I.to tear open in front, to rend, split, cleave, cut up, cut in pieces (poet. and in post-Aug. prose).
I. Lit.
A. In gen.: “ferro proscindere quercum,” Luc. 3, 434: “piscem,” App. Mag. p. 300, 18 and 20: “spumanti Rhodanus proscindens gurgite campos,” Sil. 3, 449: “vulnere pectus,” Stat. Th. 10, 439: “fulgure terram,” Just. 44, 3, 6.—
B. In partic., in agriculture, of the first ploughing, to break up the land: rursum terram cum primum arant, proscindere appellant; cum iterum, offringere dicunt, quod primā aratione glebae grandes solent excitari. Varr. R. R. 1, 29, 2; 1, 27, 2: “terram transversis adversisque sulcis,” Col. 3, 13, 4: priusquam ares, proscindito, Cato ap. Plin. 18, 19, 49, § 176: bubulcum autem per proscissum ingredi oportet, the trench, furrow, Col. 2, 2, 25; 3, 13, 4; 11, 2, 32.—Poet., in gen., for arare, to plough: rorulentas terras, Att. ap. Non. p. 395, 22 (Trag. Rel. v. 496 Rib.): “validis terram proscinde juvencis,” Verg. G. 2, 237: “terram pressis aratris,” Lucr. 5, 209: “ferro campum,” Ov. M. 7, 119.—
2. Transf., to cut through, to cleave, furrow (poet.): rostro ventosum aequor. Cat. 64, 12: “remo stagna,” Sil. 8, 603.—
II. Trop., to cut up with words, to censure, satirize, revile, defame: “aliquem,” Ov. P. 4, 16, 47: “equestrem ordinem,” Suet. Calig. 30: “aliquem foedissimo convicio,” id. Aug. 13: “carminibus proscissus,” Plin. 36, 6, 7, § 48: aliquem famoso carmine, Suet. Vit. Luc.; Val. Max. 5, 3, 3; 8, 5, 2.