quadrigae

Latin > English (Lewis & Short)

quā̆drīgae: ārum (collat. form in the <number opt="n">sing.</number>
I
v. infra), f. contr. from quadriiugae, a set or team of four, a four-abreast, fourin-hand, four together (class.).
I Lit.
   1    Of horses, applied to the animals with or without the car or vehicle, rarely to the car or chariot alone: quadrigarum currus duplici temone olim erant, perpetuoque, et qui omnibus equis iniceretur jugo. Primus Clisthenes Sicyonius tantum medios jugavit, eosque singulos ex utrāque parte simplici vinculo applicuit, quos Graeci σειραφόρους,> Latini funarios vocant, Isid. Orig. 17, 5: exinde duabus admotis quadrigis, in currus earum distentum illigat Mettum, Liv. 1, 28 fin.; so Col. 3, 9: Glauci Potniades malis membra absumpsere quadrigae, Verg. G. 3, 267 et saep.; Fest. s. v. October, p. 178 Müll.—
   2    Of other animals: quadrigae (asinorum), Varr. R. R. 2, 1: camelorum, Suet. Ner. 11.—
   3    Esp. freq. of the four-horse team used in races: curru quadrigarum vehi, Cic. Div. 2, 70, 144; id. Brut. 47, 173; id. Or. 47, 157; id. Mur. 27, 57: cum carceribus sese effudere quadrigae, Verg. G. 1, 512: quadrigas agitare, Suet. Caes. 39.—
   4    Of the horses drawing a war chariot or car: in extremis jugis binae eminebant falces ... sic armatae quadrigae, with scythes attached to the yokes, Liv. 37, 41, 8: falcatae, id. 37, 40, 12.—
   5    Poet., of the four-horse team of the Sun, Aurora, Luna, etc.: cum quadrigis Sol exoriens, Plaut. Am. 1, 1, 226: roseis Aurora quadrigis, Verg. A. 6, 535: nox aetherium nigris emensa quadrigis Mundum, Tib. 3, 4, 17.— In <number opt="n">sing.</number> (post-class.): quod unum ergo rarissimum videbatur, invenimus quadrigam numero singulari dictam in libro satirarum M. Varronis qui inscriptus est Exdemetricus, Gell. 19, 8, 17; Prop. 2, 34 (3, 32), 39; 3, 9 (4, 8), 17; Mart. 6, 46; Grat. Cyn. 228; Plin. 7, 21, 21, § 85; 36, 5, 4, § 36; Suet. Vit. 17; Val. Max. 1, 8, 9 ext.; Dig. 31, 1, 67; Vulg. Isa. 43, 17; id. Zech. 6, 2 and 3 et saep.—
   B Transf.
   1    Of abstract things: initiorum quadrigae: locus et corpus, tempus et actio, the four parts, Varr. L. L. 5, § 12 Müll.—
   2    Of a chariot drawn by four horses, a chariot, car: eburneis quadrigis ludere, Suet. Ner. 22; cf. Liv. 37, 41, 8; 37, 40, 12, supra: apta quadrigis equa, Hor. C. 2, 16, 35. —
II Trop.
   A The rapid course of any thing: irarumque effunde quadrigas, i. e. give free course to your wrath, Enn. ap. Serv. Verg. A. 12, 499 (Ann. v. 464 Vahl.; for which Verg., in this passage, irarumque omnes effundit habenas): numquam edepol quadrigis albis indipiscet postea (as an image of great speed), Plaut. As. 2, 2, 13: quadrigae poëticae, Cic. Q. Fr. 2, 13 (15 a), 2; cf.: quadrigas inscendere Jovis, Plaut. Am. 1, 1, 294; id. Aul. 4, 1, 13; id. Poen. 1, 2, 155: jam quadrigae meae decucurrerunt, i.e. my joy, cheerfulness, is gone, Petr. 64: navibus atque Quādrigis petimus bene vivere, i.e. by sea and land, in every way, Hor. Ep. 1, 11, 29.—
   B Of the union of four persons or things in a common work: quadrigae tyrannorum, Vop. Prob. 24: initiorum quadrigae, locus et corpus, tempus et actio, Varr. L. L. 5, § 12 Müll.