I.turned back or backwards (adj. very rare, but freq. as adv.; v. infra).
(α).
Form rē^-trōversus : “Medusae Ipse retroversus squalentia prodidit ora,” Ov. M. 4, 655: “retroversi ortus omen,” Sol. 4. — Trop.: “argumentum,” confuted, Lact. 1, 16 fin.—
(β).
Form rē^trōrsus : “retrorsā manu,” Plin. 26, 9, 60, § 93: “denique saepe retrorsa respiciens (mulier) substitit,” App. M. 2, 6 Hild. p. 101 Oud. (retrorsus, p. 101 Elm.).—
B. Trop., back, as to time, former, earlier; so only in comp.: “retrosior,” older, Tert. Apol. 19.—Hence, adv., in four forms: retrorsum (the predom. one, class.), retrorsus, retrovorsum, and retroversus, back, backwards, behind.
I. Lit.
(α).
Form rē^trōrsum : “me vestigia terrent, Omnia te adversum spectantia, nulla retrorsum,” Hor. Ep. 1, 1, 75: “vela dare,” id. C. 1, 34, 3; cf.: “mutata te ferat aura,” id. Ep. 1, 18, 88: “rejectae Hannibalis minae,” id. C. 4, 8, 16; cf. “redire,” Plin. 9, 31, 51, § 99.—
(β).
Form rē^trōrsus : dare terga metu, Val. Fl. 3, 268: “cedentem,” Sil. 11, 513; App. M. 3, p. 143, 39.—
II. Trop.
a. In time, back, before, earlier (jurid. Lat.): “retrorsus ad id tempus, etc.,” Dig. 15, 1, 32 fin.: “retrorsum se actio refert,” ib. 13, 5, 18.—
b. In other relations, back, backwards, in return, in reversed order.
(α).
Form rē^trōr-sum : ex terrā aqua, ex aquā oritur aer, ex aëre aether; “deinde retrorsum vicissim ex aethere aër, etc.,” Cic. N. D. 2, 33, 84 (cf. the like use of retro, Lucr. 1, 785): “ut viros ac feminas, diem ac noctem dicas potius, quam retrorsum,” Quint. 9, 4, 23; 7, 1, 25: “quaedam et retrorsum idem valent,” id. 5, 9, 6: “sed omnia retrorsum,” Flor. 4, 12, 25.—
