I.gen. silvaï; “silua as trisyl.,” Hor. C. 1, 23, 4; id. Epod. 13, 2; cf. Prisc. p. 546 P.), f. cf. Gr. ὕλη,, a wood, forest, woodland (syn.: saltus, nemus, lucus).
I. Lit.: (lupus) Conicit in silvam sese, Enn. ap. Non. 378, 19 (Ann. v. 75 Vahl.): omne sonabat Arbustum fremitu silvaï frondosaï, id. ap. Macr. S. 6, 2 (Ann. v. 197 ib.): “(ignes) Conficerent silvas,” Lucr. 1, 906: “per silvas profundas,” id. 5, 41; so id. 5, 992: “densa et aspera,” Cic. Att. 12, 15; id. Div. 1, 50, 114: “(Ancus Marcius) silvas maritimas omnes publicavit,” id. Rep. 2, 18, 33: “rursus ex silvā in nostros impetum facerent,” Caes. B. G. 2, 19: “Caesar silvas caedere instituit,” id. ib. 3, 29: “juga coepta movere Silvarum,” Verg. A. 6, 257: “dea silvarum,” i. e. Diana, Ov. M. 3, 163; cf.: “silvarum numina, Fauni Et Satyri fratres,” id. ib. 6, 392: “nemorosis abdita silvis,” id. ib. 10, 687: “stabula silvis obscura vetustis,” id. ib. 6, 521: “gloria silvarum pinus,” Stat. S. 5, 1, 151: “formidolosae,” Hor. Epod. 5, 55: “salubres,” id. Ep. 1, 4, 4: “virentes,” Cat. 34, 10: “Silvius, casu quodam in silvis natus,” Liv. 1, 3, 6.—
B. Transf.
1. A plantation of trees, an orchard, a grove; a growth or crop of other plants, bush, foliage, etc. (mostly poet. and in post-Aug. prose): “signa in silvā disposita,” Cic. Verr. 2, 1, 19, § 51: “domūs amoenitas silvā constabat,” Nep. Att. 13, 2; Sen. Ep. 86, 3; cf.: “inter silvas Academi quaerere verum,” Hor. Ep. 2, 2, 45: “tristis lupini Sustuleris fragiles calamos silvamque sonantem,” Verg. G. 1, 76; 1, 152; 2, 310; 4, 273; Ov. M. 1, 346; 3, 80; 12, 352; Grat. Cyneg. 47; Col. 7, 9, 7 al.: “i. q. frondes,” foliage, Ov. M. 7, 242: “congeries silvae,” of wood, id. ib. 9, 235.—
2. In plur., trees (poet.): “nemus omne intendat vertice silvas,” Prop. 1, 14, 5: “silvarum aliae pressos propaginis arcus Exspectant,” Verg. G. 2, 26: “fractis obtendunt limina silvis,” Stat. Th. 2, 248; cf. Luc. 2, 409; 4, 525: “bracchia silvarum,” Stat. Th. 1, 362; id. S. 4, 3, 79; 3, 3, 98; Sen. Oedip. 542.—
II. Trop., a crowded mass, abundance or quantity (class.; “in Cic. sometimes with quasi): omnis ubertas et quasi silva dicendi ducta ab illis (Academicis) est,” Cic. Or. 3, 12; cf. id. ib. 41, 139: “silvae satis ad rem,” Plaut. Mil. 4, 4, 18: “silva rerum, sententiarumque,” Cic. de Or. 3, 26, 103: “silva virtutum et vitiorum,” id. ib. 3, 30, 118: “silva observationum sermonis antiqui,” Suet. Gram. 24 fin.—Poet.: immanis, an immense forest (of darts), Verg. A. 10, 887; cf.: densam ferens in pectore silvam, a forest (of darts), Luc. 6, 205 Cort.: “horrida siccae Silva comae,” a bristling forest, Juv. 9, 13: Silva, as the title of a book; cf. Gell. Noct. Att. praef. § 6; Quint. 10, 3, 17.—So the Silvae of Statius.
