I. Prop., the upper bone of the arm, Cels. 8, 1. —
II. Meton.
A. The upper part of the arm (so only poet. for the usual lacertus): “innixus dextro plena trahens umero,” upperarm, arm, Prop. 1, 20, 44: “umeros exsertus uterque,” Stat. Th. 5, 439; 4, 235; Ov. F. 1, 409.—
B. The shoulder (of a man; opp. armus of an animal, v. h. v.; “the predom. signif. of the word): meus est ballista pugnus, cubitus catapulta est mihi, Umerus aries,” Plaut. Capt. 4, 2, 17: “id conexum in umero laevo,” id. Mil. 4, 4, 44: “sagittae pendebant ab umero,” Cic. Verr. 2, 4, 34, § 74; cf. Hor. C. 1, 21, 12: “umerum apertum gladio appetit,” Caes. B. C. 2, 35: “Chloris albo sic umero nitens,” Hor. C. 2, 5, 18: “sparsum odoratis umerum capillis,” id. ib. 3, 20, 14: “pars umeri ima tui,” Ov. A. A. 3, 307.— Plur.: “(virgines) quas matres student Demissis umeris esse,” Ter. Eun. 2, 3, 23: “scutum, gladium, galeam in onere nostri milites non plus numerant quam umeros, lacertos, manus,” Cic. Tusc. 2, 16, 37: “ut bracchia modo atque umeri ad sustinenda arma liberi ab aquā esse possent,” Caes. B. G. 7, 56: “pedites tantummodo umeris ac summo pectore exstare,” id. B. C. 1, 62: “cum Milo umeris sustineret bovem vivum,” Cic. Sen. 10, 33: “quod pupillum filium ipse paene in umeros suos extulisset,” id. de Or. 1, 53, 228: “densum umeris vulgus,” Hor. C. 2, 13, 32: “nube candentes umeros amictus Augur Apollo,” id. ib. 1, 2, 31; so, “candidi,” id. ib. 1, 13, 10: “umeris positurus arcum,” id. ib. 3, 4, 60: “et quae nunc umeris involitant, deciderint comae,” id. ib. 4, 10, 3 et saep.: “ex umeris armi fiunt,” Ov. M. 10, 700; so id. ib. 12, 396; cf.: “terrestrium solus homo bipes: uni juguli, umeri, ceteris armi,” Plin. 11, 43, 98, § 243.—
2. Umerus is also used of animals (as, on the other hand, armi is of men; v. armus); “of oxen,” Cic. N. D. 2, 63, 159.—Of cocks, Col. 8, 2, 9.—
C. Of the middle part of a thing, the back, ridge (post-Aug.).
1. Of trees and plants: “certum est ab umeris arborum surculos petendos,” Plin. 17, 14, 24, § 105; Col. 3, 10, 5; id. Arb. 3, 1.—
2. Of mountain ridges: “montium flexus crebrique vertices et conflexa cubito aut confracta in umeros juga,” Plin. 2, 44, 44, § 115 (al. numeros): “virides umeros,” Stat. Th. 6, 714. —
3. Of a country: “Rhegium oppidum in umero ejus (Italiae) situm, a quo veluti cervicis incipit flexus,” Plin. 3, 5, 6, § 43; so, “duo haec oppida ... sita sunt utrāque ex parte velut in umeris Helladis,” id. 4, 7, 11, § 23.—
III. Trop., in plur., the shoulders; as in Engl., when speaking of bearing a burden: “tota ut comitia suis, ut dictitabat, umeris sustineret,” Cic. Mil. 9, 25: “rem publicam umeris sustinere,” id. Fl. 37, 94: “cum expertus esset, quam bene umeris tuis sederet imperium,” Plin. Pan. 10, 6; 57, 4: “sumite materiam vestris qui scribitis aequam Viribus, et versate diu, quid ferre recusent, Quid valeant umeri,” Hor. A. P. 40.
