saeptum — Lewis & Short
saeptum (sēp-), i, n.id. (class.; usu.
plur.).I Prop.
A In gen., a fence, en closure, wall, etc.; plur. absol.:
nunc de saeptis, quae tutandi causā fundi, aut partis fiant, dicam,Varr. R. R. 1, 14, 1; cf.
the context: quibus enim saeptis tam immanes beluas continebimus?Cic. Phil. 13, 3, 5:
saxea saepta,id. ib. 4, 701:
saepta candentia,Mart. Cap. 2, § 108:
nisi saeptis revolsis,Cic. Phil. 5, 4, 9.—With gen.:
transit fulmen caeli per saepta domorum,Lucr. 1, 490; cf. id. 6, 228; 6, 860.—Sing.:
AEDICVLAM, ARAM, SAEPTVM, CLVSVM, VETVSTATE DIRVTA RESTITVIT,Inscr. Orell. 1515.—
B Esp.: Saeptum lini, a hunter's net or toils, Nemes. Cyneg. 308.—
II Meton.
A In gen., any enclosed place, an enclosure:
ut intra saepta (sc. villae) habeat aquam,Varr. R. R. 1, 11, 2.—
2 Esp.
a A fold for cattle:
quamvis multa meis exiret victima saeptis,Verg. E. 1, 34:
saepta repetit pecus,Col. 6, 23, 3.—
b A fish-pond or preserve:
animadvertimus intra saepta pelagios greges inertis mugilis,Col. 8, 17, 8.—
c Plur., a large enclosed place in the Campus Martius, where the people assembled to vote, and where were many handsome shops:
cum ille in saepta irruisset,Cic. Mil. 15, 41:
est (sc. dies) quoque, quo populum jus est includere saeptis,Ov. F. 1, 53; cf. Mart. 9, 60, 1. —
d Saeptum venationis, a park, warren, preserve, enclosed hunting-ground, Varr. R. R. 3, 12, 2; cf. the context.—
B Any thing used for enclosing, etc.; hence,
1 A palisade, stake, pale:
inermem tribunum adoriantur fragmentis saeptorum et fustibus,Cic. Sest. 37, 79.—
2 A sluice, flood-gate, Dig. 43, 21, 1, § 4.—
3 Medic. t. t., the diaphragm, midriff:
jecur ... ab ipso saepto orsum,Cels. 4, 1; cf. id. 5, 26, 15; 7, 4, 2;
called also transversum saeptum,id. 4, 1.