I.to creep, crawl (freq. and class.).
I. Lit. (only of animals; while repo is also used of persons who creep or go slowly; “v. repo, I.): serpere anguiculos, nare anaticulas, evolare merulas, etc.,” Cic. Fin. 5, 15, 42: “alia animalia gradiendo, alia serpendo ad pastum accedunt,” id. N. D. 2, 47, 122: “serpentes quasdam (bestias), quasdam esse gradientes,” id. Tusc. 5, 13, 38: “(anguis) per humum,” Ov. M. 15, 689: “vipera imā humo,” id. P. 3, 3, 102: “draco In platanum,” id. M. 12, 13: “serpentia secla ferarum,” i. e. the serpents, Lucr. 6, 766.—In late Lat. pass.: “cum terra nullo serpatur angue,” was crawled over, Sol. 22, 10.—
B. Transf., of things, to move slowly or imperceptibly, to creep along, proceed gradually, etc. (mostly poet.): “has (stellas) inter, torvus Draco serpit, Cic. poët. N. D. 2, 42, 106: sol serpens,” Lucr. 5, 690.— “Of streams: an te, Cydne, canam, qui leniter ... placidis per vada serpis aquis,” creepest, windest along, Tib. 1, 7, 14: “in freta vicina Numicius,” Ov. M. 14, 598: Ister tectis in mare serpit aquis, id. Tr. 3, 10, 30: “in sicco serpentem pulvere rivum,” Luc. 9, 974: “lacrimae serpunt per vulnera,” Stat. Th. 11, 608: “exsistit sacer ignis et urit corpore serpens,” slowly spreading, Lucr. 6, 660; so, “flamma per continua,” Liv. 30, 6: “aestus aetheris,” Lucr. 5, 523; 6, 1120 (with repere): “fallacem patriae serpere dixit equum (Trojanum),” was creeping along, Prop. 3, 13 (4, 12), 64.—Of plants: “vitis serpens multiplici lapsu et erratico,” Cic. Sen. 15, 52; cf.: “lithospermos (herba) jacet atque serpit humi,” Plin. 27, 11, 74, § 99; so, “chamaeleon,” id. 22, 18, 21, § 45; cf.: “liber per colla,” Ov. M. 9, 389: “caules per terram,” Plin. 21, 16, 59, § 99: “rami in terram,” id. 27, 9, 58, § 82: “radices inter se,” id. 17, 20, 33, § 144: “sine tempora circum Inter victrices hederam tibi serpere lauros,” Verg. E. 8, 13; Laber. ap Macr. S. 2, 7; Col. 10, 119.—Of the growth of the hair: “per tua lanugo cum serpere coeperit ora,” Claud. IV. Cons. Hon. 641.—Of fire: “dein per continua serpens (flamma) omnia incendio hausit,” Liv. 30, 6: “sive ipsi (ignes) serpere possunt quo cibus vocat,” Lucr. 5, 523; cf. id. 6, 660.—Of disease, etc.: “si ulcus latius atque altius serpit,” gradually spreads, Cels. 6, 18, 2 med.: “dira contagia per vulgus,” Verg. G. 3, 469: “cancer,” Ov. M. 2, 826: “carcinoma,” Plin. 29, 2, 10, § 37: “atra lues in vultus,” Mart. 1, 79, 2 al.: “per membra senectus,” Lucr. 1, 415: “quies,” Verg. A. 2, 269: “somnus,” Plin. 7, 24, 24, § 90.—
II. Trop., to creep, crawl; to extend gradually or imperceptibly; to spread abroad, increase, prevail (a favorite trope of Cic.): “neque enim serpit, sed volat in optimum statum res publica,” Cic. Rep. 2, 18, 33: “serpere occulte coepisti nihil dum aliis suspicantibus,” id. de Or. 2, 50, 203: “(hoc malum) obscure serpens multas jam provincias occupavit,” id. Cat. 4, 3, 6: “malum longius,” id. Rab. Post. 6, 15; id. Phil. 1, 2, 5; id. Att. 1, 13, 3; id. de Or. 3, 24, 94: “serpit deinde res,” id. Lael. 12, 41; cf.: “ne latius serperet res,” Liv. 28, 15 fin.; so, “latius,” id. 40, 19 fin.; cf. Plin. Ep. 5, 4, 3: “serpit nescio quo modo per omnium vitas amicitia,” Cic. Lael. 23, 87: “si semel suscipimus genus hoc argumenti, attende quo serpat,” id. N. D. 1, 35, 98; 3, 20, 52: “quam facile serpat injuria et peccandi consuetudo,” Cic. Verr. 2, 2, 22, § 53; cf. id. Div. in Caecil. 21, 68: “serpit hic rumor,” id. Mur. 21, 45: “fama per coloniam,” Plin. Ep. 9, 33, 5: “per agmina murmur,” Verg. A. 12, 239: “murmura plebis,” Stat. Th. 1, 168: “cura altius,” Plin. 14, 11, 13, § 87: “serpente latius bello,” Flor. 2, 2, 15; 2, 9, 4.—Of a low, grovelling poetic style: “(poëta) Serpit humi tutus,” crawls along the earth, Hor. A. P. 28 (cf.: “sermones Repentes per humum,” id. Ep. 2, 1, 251).—Hence, serpens , entis (gen. plur. serpentium, Vitr. 8, 4; 9, 6; Nep. Hann. 11, 5; Hor. Epod. 1, 20; Cels. 5, 27, 3; but also, mostly poet. and later, serpentum, Verg. A. 8, 436; 12, 848; Ov. M. 7, 534; Luc. 9, 608 al.), f. (sc. bestia); less freq. and mostly poet. and eccl. Lat., m. (sc. draco), a creeping thing, a creeper, crawler (cf. reptilis).
A. Κατ̓ ἐξοχήν, i. e. a snake, serpent (syn.: anguis, coluber); fem.: “quaedam serpentes ortae extra aquam, etc.,” Cic. N. D. 2, 48, 124; Lucr. 4, 60; 4, 638; Ov. M. 1, 447; 1, 454; 2, 652; id. Am. 2, 13, 13; Hor. C. 1, 37, 27; Luc. 9, 397; Nep. Hann. 10, 4 al.— Masc., Lucr. 5, 33; Verg. A. 2, 214; 5, 273; 11, 753; Ov. M. 3, 38; 3, 325; 4, 570; Hor. S. 1, 3, 27; Luc. 9, 324; cf. Sall. J. 89, 5, and Quint. 2, 4, 19: “igniti,” Vulg. Num. 21, 6.— “In apposition with draco,” Suet. Tib. 72.— Also neutr. plur. serpentia, Vulg. Act. 10, 12. —
2. Transf., the Serpent, as a constellation.
a. Between the Great and the Little Bear, = anguis and draco, Ov. M. 2, 173; Hyg. Astr. 3, 1.—
b. In the hand of Ophiuchus (Anguitenens, Anguifer), = anguis, Vitr. 9, 6; Hyg. Astr. 2, 14; 3, 13; cf. Plin. 2, 25, 23, § 93.—
B. A creeping insect on the human body, a louse, Plin. 7, 51, 52, § 172; App. Flor. p. 354, 4.
