I. Lit., a worker, maker, framer, fabricator (class.; cf.: faber, artifex. operarius).
A. In gen.: “opifex aedificatorque mundi deus,” Cic. N. D. 1, 8, 18: “rerum or aeternus,” Col. 3, 10, 10; cf.: “opifex natura,” Plin. 31, 1, 1, § 1: “calor,” Lact. 2, 9, 22: “sylvestres apes,” Varr. R. R. 3, 16.—
B. In partic., a workman, mechanic, artist, artisan, etc.: “opifices omnes in sordidā arte versantur,” Cic. Off. 1, 42, 150; cf. id. N. D. 2, 60, 150; id. Fl. 8, 18; id. Rep. 1, 22, 35: “opifices atque servitia,” Sall. C. 50, 1: “hoc (instrumento) ego non artem credo egere, sed artificem,” Quint. 2, 21, 24.—
II. Trop.: “verborum,” Cic. Tusc. 5, 12, 34: dicens esse rhetoricen persuadendi opificem, id est πειθοῦς δημιουργόν, Quint. 2, 15, 4.— Poet. with inf.: “mire opifex ... marem strepitum fidis intendisse Latinae,” Pers. 6, 3.
