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līmen, ĭnis, n. [Gr. λέχρις, λοξός; Lat. obliquus, līmus; hence prop. a cross-piece], a threshold; the head-piece or foot-piece of a doorway, the lintel or the sill (limen superum et inferum).

  1. I. Lit.: limen superum inferumque, salve, Plaut. Merc. 5, 1, 1: limen superum, quod mihi misero saepe confregit caput: Inferum autem, ubi ego omnis digitos defregi meos, Novius ap. Non. 336, 14: sensim super attolle limen pedes, nova nupta, Plaut. Cas. 4, 4, 1: imponere foribus, Plin. 36, 14, 21, § 96: ad limen consulis adesse, Liv. 2, 48: curiae, id. 3, 41: primo limine, at the outer threshold, Juv. 1, 96.
    Plur. (poet.): haec limina, intra quae puer est, Juv. 14, 45; 220.
    The moment of touching the threshold was regarded as ominous: ter limen tetigi, Ov. Tr. 1, 3, 55.
    Prov.: salutare a limine, to greet in passing, i. e. to touch upon slightly, not go deeply into, Sen. Ep. 49, 6.
    1. B. Transf.
      1. 1. A door, entrance: ubi hanc ego tetulero intra limen, Plaut. Cist. 3, 19: intrare intra limen, id. Men. 2, 3, 63: intra limen cohibere se, to keep within doors, id. Mil. 3, 1, 11: marmoreo stridens in limine cardo, Verg. Cir. 222; Hor. Ep. 1, 18, 73: fores in liminibus profanarum aedium januae nominantur, Cic. N. D. 2, 27, 67: ad valvas se templi limenque convertisse, Caes. B. C. 3, 105: penetrare aulas et limina regum, the courts and doors, Verg. G. 2, 504: ipso in limine portae, id. A. 2, 242; cf.: tremuitque saepe limite in primo sonipes, Sen. Agam. 629: famuli ad limina, doorkeepers, porters, Sil. 1, 66: in limine portūs, at the very entrance of the haven, Verg. A. 7, 598: densos per limina tende corymbos, Juv. 6, 52.
      2. 2. Still more gen., a house, dwelling, abode: matronae nulla auctoritate virorum contineri limine poterant, in the house, at home, Liv. 34, 1: ad limen consulis adesse, etc., id. 2, 48: limine pelli, Verg. A. 7, 579.
      3. 3. Poet., the barrier in a race-course: limen relinquunt, Verg. A. 5, 316.
  2. II. Trop., both entrance and exit.
    1. A. A beginning, commencement (poet. and in post-Aug. prose): leti limine in ipso, Lucr. 6, 1157: in limine belli, Tac. A. 3, 74: in ipso statim limine obstare, Quint. 2, 11, 1: in limine victoriae, Curt. 6, 3, 10; 6, 9, 17; 9, 10, 26: a limine ipso mortis revocatus, Plin. 7, 44, 45, § 143; Sen. Ep. 22, 16; Just. 14, 3, 9.
    2. B. An end, termination (post-class.): in ipso finitae lucis limine, App. M. 11, p. 267, 18; cf.: limina sicut in domibus finem quendam faciunt, sic et imperii finem limen esse veteres voluerunt, Just. Inst. 1, 12, § 5.

lĭmĕnarcha, ae, m. [vox hybrida; limen, ἄρχω; cf. Germ. Markgraf; Engl. margrave], a commander on the frontier: limenarchae et stationarii fugitivos deprehensos recte in custodiam retinent, Dig. 11, 4, 4; Paul. Sent. 1, 6, 3 (acc. to others, a harbor-master, port-warden).

Līmentīnus, i, m. [limen], a deity who presided over the threshold, Tert. Idol. 15; id. Cor. Mil. 13; Arn. 1, 15; 4, 132 sq.; Aug. Civ. Dei, 4, 8; 6, 7.

līmĕs, ĭtis, m. [root in līmus; cf. limen, and Gr. λέχρις; cf. Just. Inst. 1, 12, 5], a cross-path, balk between fields.

  1. I. Lit., the Romans usually had in their fields two broad and two narrower paths; the principal balk from east to west was called limes decumanus; that from north to south was called cardo; of the two smaller ones, that running from east to west was called prorus, the other, from north to south, transversus, Hyg. de Limit. Const. 18, 33 and 34; Col. 1, 8, 7: lutosi limites, Varr. R. R. 2, 4, 8.
    1. B. Transf. (mostly poet.).
      1. 1. A boundary, limit between two fields or estates, consisting of a stone or a balk: partiri limite campum, Verg. G. 1, 126: saxum antiquum, ingens, campo quod forte jacebat, Limes agro positus, litem ut discerneret arvis, id. A. 12, 897: effodit medio de limite saxum, Juv. 16, 38.
      2. 2. A fortified boundaryline, a boundary-wall: cuncta inter castellum Alisonem ac Rhenum novis limitibus aggeribusque permunita, Tac. A. 2, 7: limite acto promotisque praesidiis, id. G. 29: penetrat interius, aperit limites, Vell. 2, 120.
      3. 3. In gen., any path, passage, road, way; also, by-street, by-road: eo limite Athenienses signa extulerunt, Liv. 31, 39: profectus inde transversis limitibus, id. ib.: lato te limite ducam, Verg. A. 9, 323: acclivis, Ov. M. 2, 19: limite recto fugere, id. ib. 7, 782: transversi, by-roads, Liv. 22, 12, 2 Fabr.; 31, 39, 5; 41, 14 init.: limes Appiae, the line of the Appian street (for the street itself), id. 22, 15, 11: limite acto (i. e. facto), Tac. G. 29.
        Of the channel of a stream: solito dum flumina currant Limite, Ov. M. 8, 558; Prop. 5, 9, 60.
        Of the track of light left behind them by comets, fiery meteors, torches, etc.: flammiferumque trahens spatioso limite crinem, Stella micat, Ov. M. 15, 849: tum longo limite sulcus Dat lucem, Verg. A. 2, 697; Plin. 2, 26, 25, § 96: sectus in obliquo est lato curvamine limes, the zodiac, Ov. M. 2, 130: latum per agmen Ardens limitem agit ferro, Verg. A. 10, 514; cf. Sil. 4, 463; 9, 379; Stat. Th. 9, 182.
      4. 4. A line or vein in a precious stone: nigram materiam distinguente limite albo, Plin. 37, 10, 69, § 184.
  2. II. Trop.
    1. A. A boundary, limit: limes carminis, Stat. Th. 1, 16: aestuat infelix angusto limite mundi, Juv. 10, 169.
    2. B. A distinction, difference: judicium brevi limite falle tuum, Ov. R. Am. 325: quaedam perquam tenui limite dividuntur, Quint. 9, 1, 3.
    3. C. A way, path: si maledicitis vostro gradiar limite, Plaut. Poen. 3, 3, 18: bene meritis de patria quasi limes ad caeli aditum patet, Cic. Somn. Scip. 8; Sen. Ben. 1, 15, 2: eundem limitem agere, to go the same way, employ the same means, Ov. A. A. 3, 558.

limĕum, i, n., a kind of herb, with the poisonous juice of which the Gauls anointed their arrows used in hunting, Plin. 27, 11, 76, § 101.