faces oculis et plurima vultu materinest,” Stat. Ach. 1, 164.—
5. Prima fax (noctis), early torchlight, immediately after dark (post-class.); cf.: “luminibus accensis, Auct. B. Afr. 89: tempus diei occiduum, mox suprema tempestas, hoc est diei novissimum tempus: deinde vespera: ab hoc tempore prima fax dicitur, deinde concubia, etc.,” Macr. S, 1, 3 fin.; Gell. 3, 2, 11; 18, 1 fin.; App. M. 2, p. 119, 20.
II. Trop.
A. That which illuminates, makes conspicuous (poet.): “incipit parentum nobilitas facem praeferre pudendis,” Juv. 8, 139; cf. Sall. J. 80.—
B. That which inflames or incites, incitement, stimulus, cause of ruin, destruction (freq. and class.): “cum corporis facibus inflammari soleamus ad omnes fere cupiditates eoque magis incendi, quod, etc.,” Cic. Tusc. 1, 19, 44: “me torret face mutua Calais,” flame of love, Hor. C. 3, 9, 13; cf.: “iraï fax,” Lucr. 3, 303: “dicendi faces,” flames, fires of eloquence, Cic. de Or. 2, 51, 205; cf.: “alicui quasi quasdam verborum faces admovere,” id. ib. 3, 1, 4: “alicui acriores ad studia dicendi faces subdere,” Quint. 1, 2, 25 Spald.: “hortator studii causaque faxque mei,” guide, leader, Ov. Pont. 1, 7, 28; and: incitator et fax omnium, Prud. στεφ. 10, 67: “subicere faces invidiae alicujus,” Cic. Mil. 35, 98; cf.: “flagrantibus jam militum animis velut faces addere,” Tac. H. 1, 24: “acerrimam bello facem praetulit,” id. ib. 2, 86: “(rogationes promulgavit) duas faces novantibus res ad plebem in optimates accendendam,” Liv. 32, 38, 9: “inde faces ardent, a dote,” Juv. 6, 139: adolescentulo ad libidinem facem praeferre, i. e. to be a leader or guide, Cic. Cat. 1, 6, 13: “Antonius omnium Clodi incendiorum fax,” instigator, id. Phil. 2, 19, 48; cf.: “fax accusationis et origo,” Plin. Ep. 4, 9, 3: “fax hujus belli (Hannibal),” Liv. 21, 10, 11; Vell. 2, 25, 3: “dolorum cum admoventur faces,” Cic. Off. 2, 10, 37; cf. id. Tusc. 2, 25, 61: “(dolor) ardentes faces intentat,” id. ib. 5, 27, 76: “quae (Agrippinae) Gaium et Domitium Neronem principes genuere totidem facis generis humani,” destroyers, Plin. 7, 8, 6, § 45.—Absol.: “cum his furiis et facibus, cum his exitiosis prodigiis (i e. Gabinio et Pisone),” Cic. Har. Resp. 2, 4.
