sēmentis — Lewis & Short
sēmentis, is (
acc. sementim, Cic. N. D. 3, 30, 75 B. and K.; Cato, R. R. 17, 2; 17, 27; 17, 30; 17, 61I fin. al.; Col. 11, 2, 81, with the var. lect. sementem, a form which appears also in Plaut. Men. 5, 7, 23; Varr. L. L. 5, § 37; Cic. Att. 9, 8, 1; id. de Or. 2, 65, 281; Liv. 23, 48; Col. 2, 15, 1; 11, 2, 90; abl. semente, Cic. Verr. 2, 3, 54, § 125; Ov. F. 1, 667; Pall. Nov. 1, 1:
sementi,Col. 2, 9, 15; 2, 10, 8; 2, 11, 1; 11, 2, 82; gen. plur. sementium, Plaut. Poen. 5, 5, 33 dub.), f. semen.
I A seeding, sowing (freq. aud class.;
syn. satio): nemo tam sine mente vivit, ut, quid sit sementis ac messis, quid arborum putatio ac vitium, omnino nesciat,Cic. de Or. 1, 58, 249; so (opp. messis) Cic. Verr. 2, 3, 54, § 125:
sementim facito,Cato, R. R. 27; so,
facere,id. ib. 30; Col. 2, 16, 1; 11, 2, 81 sq.; Liv. 23, 48:
sementis tempus,Flor. 1, 11, 13. —Plur.:
sementes quam maximas facere,Caes. B. G. 1, 3; Plin. 18, 25, 59, § 223.—
Prov.: ut sementem feceris, ita metes,as you sow, so will you reap, Cic. de Or. 2, 65, 261.—
B Trop., a sowing:
a dis inmortalibus malorum sementem esse factam,Cic. N. D. 3, 30, 75; so,
proscriptionis,id. Att. 9, 8, 1.—Comically:
hisce ego jam sementem in ore faciam pugnosque obseram,i. e. will plant blows, Plaut. Men. 5, 7, 23.—
II Transf.
A Seed-time:
agro sicco per sementim,Cato, R. R. 61 fin.; 17, 2:
mediā sementi,Col. 2, 10, 8; cf.:
prima, novissima, ultima,id. 2, 9, 2.—
B Seed-corn, seed sown (very rare):
ubi venit imber, multorum dierum sementis uno die surgit,Col. 2, 8, 4:
aqua perfuderit sementem,Vulg. Lev. 11, 38; id. Marc. 4, 26.—Of the seed or semen of animals, Arn. 5, 163.—
C Sementes, the growing crops, the young crops, young corn:
vos date perpetuos teneris sementibus auctus,Ov. F. 1, 679:
tempestiviores sementes,Gell. 2, 29, 5; Vulg. Job, 39, 12.