anfractus
τὸ κακὸν δοκεῖν ποτ' ἐσθλὸν τῷδ' ἔμμεν' ὅτῳ φρένας θεὸς ἄγει πρὸς ἄταν → evil appears as good to him whose mind the god is leading to destruction (Sophocles, Antigone 622f.)
Latin > English (Lewis & Short)
anfractus: (not amfr-), a, um, P. a. qs. from anfringo,
I winding, bending, cooked: spatia, Amm. 29, 5.—Hence, subst.: anfractum, i, n., a winding, a crook, curve (ante-class. for the class. anfractus, us): terrarum anfracta, Att. ap. Varr. L. L. 7, § 15 Müll. (Trag. Rel. p. 151 Rib.): in anfracto, Varr. ib.: cavata aurium anfracta, Varr. ap. Non. p. 193, 5.
anfractus: (not amfr-), ūs, m. id., pr.
I a breaking round; hence, a bending, recurving, turning (in the ante-class. per. rare;
v. the preced. art.).
I Lit.: quid pulchrius eā figurā (sc. sphaericā) quae nihil incisum anfractibus, nihil eminens, habere potest? Cic. N. D. 2, 18, 47.—Hence, of the circular motion of the sun (acc. to the ancient belief): solis anfractus, a circuit, revolution, Cic. Rep. 6, 12; cf. id. Leg. 2, 8.—Of the crookedness of horns: cornua convoluta in anfractum, Plin. 11, 37, 45, § 124.—Of the coils of a serpent, Val. Fl. 7, 523; Stat. Th. 5, 520.—Also freq., particularly in the histt., of the turning or winding of a road, etc., a tortuous, circuitous route: si nullus anfractus intercederet, Caes. B. G. 7, 46: illa (via) altero tanto longiorem habebat anfractum, Nep. Eum. 8, 5: per anfractus jugi procurrere, Liv. 44, 4: anfractus viarum, id. 33, 1: litorum anfractus, the windings, id. 38, 7 al.; Luc. 1, 605. —
II Trop., of discourse, = ambages, circumlocution, digression: quid opus est circuitione et anfractu? Cic. Div. 2, 61, 127: oratio circumscripta non longo anfractu, sed ad spiritum vocis apto, id. Part. Or. 6, 21: quae omnia infinitus anfractus habent, ramifications, Quint. 6, 1, 15, where Bonn. and Halm read tractatus.—Of legal matters, intricacies, prolixity: judiciorum, Cic. Clu. 56, 159: juris, Quint. 12, 9, 3.
