I.a very hard kind of oak (cf.: “quercus, ilex),” Plin. 16, 6, 8, § 19; 16, 7, 10, § 28; 16, 38, 73, § 186; 16, 40, 76, § 204; 16, 40, 77, § 218.— Hence,
I. Lit.
1. In gen., a very hard kind of tree or wood: “morsus roboris,” i. e. of the wild olive, Verg. A. 12, 783 (a little before: foliis oleaster amaris Hic steterat); “so of the same,” id. G. 2, 305; cf.: “solido de robore myrtus,” id. ib. 2, 64: “annoso validam robore quercum,” i. e. of an old and sturdy trunk, id. A. 4, 441; so, “annoso robore quercus,” Ov. M. 8, 743: “antiquo robore quercus,” with ancient trunk, Verg. G. 3, 332: “Massyla, i. e. citri,” Stat. S. 3, 3, 94; also, “Maurorum,” id. ib. 4, 2, 39.—
2. Absol., usu., an oak-tree, an oak in gen.: “fixa est pariter cum robore cervix,” i. e. was pinned fast to the oak, Ov. M. 3, 92: “agitata robora pulsant (delphines),” id. ib. 1, 303.—
3. Oak-wood, oak: “naves totae factae ex robore,” Caes. B. G. 3, 13; cf.: “(sapiens) non est e saxo sculptus aut e robore dolatus,” Cic. Ac. 2, 31, 101; and with this cf. id. Div. 2, 41, 85. — Poet.: “illi robur et aes triplex Circa pectus erat,” Hor. C. 1, 3, 9; cf.: “o saxis nimirum et robore nati!” Stat. Th. 4, 340. —
II. Transf.
A. Of things made of oak or of any other hard wood.
1. In gen.: “Lacedaemonii cottidianis epulis in robore accumbunt,” i. e. on oaken, hard benches, Cic. Mur. 35, 74.— So of the wooden horse before Troy: “sacrum,” Verg. A. 2, 230; of a lance: “ferro praefixum,” id. ib. 10, 479; Sil. 2, 244; 267; of a club, Ov. M. 12, 349; Mart. 9, 44, 4 et saep.: “aratri,” i. e. the oaken plough, Verg. G. 1, 162; Val. Fl. 7, 555.—
2. In partic., the lower and stronger part of the prison at Rome, built by Servius Tullius, was called Robur (also Tullianum): “Robus in carcere dicitur is locus, quo praecipitatur maleficorum genus, quod ante arcis robusteis includebatur, Paul. ex Fest. s. v. robum, p. 264 Müll.: in robore et tenebris exspiret,” Liv. 38, 59 fin.: “robur et saxum minitari,” Tac. A. 4, 29; Val. Max. 6, 3, 1: “verbera, carnifices, robur,” Lucr. 3, 1017; Hor. C. 2, 13, 19 (v. carcer and Tullianum).—
B. Hardness, strength, firmness, vigor, power (cf. vires; v. Fabri ad Liv. 21, 1, 2).
1. Lit.: “duri robora ferri,” Lucr. 2, 449; so, “ferri,” Verg. A. 7, 609: “saxi,” Lucr. 1, 882: “navium,” Liv. 37, 30: omnia pariter crescunt et robora sumunt, gain strength, Lucr. 5, 820; 895; cf.: “qui si jam satis aetatis atque roboris haberet, ipse pro Sex. Roscio diceret,” Cic. Rosc. Am. 51, 149: “paululum jam roboris accessit aetati,” id. Cael. 30, 73: “solidaeque suo stant robore vires,” Verg. A. 2, 639; Vulg. Judic. 8, 21: “si quod est robur,” Flor. 2, 1, 1.—
2. Trop., power, strength, force, vigor (very freq.): “alter virtutis robore firmior quam aetatis,” Cic. Phil. 10, 8, 16: “in animi excelsi atque invicti magnitudine ac robore,” id. Off. 1, 5, 14; so, “animi (with magnitudo),” id. de Or. 2, 84, 343; id. Tusc. 1, 40, 95: “robur incredibile animi,” id. Mil. 37, 101: “quantum in cujusque animo roboris est ac nervorum,” id. Fam. 6, 1, 3: “multo plus firmamenti ac roboris,” id. Imp. Pomp. 4, 10; so (with firmamentum) id. Mur. 28, 58; (with firmitas) id. Fin. 5, 5, 12: “hi tot equites Romani quid roboris hujus petitioni attulerunt?” id. Planc. 8, 21: “pectus robore fultum,” Ov. Tr. 5, 12, 11: “te mea robora fallunt,” id. H. 16, 367: “velocitate pari, robore animi virumque praestanti,” Liv. 24, 26, 11: “verba quanti roboris plena,” Sen. Ep 10, 3: “qui robur aliquod in stilo fecerint,” Quint. 10, 3, 10; cf.: “robur oratorium adicere sententiis,” id. 10, 5, 4; 8, prooem. § 3:“ illi robur et aes triplex Circa pectus erat,” Hor. C. 1, 3, 9; cf.: “O saxis nimirum et robore nati,” Stat. Th. 4, 340. —
b. Authority: nostrarum constitutionum, Just. Inst. prooem. 6.—
c. Concr., the strongest, most effective, or best part, the pith, kernel, strength of any thing; of soldiers, the flower of the troops, choice troops, etc. (freq. and class.): “versaris in optimorum civium vel flore vel robore,” Cic. Or. 10, 34: et robur et suboles militum interiit, Asin. ap. Cic. Fam. 10, 33; cf.: “quod fuit roboris, duobus proeliis interiit,” Caes. B. C. 3, 87: “quod roboris ea provincia habuerat,” Liv. 30, 2; Ov. M. 14, 454 al.: “senatūs robur,” Liv. 5, 39. — Plur.: “tunc C. Flavius Pusio, Cn. Titinnius, C. Maecenas, illa robora populi Romani,” Cic. Clu. 56, 163: “haec sunt nostra robora,” id. Att. 6, 5, 3; Liv. 7, 7; 12; 21, 54; 22, 6; 23, 16; 25, 6 init.: “robora pubis,” Verg. A. 8, 518; Ov. M. 7, 510: “ingentia robora virorum,” Plin. Pan. 34, 3: “conferta robora virorum,” Curt. 3, 5, 13: betae, i. e. stalks, Col. poët. 10, 326. — Of a place, a stronghold: “quod coloniam virium et opum validam robur ac sedem bello legisset,” Tac. H. 2, 19.—Absol.: robus, the name of an excellent kind of wheat: “quoniam et pondere et nitore praestat,” Col. 2, 6, 1.