septentrĭōnes — Lewis & Short
septentrĭōnes (septemptrĭōnes), um (
sing. and tmesis,I v. infra), m. septemtrio; prop. the seven plough-oxen; hence, as a constellation,
I Lit., the seven stars near the north pole (called also the Wain, and the Great or Little Bear): neque se septentriones quoquam in caelo commovent, Plant. Am. 1, 1, 117; Cic. Ac. 2, 20, 66; cf.
in tmesi: quas nostri septem soliti vocitare Triones,id. Arat. in N. D. 2, 41, 105; so,
gurgite caeruleo septem prohibete triones,Ov. M. 2, 528.—Sing.:
septentrio non cernitur,Plin. 6, 22, 24, § 83; so,
major,the Great Bear, Vitr. 6, 11:
minor,the Little Bear, Cic. N. D. 2, 43, 111; Vitr. 1. 1.—
II Transf.
A The northern regions, the north (as a quarter of the heavens).
(a) Plur.:
satis notum est, limites regionesque esse caeli quattuor: exortum, occasum, meridiem, septentriones,Gell. 2, 22, 3 sq.:
inflectens sol cursum tum ad septentriones, tum ad meridiem, aestates et hiemes efficit,Cic. N. D. 2, 19, 49; Varr. R. R. 1, 2, 4; Caes. B. G. 1, 1; 1, 16; 4, 20; 5, 13; 7, 83; Mel. 2, 6, 3; 3, 1, 9; 3, 2, 1.—
(b) Sing.:
latus oriens spectat: septentrio a Macedoniā obicitur,Liv. 32, 13; Mel. 1, 1, 1; 2, 6, 3; Sen. Q. N. 5, 16; Tac. A. 2, 23; 13, 53; id. H. 5, 6 al.—In tmesi:
Hyperboreo septem subjecta trioni Gens,Verg. G. 3, 381; Ov. M. 1, 64.—
B The north wind.
(a) Plur.:
ex eā die fuere septentriones venti,Cic. Att. 9, 6, 3.—
(b) Sing.:
acer septentrio ortus inclinatum stagnum eodem, quo aestus, ferebat,Liv. 26, 45:
a septentrionali latere summus est aquilo, medius septentrio, imus thrascias,Sen. Q. N. 5, 16, 6.—
C Sing., northern countries, the north (as territory;
very rare): totum paene Orientem ac Septentrionem ruinā suā involvit,Flor. 3, 5, 21.