previous next
ferrum , i, n. cf. Sanscr. dharti, firmness; Lat. firmus,
I.iron.
I. Lit., Plin. 34, 14, 39, § 138; Lucr. 1, 571; 5, 1241; 1286; Cic. N. D. 2, 60, 151; id. Leg. 2, 18, 45; Caes. B. G. 5, 12, 5; Hor. S. 1, 4, 20 et saep.: “mustum quod resipit ferrum,” has a taste of iron, Varr. R. R. 1, 54, 3.—
B. Poet.
1. As a fig. of hard-heartedness, unfeelingness, cruelty, etc.: “gerere ferrum in pectore,” Ov. M. 9, 614; cf.: “ferrum et scopulos gestare in corde,” id. ib. 7, 33: “durior ferro,” id. ib. 14, 712; hence for the iron age, id. ib. 1, 127; 15, 260; Hor. Epod. 16, 65.—
2. As an image of firmness, endurance, Ov. Pont. 4, 10, 3.—
II. Transf., any thing made of iron, an iron implement, as a plough: glebas proscindere ferro, Lucil. ap. Non. 401, 19: “solum terrae,” Lucr. 5, 1295; cf. “also, campum,” Ov. M. 7, 119: “ferro scindimus aequor,” Verg. G. 1, 50; a hatchet: “ferro mitiget agrum,” Hor. Ep. 2, 2, 186; an axe: “mordaci velut icta ferro Pinus,” id. C. 4, 6, 9; 4, 4, 60 (for which, shortly before, bipennis); cf. Lucr. 6, 168; a dart: “petita ferro belua,” Hor. Epod. 5, 10; the tip of an arrow: “exstabat ferrum de pectore aduncum,” Ov. M. 9, 128; the head (of a spear), Tac. G. 6; an iron stylus: “dextra tenet ferrum,” id. ib. 9, 522; hair-scissors: “solitus longos ferro resecare capillos,” id. ib. 11, 182; curling-irons: “crines vibratos calido ferro,” Verg. A. 12, 100 et saep.—Esp. freq. a sword: “Drusum ferro. Metellum veneno sustulerat,” Cic. N. D. 3, 33, 81: “in aliquem cum ferro invadere,” id. Caecin. 9, 25: “aut ferro aut fame interire,” Caes. B. G. 5, 30 fin.: “uri virgis ferroque necari,” Hor. S. 2, 7, 58; cf.: “gladiator, ferrum recipere jussus,” the stroke of the sword, Cic. Tusc. 2, 17, 41. So, ferrum et ignis, like our fire and sword, to denote devastation, utter destruction: “huic urbi ferro ignique minitantur,” Cic. Phil. 11, 14, 37; cf.: “hostium urbes agrique ferro atque igni vastentur,” Liv. 31, 7, 13: “pontem ferro, igni, quacumque vi possent, interrumpant,” id. 2, 10, 4; 30, 6, 9; 1, 59, 1: “ecce ferunt Troës ferrumque ignemque Jovemque In Danaas classes,” Ov. M. 13, 91: “inque meos ferrum flammasque penates Impulit,” id. ib. 12, 551; so, conversely, igni ferroque, Cic. Phil. 13, 21, 47; Liv. 35, 21, 10; cf. Tac. A. 14, 38; Suet. Claud. 21: “flamma ferroque,” Cic. Verr. 2, 4, 35, § 78; Flor. 2, 17, 15; 3, 18, 14; Sen. Const. Sap. 2, 2: ferrum, i. q. arms, for battle, war, force of arms: ferro, non auro, vitam cernamus, utrique, Enn. ap. Cic. Off. 1, 12, 38 (Ann. v. 202 ed. Vahl.); cf.: quem nemo ferro potuit superare nec auro, id. ap. Cic. Rep. 3, 3 (Ann. v. 220 ed. Vahl.): adnuit, sese mecum decernere ferro, id. ap. Prisc. p. 822 P. (Ann. v. 136 ed. Vahl.): “decernere ferro,” Cic. de Or. 2, 78, 317; Liv. 40, 8 fin.; Verg. A. 7, 525; 11, 218: “cernere ferro,” id. ib. 12, 709: “ferro regna lacessere,” with war, id. ib. 12, 186; cf.: “atque omnis, Latio quae servit purpura ferro,” i. e. made subject by the force of arms, Luc. 7, 228.— Prov.: ferrum meum in igni est, i. q. mea nunc res agitur, Sen. Mort. Claud.
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 (42 total)
  • Cross-references in general dictionaries from this page (42):
    • Caesar, Gallic War, 5.12.5
    • Caesar, Gallic War, 5.30
    • Cicero, Philippics, 11.14.37
    • Cicero, For Aulus Caecina, 9.25
    • Cicero, Against Verres, 2.4.78
    • Cicero, Philippics, 13.21.47
    • Ovid, Metamorphoses, 7.119
    • Ovid, Metamorphoses, 12.551
    • Ovid, Metamorphoses, 13.91
    • Ovid, Metamorphoses, 14.712
    • Ovid, Metamorphoses, 1.127
    • Ovid, Metamorphoses, 7.33
    • Ovid, Metamorphoses, 9.614
    • Vergil, Aeneid, 7.525
    • Vergil, Aeneid, 12.100
    • Vergil, Georgics, 1.50
    • Horace, Satires, 1.4.20
    • Horace, Satires, 2.7.58
    • Ovid, Metamorphoses, 9.128
    • Tacitus, Annales, 14.38
    • Tacitus, Germania, 6
    • Cicero, On Oratory, 2.78
    • Lucretius, De Rerum Natura, 1.571
    • Lucretius, De Rerum Natura, 5.1241
    • Lucretius, De Rerum Natura, 5.1286
    • Lucretius, De Rerum Natura, 5.1295
    • Lucretius, De Rerum Natura, 6.168
    • Suetonius, Divus Claudius, 21
    • Lucan, Civil War, 7.228
    • Livy, The History of Rome, Book 30, 6.9
    • Livy, The History of Rome, Book 31, 7
    • Livy, The History of Rome, Book 40, 8
    • Livy, The History of Rome, Book 35, 21.10
    • Livy, The History of Rome, Book 1, 59.1
    • Livy, The History of Rome, Book 2, 10.4
    • Seneca, de Constantia, 2.2
    • Cicero, De Legibus, 2.18
    • Cicero, De Republica, 3.3
    • Cicero, de Natura Deorum, 2.60
    • Cicero, de Natura Deorum, 3.33
    • Cicero, Tusculanae Disputationes, 2.17
    • Cicero, De Officiis, 1.12
hide Display Preferences
Greek Display:
Arabic Display:
View by Default:
Browse Bar: