frēnum — Lewis & Short
frēnum or fraenum, i, n., and more freq. (cf. Neue, Formenl. 1, 567; and
I v. infra), plur. heterocl. frēni, ōrum, m., and mostly poet. frēna, ōrum, n. root dhar-; Sanscr. dhar-ā-mi, hold, support; Gr. qra-, in qrh=nus, qro/nos; Lat. frētus, a bridle, curb, bit (syn.: lupi, lupata).
I Lit.
(a) Plur.:
aurei freni,Curt. 4, 13 med.; so nom. freni, id. 7, 10 fin.; cf. under II.; acc. frena, Verg. A. 4, 135; 5, 818; Ov. M. 15, 519; id. Am. 3, 4, 16:
non domito frenos ore momordit equus,Tib. 1, 3, 42; so,
frenos: equus, equa, quae frenos recipere solet,Cic. Top. 8, 36; Varr. R. R. 2, 7, 12; Verg. G. 3, 184; Liv. 1, 48, 6; Sen. Tranq. 15 fin. al.:
moderarier hunc (equum) frenis,Lucr. 5, 1298; so,
frenis,id. 5, 1317; Verg. A. 11, 719; 889; 12, 372; Hor. S. 1, 1, 91; Ov. M. 5, 643; Liv. 1, 14 fin.:
equum cogere frenos pati,Phaedr. 4, 3, 9:
frenos et strata equorum Pelethronium (invenisse),Plin. 7, 56, 57, § 202 et saep.—
(b) Sing.:
frenumque (equus) recepit, etc.,Hor. Ep. 1, 10, 36:
non frenum depulit ore,id. ib. 1, 10, 38.—
b Prov.: frenum mordere, to take the bit in one's teeth, i. e. to offer opposition, to resist: si frenum momorderis peream, Brut. ap. Cic. Fam. 11, 23, 2; cf.:
sed ut mones, frenum momordi,Cic. ib. 11, 24, 1.—
II Transf.
A Like our terms bridle and curb, i. q. means of guiding or governing, restraint, check, limit.
(a) Plur.:
rerum freni,the reins of dominion, Sil. 1, 240:
freni sunt injecti vobis, Quirites, nullo modo perpetiendi: alligati et constricti estis amaro vinculo servitutis,Val. Max. 2, 9, 5; cf.:
freni domitarum gentium,Curt. 7, 10 fin.:
ne Lycurgi quidem disciplina tenuit illos in hominibus Graecis frenos,Cic. Rep. 2, 33:
ut Isocratem in acerrimo ingenio Theopompi et lenissimo Ephori dixisse traditum est, alteri se calcaria adhibere, alteri frenos,id. Brut. 56, 204:
Mutinam illi exsultanti tamquam frenos furoris injecit,id. Phil. 13, 9, 20:
date frenos impotenti naturae et indomito animali,give the reins to, allow full scope to, Liv. 34, 2, 13; so,
frenos furentibus ira Laxat,Luc. 7, 125:
impone felicitati tuae frenos,put on, Curt. 7, 8 fin.:
imperii frena tenere sui,Ov. Tr. 2, 42:
frena imperii moderari,id. P. 2, 9, 33:
capere,id. ib. 4, 13, 27:
frena licentiae inicere,Hor. C. 4, 15, 10:
pone irae frena modumque, Pone et avaritiae,Juv. 8, 88:
subiit leges et frena momordit Ille solutus amor,i. e. submitted to, Stat. S. 1, 2, 28:
quod dicebat Isocrates, se calcaribus in Ephoro, contra autem in Theopompo frenis uti solere,Cic. de Or. 3, 9, 36; Quint. 2, 8, 11; cf. above the passage Cic. Brut. 56, 204:
alter, uti dixit Isocrates in Ephoro et Theopompo, frenis eget, alter calcaribus,id. Att. 6, 1, 12:
non solum frenis sed etiam jugo accepto,Liv. 37, 36, 5:
animum rege: qui nisi paret, Imperat: hunc frenis, hunc tu compesce catenā,Hor. Ep. 1, 2, 63:
jam vaga prosiliet frenis natura remotis,id. S. 2, 7, 74.—
(b) Sing.:
ni frenum accipere et victi parere fatentur,Verg. A. 12, 568:
voluptates tenere sub freno,Sen. Ep. 23 med.—
B Poet., horse, steed, charger:
eques aptus frenis,Prop. 4 (5), 10, 19.
portarumque moras frenis assultat et hastis,Stat. Th. 11, 243.—
C In gen.
1 That which holds things together, a band (post-Aug. and rare):
absiliunt pontes tectique trementis Saxea frena labant, etc.,the stone bands, ties, Stat. Th. 10, 880.—
2 In anatomy:
frenum,the ligament which attaches the inside of the foreskin to the glans, Cels. 7, 25, 2.