messis — Lewis & Short
messis, is (
I acc. sing. messim, Cato, R. R. 134; Plaut. Most. 1, 3, 5; id. Ep. 5, 2, 53; Varr. R. R. 3, 2, 6; v. Neue, Formenl. 1, p. 200), f. (masc.: non magno messe, Lucil. ap. Non. 213 fin.) [id.], a reaping and ingathering of the fruits of the earth, a harvest (class.).
I Lit.:
messis proprio nomine dicitur in iis, quae metuntur, maxime in frumento,Varr. R. R. 1, 50, 1; Quint. 5, 9, 5; 8, 3, 8; Cic. de Or. 1, 58, 249; Verg. G. 1, 219 al.:
seges matura messi,Liv. 2, 5:
messem hordaceam facere, aream in messem creta praeparare,to get in the harvest, Plin. 18, 30, 71, § 295:
messe amissā,Cic. Verr. 2, 3, 54, § 125:
messis feria, Cod. 3, 10, 2.—Of the gathering of honey,Verg. G. 4, 231.—
B Transf., concr., harvest.
1 The harvested crops, the harvest:
illius immensae ruperunt horrea messes,Verg. G. 1, 49; id. ib. 1, 314; id. E. 8, 99; Just. 24, 7, 6: Cilicum et Arabum, the harvest of the Arabians, i. e. saffron and frankincense, Stat. S. 3, 3, 34:
bellatura,the men that sprang from the dragon's teeth sown by Cadmus, Claud. Laud. Stil. 1, 321. —
2 The crops that are to be harvested, the standing crops, the harvest:
messium incensores, vel vinearum olivarumve,Paul. Sent. 5, 20, 5: messes suas urere, prov., like vineta sua caedere, i. e. to destroy one's own work (e. g. one's own pupils), Tib. 1, 2, 98: adhuc tua messis in herba est, your wheat is still in the blade, i. e. you are premature in your expectations, Ov. H. 17, 263.—
3 The time of harvest, harvest-time:
si frigus erit, si messis,Verg. E. 5, 70.—Poet. transf. for a year:
sexagesima messis,Mart. 4, 79, 1. —
II Trop.:
pro benefactis mali messem metere,to receive evil for good, to reap ingratitude, Plaut. Ep. 5, 2, 53:
uberem messem mali,id. Rud. 3, 2, 23:
(morum malorum) metere messem maxumam,id. Trin. 1, 1, 11:
si attigeris ostium, jam tibi hercle in ore fiet messis mergis pugneis,id. Rud. 3, 4, 58: Sullani temporis messem, the harvest of the time of Sylla, when so many were killed, Cic. Par. 6, 2, 46; (in eccl. Lat.) the time for winning souls to the truth:
transiit messis, finita est aestas, et nos salvati non sumus,Vulg. Jer. 8, 20.—Of the persons to be gathered into the church:
messis quidem multa,Vulg. Luc. 10, 2; cf. id. Johan. 4, 35. —Of the end of the world:
sinite utraque crescere usque ad messem,Vulg. Matt. 13, 30; cf. v. 39.