I.a straight piece of wood, ruler, rule (class.; cf.: norma, libella).
I. Lit.: atque si id crederemus, non egeremus perpendiculis, non normis, non regulis, Cic. Fragm. ap. Non. 163, 2; cf. “(with linea): perpendiculum, and norma,” Vitr. 7, 3: “materiam ad regulam et libellam exigere,” Plin. 36, 25, 63, § 188; Col. 3, 13, 11 sq.: “hoc cum regulā exploraveris aequale,” Pall. 1, 9, 2.—
B. Transf.
1. A straight staff; in gen., a stick, lath, bar (of wood or iron): “quadratas regulas, quattuor patentes digitos, defigunt,” Caes. B. C. 2, 10; Front. Strat. 3, 13, 6; Col. 6, 19, 3; 6, 26, 2; 12, 50, 10; Plin. 15, 1, 2, § 5; Cels. 8, 10; Vitr. 5, 10; Stat. Th. 6, 594: “aurea,” an ingot of gold, Vulg. Josue, 7, 21.—
2. A measuringrod: “in regulā, in pondere,” Vulg. Lev. 19, 35.—
3. In mechanics.
a. Plur., the two cheeks on each side of the channel in which the dart of the catapult lay; also called bucculae, Vitr. 10, 12.—
b. The shank of a triglyph, Vitr. 4, 3.—
c. The disks of an oilpress: “quod si regulis olea prematur, et praelum et suculam et regulas dominum parare oportere,” Dig. 19, 2, 19, § 2.—
II. Trop., a rule, pattern, model, example (cf.: “formula, praescriptio): fontem omnium bonorum in corpore esse: hanc normam, hanc regulam, hanc praescriptionem esse naturae,” Cic. Ac. 2, 46, 140: “regula, ad quam eorum dirigantur orationes, qui, etc.,” id. Opt. Gen. 7 fin.; id. Fin. 1, 19, 63: “regula, quā vera et falsa judicarentur,” id. Brut. 41, 152: “nos studia nostra nostrae naturae regulā metiamur,” id. Off. 1, 31, 110: “(lex est) juris atque injuriae regula,” id. Leg. 1, 6, 19: “regula totius philosophiae,” id. Ac. 2, 9, 29; cf. id. N. D. 1, 16, 43: “pravissima consuetudinis regula,” id. Brut. 74, 258: “mediocritatis regula,” id. Off. 2, 17, 59: “omnium una regula est,” id. ib. 3, 31, 81: “emendate loquendi regula,” Quint. 1, 5, 1; so, “loquendi,” id. 1, 7, 1: “sermonis,” id. 1, 6, 44: “morum,” Mart. 11, 2, 3 et saep.: “ad legem ac regulam compositum esse,” Quint. 12, 10, 50; cf.: “locuti sunt ad hanc regulam,” id. 9, 4, 4: “habeo regulam, ut talia visa vera judicem,” Cic. Ac. 2, 18, 58: “assit Regula, peccatis quae poenas irroget aequas,” Hor. S. 1, 3, 118: “secundam regulam nostram,” Vulg. 2 Cor. 10, 15; cf. id. ib. v. 13, 16; id. Phil. 3, 16.—In plur. (only late Lat.), Gai. Inst. 3, § 142; Cod. Just. 1, 17, 2, § 10; Arn. 1, n. 59: “regulae credendi,” Aug. Doctr. Chr. 4, 9 init.
