ballista
λύχνον μεθ᾿ ἡμέραν ἅψας περιῄει λέγων “ἄνθρωπον ζητῶ” → He lit a lamp in broad daylight and said, as he went about, “I am looking for a human”
Latin > English
ballista ballistae N F :: ballista, large military engine for throwing stones and missiles
Latin > English (Lewis & Short)
ballista: (better than balista; in Gloss. also ballistra), ae, f. βάλλω,
I a lārge military engine, resembling a bow, stretched with cords and thongs, by which masses of stone and other missiles were thrown to a great distance; a machine for projectiles, the ballista (orig. diff. from catapulta, which was used for throwing arrows; but afterwards often interchanged with it; cf. Vitr. 10, 16-18; Veg. 4, 22): centenariae, throwing stones of a hundred pounds weight, Lucil. ap. Non. p. 555, 25: ballistae lapidum et reliqua tormenta telorum eo graviores emissiones habent, quo sunt contenta atque adducta vehementius, *Cic. Tusc. 2, 24, 57; Caes. B. C. 2, 2; Liv. 24, 40, 15; 21, 11, 10; Tac. A. 12, 56; 15, 9; id. H. 3, 23; 3, 29; 4, 23; Gell. 7 (6), 3; Sil. 1, 334; Luc. 2, 686; Vulg. 1 Macc. 6, 20; 6, 51.—Sportively: meus est ballista pugnus, cubitus catapulta est mihi, umerus aries, Plaut. Capt. 4, 2, 17. —For throwing other missiles, Caes. B. C. 2, 2; Luc. 2, 686; 3, 465.—
II Transf., the weapon thrown, a missile, Plaut. Trin. 3, 2, 42; Lucil. lib. XXVIII.: ballistas jactans centenarias. Sisenn. Hist. lib. IIII: ballistas quattuor talentarias, Non. p. 555, 24 sq.—
III Trop.: jam infortunii intenta ballista probe, an instrument, Plaut. Poen. 1, 1, 73; id. Bacch. 4, 4, 58.
Latin > French (Gaffiot 2016)
(1) ballista¹² ou bālista, æ, f. (βάλλω),
1 baliste [machine à lancer des projectiles] : Cic. Tusc. 2, 57 ; Cæs. C. 2, 2 ; Liv. 24, 40, 15
2 trait lancé par la baliste : Pl. Trin. 668 || [fig.] Pl. Pœn. 201.
Latin > German (Georges)
(1) ballista1 (bālista), ae, f. (βάλλω), I) eine große, bogenartige, mit Stricken und Sehnen gespannte Kriegsmaschine, mit der Steinmassen u. andere Geschosse fortgeschleudert wurden, Schleudermaschine, Wurfmaschine, Ballista (urspr. versch. von catapulta, die mehr Pfeile abschoß, später aber oft mit derselben verwechselt; vgl. Vitr. 10, 11 u. 12. Amm. 23, 4. § 1–3), ballistae lapidum et reliqua tormenta telorum eo graviores emissiones habent, quo sunt contenta atque adducta vehementius, Cic.: asseres cuspidibus praefixi maximis ballistis missi, Caes.: porta ballistis scorpionibusque instructa, Liv.: catapultas ballistasque eo congerere, Liv.: saxa excutere ballistis, Tac.: ballistarum tormentis undique peti, Val. Max.: ballistis tormentisque ut oppidum aliquod expugnata serpens, Plin.: serpens ballistis atque catapultis diu oppugnatus, Gell. – meton., das Wurfgeschoß, der Wurfstein, ballistae quattuor talentariae (fünfzig Pfund schwere), Sisenn. fr. 92 (bei Non. 555, 26): centenarias (hundert Pfund schwere) iactare ballistas, Lucil. sat. 28, 42: ballista ut iacitur, Plaut. trin. 668: ballista missa, Auct. b. Hisp. 13, 7: contorta ballista, Amm. 19, 1, 7. – II) übtr.: iam infortuni intenta ballistast probe, Plaut. Poen. 201: u. so Plaut. Bacch. 709. – / Die Schreibung ballista ist die der meisten guten Hdschrn. u. Ausgg.; vgl. Brambach Hilfsb. S. 27 u. (für Livius) Drak. Liv. 26, 6, 4. – Nbf. ballistra, Cassiodor. (Martyr.) de orthogr. (VII) 173, 1.
