I.a narrow way, a path, foot - path, lane, by - way, etc. (opp. via, a highway; cf.: callis, trames): quā ibant, ab itu iter appellarunt; “quā id anguste, semita ut semiter, dictum,” Varr. L. L. 5, § 35 Müll.
I. Lit. (freq. and class.): “angustissimae semitae,” Cic. Agr. 2, 35, 96; cf. Mart. 7, 61, 4: “aut viam aut semitam monstrare,” Plaut. Rud. 1, 3, 30: “decedam ego illi de viā, de semitā,” id. Trin. 2, 4, 80; cf. id. Curc. 2, 3, 8; Sen. Ep. 64, 10: “scabras lutosasque semitas spectant, id. Ira, 3, 35, 5: omnibus viis notis semitisque essedarios ex silvis emittebat,” Caes. B. G. 5, 19; so (opp. via) id. ib. 7, 8; Liv. 44, 43: “semita angusta et ardua,” id. 9, 24: “ut Oresti nuper prandia in semitis decumae nomine magno honori fuerunt,” Cic. Off. 2, 17, 58; Suet. Ner. 48; Enn. ap. Cic. Div. 1, 20, 40 (Ann. v. 44 Vahl.): “rara per occultos lucebat semita calles,” Verg. A. 9, 383: “quā jacet Herculeis semita litoribus,” the narrow way, Prop. 1, 11, 2 et saep.—In mal. part., Plaut. Curc. 1, 1, 36; cf. “vulgi,” Prop. 2, 23 (3, 17), 1.—Prov.: qui sibi semitam non sapiunt, alteri monstrant viam, Enn. ap. Cic. Div. 1, 58, 132 (Trag. v. 358 Vahl.): “de viā in semitam degredi,” Plaut. Cas. 3, 5, 40.—
B. Transf., of other ways or paths (poet. and in post-Aug. prose): “formicae praedam Convectant calle angusto ... opere omnis semita fervet,” Verg. A. 4, 407; “so of the same,” Plin. 11, 30, 36, § 110: “Phryxi quā semita jungi Europamque Asiamque vetat,” Stat. Achill. 1, 409: “spumea semita fugientis clavi,” Val. Fl. 4, 420: “velox Lunae pigraque Saturni,” Claud. Laud. Stil. 2, 438: “umida Iridis,” id. Rapt. Pros. 2, 99: “aratri, id. de Apono, 25: arteriae, id est spiritus semitae,” Plin. 11, 37, 89, § 219.—
II. Trop. (rare but class.), a way, path, road: “locuples et speciosa vult esse eloquentia ... feratur ergo non semitis, sed campis: non uti fontes angustis fistulis colliguntur, sed ut latissimi amnes totis vallibus fluat ac sibi viam, si quando non acceperit, faciat,” Quint. 5, 14, 31: “illius ego semita feci viam,” Phaedr. 3, prol. 38: “jam intellegetis, hanc pecuniam, quae via modo visa est exire ab isto, eandem semita revertisse,” Cic. Verr. 2, 2, 23, § 57: “secretum iter et fallentis semita vitae,” Hor. Ep. 1, 18, 103: “semita certe Tranquillae per virtutem patet unica vitae,” Juv. 10, 364: “novum ad victoriam iter sanguinis sui semita aperire,” Flor. 1, 14, 4; so in eccl. Lat., freq., of a way of life, course of conduct, etc.: “justitiae,” Vulg. Prov. 2, 8: “justorum,” id. ib. 16, 17.
