I.fem., Verg. E. 1, 15; id. A. 6, 471; 6, 602; 8, 233; Ov. M. 9, 225; 9, 304; 9, 613; Amm. 14, 6, 16; cf. Quint. 1, 6, 2; gen. plur. silicum, Lucr. 6, 683; Luc. 4, 304) [root sar-, to be firm; cf.: solum, solidus].
I. Any hard stone found in fields, a pebble-stone, a flint, flint-stone: “silicem caedere,” Cic. Div. 2, 41, 85: “silice vias sternere,” Liv. 41, 27; cf. id. 41, 27, § 7: “silici scintillam excudere,” Verg. A. 1, 174: “gravem medios silicem jaculatus in hostes,” Ov. M. 7, 139 et saep.: “per ampla spatia urbis, subversasque silices,” pavements, Amm. 14, 6, 16; cf.: “silicem pedibus quae conteret atrum,” Juv. 6, 350.— Freq. joined with lapis: Ag. Illa mulier lapidem silicem subigere, ut se amet, potest. Mi. Pol id quidem haud mentire: “nam tu es lapide silice stultior,” Plaut. Poen. 1, 2, 77 sq.; Cato, R. R. 18, 3; Liv. 30, 43; Fest. s. v. lapidem, p. 115 Müll.; and in inscrr.: II VIRI VIAM LAPID(e) SILIC(e) STERN(endam) CVR(averunt), Inscr. Bull. dell' Inst. 1839, p. 60; so Inscr. Orell. 6617.—With saxum: “porcum saxo silice percussit,” Liv. 1, 24 fin. —To denote hard-heartedness: “non silice nati sumus,” Cic. Tusc. 3, 6, 12: “nec in tenero stat tibi corde silex,” Tib. 1, 1, 64: “nec rigidas silices in pectore gerit,” Ov. M. 9, 614: “et dicam silices pectus habere tuum,” id. Tr. 3, 11, 4: “moturaque duras Verba queror silices,” id. M. 9, 304.—
II. In gen., a rock, crag (poet.), Lucr. 6, 683: “validi silices,” id. 1, 571; 2, 449: “stabat acuta silex praecisis undique saxis,” Verg. A. 8, 233: “nudus silex,” bare rick, Sen. Phoen. 69: “excisae rupes durissimi silicis,” Suet. Calig. 37: “juventus duris silicum lassata metallis,” Luc. 4, 304: “Lycius Phrygiusque silex,” Stat. S. 1, 2, 148.—Of limestone, Ov. M. 7, 107; cf. Plin. 36, 23, 53, § 174.
