Charlton T. Lewis, Charles Short, A Latin Dictionary

I.a cross-path, balk between fields.

I. Lit., the Romans usually had in their fields two broad and two narrower paths; the principal balk from east to west was called limes decumanus; that from north to south was called cardo; “of the two smaller ones, that running from east to west was called prorus, the other, from north to south, transversus,” Hyg. de Limit. Const. 18, 33 and 34; Col. 1, 8, 7: “lutosi limites,” Varr. R. R. 2, 4, 8. —

B. Transf. (mostly poet.).

1. A boundary, limit between two fields or estates, consisting of a stone or a balk: “partiri limite campum,” Verg. G. 1, 126: “saxum antiquum, ingens, campo quod forte jacebat, Limes agro positus, litem ut discerneret arvis,” id. A. 12, 897: “effodit medio de limite saxum,” Juv. 16, 38.—

2. A fortified boundaryline, a boundary-wall: “cuncta inter castellum Alisonem ac Rhenum novis limitibus aggeribusque permunita,” Tac. A. 2, 7: “limite acto promotisque praesidiis,” id. G. 29: penetrat interius, aperit limites, Vell. 2, 120.—

3. In gen., any path, passage, road, way; also, by-street, by-road: “eo limite Athenienses signa extulerunt,” Liv. 31, 39: “profectus inde transversis limitibus,” id. ib.: “lato te limite ducam,” Verg. A. 9, 323: “acclivis,” Ov. M. 2, 19: “limite recto fugere,” id. ib. 7, 782: “transversi,” by-roads, Liv. 22, 12, 2 Fabr.; 31, 39, 5; 41, 14 init.: limes Appiae, the line of the Appian street (for the street itself), id. 22, 15, 11: “limite acto (i. e. facto),” Tac. G. 29.— “Of the channel of a stream: solito dum flumina currant Limite,” Ov. M. 8, 558; Prop. 5, 9, 60.—Of the track of light left behind them by comets, fiery meteors, torches, etc.: “flammiferumque trahens spatioso limite crinem, Stella micat,” Ov. M. 15, 849: “tum longo limite sulcus Dat lucem,” Verg. A. 2, 697; Plin. 2, 26, 25, § 96: “sectus in obliquo est lato curvamine limes,” the zodiac, Ov. M. 2, 130: “latum per agmen Ardens limitem agit ferro,” Verg. A. 10, 514; cf. Sil. 4, 463; 9, 379; Stat. Th. 9, 182.—

4. A line or vein in a precious stone: “nigram materiam distinguente limite albo,” Plin. 37, 10, 69, § 184.—

II. Trop.

A. A boundary, limit: “limes carminis,” Stat. Th. 1, 16: “aestuat infelix angusto limite mundi,” Juv. 10, 169.—

B. A distinction, difference: “judicium brevi limite falle tuum,” Ov. R. Am. 325: “quaedam perquam tenui limite dividuntur,” Quint. 9, 1, 3.—

C. A way, path: “si maledicitis vostro gradiar limite,” Plaut. Poen. 3, 3, 18: “bene meritis de patria quasi limes ad caeli aditum patet,” Cic. Somn. Scip. 8; Sen. Ben. 1, 15, 2: “eundem limitem agere,” to go the same way, employ the same means, Ov. A. A. 3, 558.