I. Seed.
1. Of plants, Cato, R. R. 17; 27; 31 fin.; 34; Varr. R. R. 1, 40 sq.: “semen manu spargere,” Cic. Rosc. Am. 18, 50: “terra semen excepit,” id. Sen. 15, 51; id. N. D. 2, 32, 81; Ov. M. 1, 108; 7, 623 et saep.—
2. Of men, animals, etc., Plaut. Am. 5, 2, 9; Varr. R. R. 2, 2, 4; 2, 3, 4; 3, 7, 10 al.; Lucr. 4, 1031; 4, 1034 sq.; Cels. 4, 19; Ov. M. 1, 748; 15, 760 et saep.—
3. Poet., of the elements of other bodies (of fire, water, stones, etc.): “ignis semina convolvunt e nubibus,” Lucr. 6, 201 sq.; 6, 444; 6, 507; “6, 841: quaerit pars semina flammae in venis silicis,” Verg. A. 6, 6; Ov. M. 11, 144 et saep.: “in animis quasi virtutum igniculi et semina,” Cic. Fin. 5, 7, 18; so id. Div. 1, 3, 6: “alicujus quaestionis,” Liv. 40, 19.—
B. κατ̓ ἐξοχήν, spelt-seed, spelt, Plin. 18, 8, 19, § 82; 18, 24, 55, § 198; Col. 2, 12, 1; cf. Isid. Orig. 17, 3, 6.—
II. Transf.
A. A shoot used for propagating; a graft, scion, set, slip, cutting, Varr. R. R. 1, 40, 5; Verg. G. 2, 354; Col. 3, 3, 4; 3, 4, 1; 5, 10, 1 et saep.—
2. A stock, race (very rare): “genus ac semen,” Cic. Agr. 2, 35, 95; so (with genus) id. Phil. 4, 5, 13: “ipsa regio semine orta,” Liv. 1, 47: “videndum, ut boni seminis pecus habeas,” Varr. R. R. 2, 2, 4.—
3. Posterity, progeny, offspring, child (poet.): “non tulit in cineres labi sua Phoebus eosdem Semina, sed natum flammis Eripuit,” Ov. M. 2, 629; so, “semina,” id. ib. 10, 470; 15, 216; id. F. 2, 383; id. Tr. 2, 415; Sen. Herc. Fur. 987; Vulg. Gen. 15, 5 et saep.—
II. Trop., as in all languages, seed, i. e. origin, occasion, ground, cause; of persons, an author, prompter, insligator, etc. (class.).
(α).
Sing. (the predom. signif. in Cic.): “stirps ac semen malorum omnium,” Cic. Cat. 1, 12, 30: “bellorum civilium semen et causa,” id. Off. 2, 8, 29, cf. ut in seminibus est causa arborum et stirpium: “sic hujus belli semen ut fuisti (for which, just before: causam belli in personā tuā constitisse),” id. Phil. 2, 22, 55: “sceleris,” Plaut. Rud. 2, 2, 21.—
(β).
Plur.: “in animis, quasi virtutum igniculi atque semina,” Cic. Fin. 5, 7, 18: “quod et Zeno in suis commentariis quasi semina quaedam sparsisset,” id. Div. 1, 3, 6: “si virtutes sunt, ad quas nobis initia quaedam ac semina sunt concessa naturā,” Quint. 2, 20, 6: “loquaces, seditiosos, semina discordiarum (tribunos plebis),” Liv. 3, 19, 5: “vix tamen illa semina erant futurae luxuriae,” the small beginnings, id. 39, 6, 9; cf. id. 40, 19, 9: “discordiae,” Tac. H. 1, 53; 4, 18 fin.: “belli,” id. A. 4, 27; 16, 7: “rebellionis,” id. ib. 11, 19: “motus,” id. ib. 3, 41. futuri exitii, id. ib. 4, 60: “ejus facultatis,” Quint. 2, 20, 6: “quamquam semina ejus (translationis) quaedam apud Aristotelen reperiuntur,” id. 3, 6, 60: “quaedam probationum,” id. 4, 2, 54: “veteris eloquentiae,” Tac. Or. 33; Sen. Ep. 90, 29.
