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{{Lewis
|lshtext=<b>spĕcus</b>: ūs (<br /><b>I</b> abl. plur. specibus, Sen. Cons. ap. Front. Aquaed. 125; on the [[various]] forms [[found]] [[only]] in the grammarians, v. Neue, Formenl. 1, 569 sq.), m. (f. and n.<br /> v. [[infra]]) [perh. [[root]] spec-; v. [[specio]], and so orig. a [[hole]], [[aperture]]; [[but]] cf. [[σπέος]]>].<br /><b>I</b> Lit., a [[cave]], [[cavern]], [[grot]], [[den]]; a [[cavity]], [[chasm]], [[natural]] or [[artificial]]; of the [[latter]] [[kind]], a [[ditch]], [[drain]], [[canal]], [[channel]], [[covered]] [[water]]-[[course]], a [[pit]] in mines, etc. (cf. [[spelunca]]).<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<b>(a)</b>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Masc. ([[class]]. and freq.): inferum vastos [[specus]], Enn. ap. Non. 222, 32 (Trag. v. 218 Vahl.): [[specus]] [[tenebricosus]], Varr. ib. 222, 31: [[fons]] ex [[opaco]] specu, Liv. 1, 21; so abl. [[sing]]., id. 1, 56, 10; 10, 10, 1: [[forum]] [[medium]] [[ferme]] specu [[vasto]] collapsum dicitur, id. 7, 6; so sing., Ov. M. 3, 29; 7, 409; 11, 235; id. F. 4, 495; Liv. 10, 1, 5; Tac. A. 16, 1, 3; 16, 4, 59.—Plur.: quos agor in [[specus]]? Hor. C. 3, 25, 2: paucos [[specus]] in [[extremo]] [[fundo]], et eos [[quidem]] subterraneos, * Cic. Att. 15, 26, 4; so of drains, ditches, Varr. R. R. 3, 17 fin.; Cat. 61, 28; Liv. 39, 13, 13; Tac. A. 12, 57; id. G. 16; Sen. Med. 741 al.—<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<b>(b)</b>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Fem. ([[ante]]- and [[post]]-[[class]].): concava [[specus]], Enn. ap. Non. 222, 23 (Ann. v. 420 Vahl.); cf. Serv. Verg. A. 7, 568; Pac. ap. Non. 223, 2 Müll. (Trag. p. 91 Rib.); id. ap. Fest. p. 343 Müll. (l. l. p. 73 Rib.): specum quandam [[nactus]] remotam latebrosamque, in eam me [[penetro]] et [[recondo]], Gell. 5, 14, 18; Sil. 6, 276.—<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<b>(g)</b>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Neutr. (anteclass. and [[poet]].): hic [[specus]] horrendum, Verg. A. 7, 568; Serv. ad loc.: invisum [[caelo]] [[specus]], Sil. 13, 425; Ps.-Quint. Decl. 10, 19.—<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<b>(d)</b>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Acc. to the [[second]] declension: speca apposita, [[Cato]] ap. Prisc. p. 713 P.: altis claudere specis, Att. ap. Non. 487, 25 (Fragm. Trag. v. 63 Rib.).—<br /><b>II</b> Transf., a [[hollow]], [[cavity]] of [[any]] [[kind]] ([[poet]].): [[specus]] atri vulneris, Verg. A. 9, 700 Serv.: quos Capacis alvi mersit tartareo specu, Phaedr. 4, 6, 10; of a [[snake]]'s [[belly]], Sil. 6, 276; cf. of the [[belly]] of the [[Trojan]] [[horse]], Petr. poët. 89, 2, 7.— In mal. [[part]]., Auct. Priap. 83, 34.
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