I.the skin or membrane that covers parts of the body (class.).
I. Lit.: “natura oculos membranis tenuissimis vestivit,” Cic. N. D. 2, 57, 142: “cerebri,” the membrane of the brain, meninges, Cels. 8, 4: “membranis cicadae volant,” Plin. 11, 28, 33, § 96: “membranis volant fragilibus insecta,” id. 11, 39, 94, § 228.—
B. Esp., the skin or slough of snakes, Ov. M. 7, 272; Luc. 6, 679.—
II. Transf.
A. The thin skin of plants and other things, Plin. 15, 22, 24, § 88: “corio et membrana Punica (teguntur),” id. 15, 28, 34, § 112: “tenuissimis membranis velatur allium,” id. 19, 6, 34, § 111: “putaminis ovi,” id. 29, 3, 11, § 46.—
B. A skin prepared for writing, etc., parchment, Quint. 10, 3, 31: “Homeri carmen in Membrana scriptum,” Plin. 7, 21, 21, § 85: sic raro scribis, ut toto non quater anno Membranam poscas, Hor. S. 2, 3, 2: “Parrhasiae, for drawing,” Plin. 35, 10, 36, § 68: “croceae membrana tabellae,” Juv. 7, 23: “quod in chartulis sive membranis meis aliquis scripserit, meum est,” Gai. Inst. 2, 77.—
C. The surface, outside of a thing (poet.): “coloris,” Lucr. 4, 95.—Trop.: “scies, sub ista tenui membrana dignitatis quantum mali jaceat,” Sen. Ep. 115, 9.
