I. Lit., a star (whereas sidus denotes a group of stars, a constellation; v. sidus; cf. “also astrum): ignes, quae sidera et stellas vocatis,” Cic. Rep. 6, 15, 15: “sunt stellae naturā flammeae,” id. N. D. 2, 46, 118: o magna templa caelitum commixta stellis splendidis Enn. ap. Varr. L. L. 7, § 6 Müll. (Trag. v. 227 Vahl.); cf.: caelum stellis fulgentibus aptum, id. ap. Macr. S. 6, 1 (Ann. v. 30 Vahl.); Lucr. 6, 357: “stellae in radiis solis (non cernuntur),” Cic. Fin. 5, 24, 71: “maxime sunt admirabiles motus earum quinque stellarum, quae falso vocantur errantes,” i. e. planets, id. N. D. 2, 20, 51; so, “errantes,” id. Rep. 1, 14, 22; id. Tusc. 1, 25, 62; id. N. D. 1, 13, 34 (but cf. inerrantes, fixed stars, id. ib. 3, 20, 51): “stella comans,” i. e. a comet, Ov. M. 15, 749; cf. id. ib. 15, 850: “dum caelum stellas vehat,” Tib. 1, 4, 66: “simul alba nautis Stella refulsit,” Hor. C. 1, 12, 28: “jam stellarum sublime coëgerat agmen Lucifer,” Ov. M. 11, 97: usque ad diurnam stellam, Lucifer, i. e. till daybreak, Plaut. Men. 1, 2, 64.—Prov., of an impossibility: “Terra feret stellas,” Ov. Tr. 1, 8, 3.—Poet., sometimes for sidus, a constellation: “Saturni,” Verg. G. 1, 336: “Coronae,” id. ib. 1, 222: “vesani Leonis,” Hor. C. 3, 29, 19: “Icarii stella proterva canis,” Ov. Am. 2, 16, 4: “stella miluus,” id. F. 3, 793; 5, 112.—Of the sun: “stella serena,” Ov. F. 6, 718.—
B. Esp., a meteor, shooting-star: “saepe stellas videbis Praecipites caelo labi,” Verg. G. 1, 365: “de caelo lapsa per umbras Stella,” id. A. 2, 694; Lucr. 2, 208: “discursus stellarum,” Plin. 2, 36, 36, § 100; cf.: “discurrere eae (stellae) videntur,” id. 18, 35, 80, § 351: “videmus ergo stellarum longos a tergo albescere tractus. Hae velut stellae exsiliunt, etc.,” Sen. Q. N. 1, 14, 2 sq.—
II. Transf., of things resembling a star.
A. A figure of a star: “vitis in stellam dividatur ... refert jugum in stellam decussari, etc.,” Col. 4, 17, 4 sq.; 4, 26, 3; cf. id. 3, 13, 13: Plin. 18, 10, 23, § 97: “chlamys distincta aureis stellis,” Suet. Ner. 25.—
D. A glowworm, Plin. 18, 27, 67, § 251.—*
E. The pupil of the eye, Claud. Idyll. 1, 36.
