Charlton T. Lewis, Charles Short, A Latin Dictionary

I.a voice, sound, tone, cry, call.

I. Lit.: “omnes voces hominis, ut nervi in fidibus, ita sonant, ut a motu animi quoque sunt pulsae, etc.,” Cic. de Or. 3, 57, 216: “exsurge praeco ... Exerce vocem,” Plaut. Poen. prol. 13: “set comprimunda vox mihi atque oratio'st,” i. e. I must hold my peace, id. Ps. 1, 4, 16: “humana,” id. Bacch. 5, 2, 22: “ulceribus vocis via saepta coïbat,” Lucr. 6, 1148; cf.: “quarum (faucium) vitio et frangitur et obscuratur et exasperatur et scinditur vox,” Quint. 11, 3, 20: “mira est quaedam natura vocis,” Cic. Or. 17, 57: “cum (eloquentia) constet e voce atque motu,” id. ib. 17, 55: “vox inflexa ad miserabilem sonum,” id. de Or. 2, 46, 193: “inclinata ululantique voce canere,” id. ib. 8, 27: “legem Voconiam magnā voce et bonis lateribus suasi,” id. Sen. 5, 14; so, “magnā,” Hor. S. 1, 7, 31: 1, 9, 76: summa id. ib. 1, 3, 8: sedata et depressa. Auct. Her. S, 12, 21: “tremebunda,” id. ib. 3, 14, 25: “theatrum ita resonans, ut usque Romam significationes vocesque referantur,” Cic. Q. Fr. 1, 1, 14, § 42: “vocem late nemora alta remittunt,” echo, Verg. A. 12, 929: “ut nostrorum militum vocibus nonnihil carperetur,” cries, shouts, Caes. B. G. 3, 17; cf.: “enimvero voce'st opus: Nausistrata, exi,” I must exert my voice, must call out, Ter. Phorm. 5, 7, 92.— Of inanimate things (poet.): “ad sonitum vocis (i. e. remorum) vestigia torsit,” Verg. A. 3, 669: “fractae voces (maris),” id. ib. 3, 556; cf. Serv. ad Verg. A. 7, 519; Lucr. 4, 524 sqq.—

II. Transf.

A. That which is uttered by the voice, i. e. a word, saying, speech, sentence, proverb, maxim (syn.: vocabulum, verbum); sing.: “dico, Epicurum non intellegere, quid sonet haec vox voluptatis, id est, quae res huic voci subiciatur,” Cic. Fin. 2, 2, 6: “illa Platonis vera et tibi certe non inaudita vox,” id. de Or. 3, 6, 21: “hanc sententiam significare videtur Laconis illa vox,” id. Tusc. 1, 46, 111; so, νόημα, quā voce omnis intellectus accipi potest, Quint. 8, 5, 12: “is verbi sensus, vis ea vocis erat,” Ov. F. 5, 484: “vocem pro aliquo mittere,” Cic. Sest. 19, 42; id. Fl. 3, 6: “vocem exprimere,” id. Att. 2, 21, 5; Caes. B. G. 1, 32; cf.: “vox populi Romani majestate indigna,” id. ib. 7, 17, 3: “quod est positum in voce simplice,” Quint. 1, 9, 4: “nescit vox missa reverti,” Hor. A. P. 390: “constitue, nihil esse opis in hac voce: civis Romanus sum,” Cic. Verr. 2, 5, 65, § 168; id. Lael. 15, 59; Caes. B. C. 1, 7; Plin. Ep. 4, 17, 9: “ego cum Graecos facerem ... Versiculos, vetuit tali me voce Quirinus: In silvam non ligna feras, etc.,” Hor. S. 1, 10, 32: “siderā excantata voce Thessalā,” incantation, id. Epod. 5, 45: “consulum voci atque imperio non oboedire,” command, Cic. Rab. Perd. 8, 23; Val. Max. 2, 2, 4: “unā voce,” unanimously, Cic. de Or. 1, 11, 46.—Plur.: “cum illius nefarii gladiatoris voces percrebuissent,” Cic. Mur. 25, 50: “non igitur ex singulis vocibus philosophi spectandi sunt,” sayings, id. Tusc. 5, 10, 31: “ex percunctatione nostrorum vocibusque Gallorum ac mercatorum, etc.,” Caes. B. G. 1, 39: “voces per vinum, somnum. etc. ... emissae,” Quint. 5, 7, 36: “victus Veneris Vocibus,” Hor. C. 4, 6, 22: “contumeliosae,” abusive expressions, abuse, Caes. B. C. 1, 69: “sunt verba et voces, quibus hunc lenire dolorem Possis,” sayings, maxims, doctrines, Hor. Ep. 1, 1, 34; cf.: “populum falsis Dedocet uti Vocibus,” id. C. 2, 2, 21: “deripere lunam vocibus,” with charms, incantations, id. Epod. 17, 78; so, “sacrae,” id. ib. 17, 6: “Marsae,” id. ib. 5, 76.—

B. Speech, language, in gen., = sermo (poet. and in post-Aug. prose): “cultus hominum recentum Voce formasti catus (Mercurius),” Hor. C. 1, 10, 3: “Graiā scierit sive Latinā Voce loqui,” Ov. Tr. 3, 12, 40: “cum civem ex voce cognovisset,” Just. 11, 15.—

C. Accent, tone: “ipsa natura ... in omni verbo posuit acutam vocem,” Cic. Or. 18, 58; cf.: “rustica vox et agrestis quosdam delectat,” pronunciation, accent, id. de Or. 3, 11, 42.