Charlton T. Lewis, Charles Short, A Latin Dictionary

I.f [Sanscr, ma, measure; Gr. μέτρον; cf. manus, mane, etc.], a table for any purpose, as a dining-table; a market-stand for meat, vegetables, etc.; a money-dealer's table or counter, a sacrificial table, etc.

I. Lit. Of the table itself as a fabrid: “non ferre mensam nisi crebris distinctam venis,” Sen. Dial. 3, 35, 5: “mensa inanis nunc si adponatur mihi,” Plaut. Pers. 3, 1, 26: “cibos in mensam alicui apponere,” id. Men. 1, 3, 29: “surgunt a mensā saturi, poti,” id. Ps. 1, 3, 62: ad mensam consistere. to wait at table, Cic. Tusc. 5, 21, 61: “auferre mensam,” Plaut. Truc. 2, 4, 14: “apud mensam,” at table, id. Trin. 2, 4, 77; Gell. 2, 22, 1; 19, 7, 2: “arae vicem praestare posse mensam dicatam,” Macr. S. 3, 11, 5.—

II. Transf.

A. Food; a table, meal, course: quocum mensam sermonesque suos impertit, Enn. ap. Gell. 12, 4 (Ann. v. 240 Vahl.): “communicabo te semper mensā meā,” Plaut. Mil. 1, 1, 51: “ita mensas exstruit,” id. Men. 1, 1, 25: “parciore mensā uti,” Tac. A. 13, 16: “Italicae Syracusiaeque mensae,” Cic. Tusc. 5, 35, 100: “cui Quintus de mensa misit,” id. Att. 5, 1, 4; so, “parāsti mensam adversus eos qui tribulant me,” Vulg. Psa. 23, 5: “una mensa,” at a single meal, Juv. 1, 138: prior, proxima mensa, the first, the second rank at table; the first or second in esteem: “Raeticis uvis prior mensa erat,” Plin. 14, 1, 3, § 16; id. 9, 17, 29, § 63: secunda mensa, the second course, the dessert (at which much wine was used), Cels 1, 2: “haec ad te scripsi, appositā secundā mensā,” during the dessert, Cic. Att. 14, 6, 2; 14, 21, 4: “Agesilaus coronas secundamque mensam servis dispertiit, Nep Ages. 8, 4: secunda mensa bono stomacho nihil nocet,” Cels. 1, 2, fin.: “mensae tempore,” meal-time, Juv. 13, 211.—

B. The guests at table: “cum primum istorum conduxit mensa choragum,” Suet. Aug. 70.—

C. A money-changer's counter: “decem minas dum hic solvit, omnis mensas transiit,” Plaut. Curc. 5, 3, 4: “mensam poni jubet atque Effundi saccos nummorum,” Hor. S. 2, 3, 148: “nummulariorum,” Vulg. Matt. 21, 12: “publica,” a public bank, Cic. Fl. 19, 44; id. Pis. 36, 88.—

D. A butcher's table: “mensa lanionia,” butcher's stall, shambles, Suet. Claud. 15.—

E. Mensa lusoria, a gaming-table (late Lat.), Aug. Conf. 8, 6.—

F. A sacrificial table: “Curiales mensae, in quibus immolabatur Junoni, quae Curis est appellata, Paul. ex Fest. s. v. Curiales, p. 64 Müll.: mensae deorum,” Verg. A. 2, 764: “Jovis mensa,” Plin. 25, 9, 59, § 105: a small altar: “super tumulum statuere,” Cic. Leg. 2, 26, 66.—

G. The long flat part, the table, of a military engine (e. g. of a catapult), Vitr. 10, 16.—

H. A stand or platform on which slaves were exposed for sale: “servus de mensā paratus,” App. M. 8, p. 213; id. Mag. 17, p. 285, 15.