valles or vallis (the former, Caes. B. G. 7, 47; Verg. A. 11, 522; the latter, Ov. M. 3, 155; 8, 334 al.; cf. Fest. s. v. convallis, p. 42 Müll.), is, f. [Gr. ἕλος, lowland, Ἦλις; Lat. Veliae, Velitrae], a valley, vale.
- I. Lit.: quod satis magna valles intercedebat, Caes. B. G. 7, 47: vicus positus in valle, id. ib. 3, 1: per supinam vallem fusi sunt, Liv. 4, 46, 5: supinā valle praecipites egistis, id. 7, 24, 5: continui montes, nisi dissocientur opacā Valle, Hor. Ep. 1, 16, 6: in reductā valle, id. C. 1, 17, 17; Verg. A. 6, 703: qui (colles) afferunt umbram vallibus, Cic. Rep. 2, 6, 11: valles cavae, Verg. G. 2, 391: saxosas inter decurrunt flumina valles, id. E. 5, 84: est curvo anfractu valles, id. A. 11, 522: rivos de pronā praeceps est valle volutus, Cat. 68, 59: domus est imis in vallibus, Ov. M. 2, 761: sub opacā valle, id. ib. 11, 277; cf.: (eloquentia) ut latissimi amnes totis vallibus fluat, Quint. 5, 14, 31.
- B. Trop.: vallis plorationis, Aug. Conf. 9, 2: lacrimarum, Vulg. Psa. 83, 7.
- II. Poet., transf., a hollow: valle sub alarum, Cat. 69, 6: femorum, Aus. Epigr. 128, 5.
vallis, is, v. valles.