I.the muscular part of the arm, from the shoulder to the elbow, the upper arm.
I. Lit., opp. bracchium, the forearm, Lucr. 4, 829; cf.: “laudat digitosque manusque, Bracchiaque et nudos mediā plus parte lacertos,” Ov. M. 1, 501; and: “subjecta lacertis brachia sunt,” id. ib. 14, 304; cf. also Quint. 8 prooem. 19: “brachia quoque et lacertos auro colunt,” Curt. 8, 9, 21.—
II. Transf.
A. The arm (esp. as brawny, muscular): “nam scutum gladium galeam in onere nostri milites non plus numerant quam umeros, lacertos, manus,” Cic. Tusc. 2, 16, 37: “Milo Crotoniates nobilitatus ex lateribus et lacertis suis,” Cic. de Sen. 9, 27: “excusso lacerto telum torquere,” Sen. Ben. 2, 6; Prop. 2, 18 (3, 15), 37: “lacertos collo imponere,” Ov. H. 16, 219: “lacerto jaculari,” id. Am. 3, 12, 27: “amplecti,” id. ib. 3, 8, 11: “candida cingantur colla lacertis,” id. A. A. 2, 457: “laevus,” Verg. A. 11, 693; Hor. S. 1, 6, 74: “adducto contortum hastile lacerto immittit,” Verg. A. 11, 561: “secto requiem sperare lacerto,” Juv. 6, 106. —Of bees: “spicula exacuunt rostris, aptantque lacertos,” i. e. make trial of, Verg. G. 4, 74.—
B. Transf.
1. A blow or cast from a strong arm, Sil. 16, 562; 1, 262.—
2. Trop., muscular power, muscle, strength, military force: “in Lysia saepe sunt lacerti, sic ut fieri nihil possit valentius,” Cic. Brut. 16, 64: “hastas oratoris lacertis viribusque torquere,” id. de Or. 1, 57, 242: “me civilis tulit aestus in arma, Caesaris Augusti non responsura lacertis,” Hor. Ep. 2, 2, 48; “Flor. prooem. § 8: viribus confisus admirandisque lacertis,” Juv. 10, 11.
