I.a two-pronged fork.
I. Lit.: “exacuunt alii vallos furcasque bicornes,” Verg. G. 1, 264: “valentes,” id. ib. 2, 359: “furcis detrudi,” Liv. 28, 3, 7; cf. Caes. B. C. 2, 11, 2. —Prov.: naturam expellas furcā, tamen usque recurret, with might and main, Hor. Ep. 1, 10, 24 (v. furcilla).—
II. Transf., of things shaped like a fork.
A. A forkshaped prop, pole, or stake, for carrying burdens on the back or shoulder, Plaut. Cas. 2, 8, 2; “for supporting the seats of a theatre,” Liv. 1, 35, 9; “for a vine,” Plin. 14, 2, 4, § 32; “for fishing-nets,” id. 9, 8, 9, § 31; “for the gable of a house,” Ov. M. 8, 700; a frame on which meat was suspended in the chimney, id. ib. 8, 648.—
B. An instrument of punishment in the form of a fork (V or II), which was placed on the culprit's neck, while his hands were fastened to the two ends, a yoke (cf.: crux, gabalus, patibulum; hence, furcifer): To. Satis sumpsimus jam supplici. Do. Fateor, manus vobis do. To. Post dabis sub furcis, Plaut. Pers. 5, 2, 71: “canem et furcam ferre,” id. Cas. 2, 6, 37: “servus per circum, cum virgis caederetur, furcam ferens ductus est,” Cic. Div. 1, 26, 55: “servus sub furca caesus,” Liv. 2, 36, 1 Drak.; Val. Max. 1, 7, 4; Lact. 2, 7, 20: “sub furca vinctus inter verbera et cruciatus,” Liv. 1, 26, 10: “cervicem inserere furcae,” Suet. Ner. 49; Eutr. 7, 5; Prud. στεφ. 10, 851.—Hence poet. to designate the worst condition of slavery: “ibis sub furcam prudens,” Hor. S. 2, 7, 66.—
C. A fork-shaped gallows: “aliquem furcā figere,” Dig. 48, 19, 28 fin.: “furcae subicere,” ib. 9: “in furcam tollere,” ib. 38: “in furcam suspendere,” ib. 13, 6: “in furcam damnare,” ib. 49, 16, 3: “canes vivi in furca, sambucea arbore fixi,” Plin. 29. 4, 14, § 57.—
D. A fork-shaped yoke in which young bullocks were put to be tamed, Varr. R. R. 1, 20, 2.—
E. Furcae cancrorum, the claws of a crab, App. Mag. p. 297. —
F. Furcae Caudinae, the narrow pass of Caudium, the Caudine Forks, usually called Furculae Caudinae (v. furcula, II. and Caudium), Val. Max. 5, 1, 5 ext.; 7, 2, 17 ext.
