I.N. cr. al.; and lact , Aus. Idyll. 12; Mart. Cap. 3, § 307; masc. acc. lactem, App. M. 8, p. 214 fin.; 215 init.; but dub. in Gell. 12, 1, 17, where Hertz reads lacte), n. Gr. γάλα, gen. γάλακτ-ος, milk.
I. Lit.: “dulci repletur lacte,” Lucr. 5, 814: “cum lacte nutricis errorem suxisse,” Cic. Tusc. 3, 1, 2: “lacte vivere,” Caes. B. G. 4, 1: “lac mihi non aestate novum, non frigore defit,” Verg. E. 2, 22: “concretum vimine querno lac,” Ov. M. 12, 437: “lactis inopia ... abundantia,” Col. 5, 12, 2: “a lacte cunisque,” from the cradle, from infancy, Quint. 1, 1, 21: “lac pressum,” cheese, Verg. E. 1, 82: “coagulatum,” Plin. 23, 7, 64, § 128.—Prov.: “tam similem quam lacte lacti'st,” as like as one egg is to another, Plaut. Mil. 2, 2, 85; cf.: “neque lac lacti magis est simile,” id. Am. 2, 1, 54; id. Men. 5, 9, 30: lac gallinaceum, chicken's milk, of something very rare, Plin. N. H. praef. § 23; Petr. 38, 1: “qui plus lactis quam sanguinis habet,” of tender age, Juv. 11, 68.—
B. Trop., for something sweet, pleasant: in melle sunt linguae sitae nostrae atque orationes, lacteque; “corda felle sunt lita,” Plaut. Truc. 1, 2, 77: “ut mentes ... satiari velut quodam jucundioris disciplinae lacte patiantur,” Quint. 2, 4, 5.—
II. Transf.
A. Milky juice, milk of plants: “herbae, nigri cum lacte veneni,” Verg. A. 4, 514: “herbarum,” Ov. M. 11, 606: “tenero dum lacte, quod intro est, id. Nux, 95: ficulneum,” Col. 7, 8, 1: “caprifici,” Cels. 5, 7.—
B. Milk-white color (poet.): candidus taurus ... una fuit labes; “cetera lactis erant,” Ov. A. A. 1, 290.
