I. Lit., a beam, a timber: “tigna trabesque,” Lucr. 2, 192 sq.; v. tignum; Caes. B. G. 2, 29; 3, 13; 7, 23; id. B. C. 2, 9; Plin. 16, 38, 73, § 184; Gell. 1, 13, 17; Ov. M. 3, 78.—
II. Transf.
A. A tree: “silva frequens trabibus,” Ov. M. 8, 329; cf. id. ib. 14, 360: “securi Saucia trabs ingens,” id. ib. 10, 373; cf. Varr. ap. Non. 178, 31; Prop. 3 (4), 22, 38. “fraxineae,” Verg. A. 6, 181: “lucus trabibus obscurus acernis,” id. ib. 9, 87: Val. Fl. 5, 640. —
B. Any thing made of beams or timbers.
1. Very freq., a ship or vessel: abiegna trabes, Enn. ap. Cic. N. D. 3, 30, 75: trabes rostrata per altum, id. ap. Varr. L. L. 7, § 33: “jam mare turbari trabibus ... vide bis,” Verg. A. 4, 566: “ut trabe Cypria Myrtoum pavidus nauta secet mare,” Hor. C. 1, 1, 13; Ov. P. 1, 3, 76: “Thessalica,” Sen. Agam. 120.—
3. A battering - ram, ballista, etc., Val. Fl. 6, 383.—
4. A javelin, Stat. Th. 5, 566; 9, 124.—
5. A club, cudgel, Stat. Th. 1, 621.—
6. A table, Mart. 14, 91, 2.—
7. A torch, Sen. Herc. Fur. 103. —
8. In mal. part. = mentula, Cat. 28, 10.—
C. A fiery phenomenon in the heavens, a meteor: emicant et trabes simili modo, quas δοκοὺς vocant, qualis cum Lacedaemonii classe victi imperium Graeciae amisere, Plin. 2, 26, 26, § 96: “trabes et globi et faces et ardores,” Sen. Q. N. 1, 1, 5; 1, 1, 15; 1, 15, 4; 7, 4, 3-5; 7, 5, 21; id. Ep. 94, 56.