I.to cleave, split, part, separate, divide (class.; cf.: scindo, seco, caedo).
I. Lit.: hoc enim quasi rostro finditur Fibrenus et divisus aequaliter in duas partes latera haec alluit, Cic. Leg. 2, 3, 6; cf.: “inimicam findite rostris Hanc terram,” Verg. A. 10, 295: “patrios findere sarculo agros,” Hor. C. 1, 1, 11: “terras vomere,” Ov. A. A. 2, 671: “mare carinā,” Prop. 3, 9 (4, 8), 35: “Assaraci tellus, quam ... Findunt Scamandri flumina,” Hor. Epod. 13, 14: “hiulca siti findit Canis aestifer arva,” Verg. G. 2, 353; cf.: “arentes cum findit Sirius agros,” Tib. 1, 7, 21: “rubra Canicula findet Statuas,” Hor. S. 2, 5, 39: “os,” Cels. 8, 4 med.; cf. id. 8, 3 fin.: “specularis lapis finditur in quamlibet tenues crustas,” Plin. 36, 22, 45, § 160; cf. Quint. 11, 3, 21: “hic locus est, partes ubi se via findit in ambas,” Verg. A. 6, 540; id. G. 2, 78; Ov. M. 4, 65.—
b. In part. perf.: “fissa ferarum ungula,” Lucr. 4, 680: “ungulae equi,” Suet. Caes. 61: “lingua in partes duas,” Ov. M. 4, 585: “lignum,” Verg. A. 9, 413: “ferulae,” Cels. 8, 10; cf. id. 8, 3 fin.—
B. Mid., to split, burst (poet. and very rare): “turgescit bilis: findor,” I am ready to burst with rage, Pers. 3, 8: “cor meum et cerebrum finditur,” Plaut. Bacch. 2, 4, 17: Marsis finduntur cantibus angues, Ov. Med. fac. 39.—
II. Trop., to divide (poet. and very seldom): “Idus sunt agendae, Qui dies mensem Veneris marinae Findit Aprilem,” Hor. C. 4, 11, 16: “fissa voluntas,” Prud. Psych. 760.—Hence, fissum , i, n., a cleft, slit, fissure.
A. In gen. (very rare): “postquam implevisti fusti fissorum caput,” Plaut. Aul. 3, 4, 7: “ad ani fissa,” Cels. 5, 20, 5.—
B. Esp., in the lang. of augurs, of the divided liver: “jecorum,” Cic. Div. 1, 52, 118; cf.: “fissum in exitis,” id. ib. 1, 10, 16; “jecoris,” id. N. D. 3, 6, 14: “familiare et vitale,” id. Div. 2, 13, 32.
