virga — Lewis & Short
virga, ae, f.root varg; v. virgo,
I a slender green branch, a twig, sprout, switch, rod.
I Lit.
A In gen., Cato, R. R. 101; Varr. R. R. 1, 59, 4; Plin. 17, 18, 30, § 136; 24, 19, 112, § 172; Verg. G. 1, 266; Ov. M. 3, 29; 11, 109.—
B In partic.
1 A graft, scion, set, Ov. M. 14, 630.—
2 A limetwig, Ov. M. 15, 474.—
3 A rod, switch for flogging, Plaut. Capt. 3, 4, 117; id. Bacch. 4, 6, 10; id. Cas. 5, 4, 24;
for governing horses, etc.: virga quā ad regendum equum usus est,Front. 4, 5, 16; Val. Max. 3, 2, 12:
nobilis equus umbrā quoque virgae regitur,Curt. 7, 4, 18; Mart. 9, 22, 14; cf. Luc. 4, 683; Juv. 3, 317.—Of the small rods in the fasces of the lictors, with which criminals were scourged, Cic. Verr. 2, 5, 62, § 161; Plin. 7, 43, 44, § 136.—Hence, poet., for fasces, as a designation of one of the higher magistrates, Ov. Tr. 5, 6, 32; Stat. S. 1, 2, 47; Mart. 8, 66, 4.—
4 A wand, a staff, as a support, Liv. 45, 12; Ov. F. 2, 706.—
5 A magic wand, Verg. A. 7, 190; Ov. M. 14, 278; 14, 295; 14, 300.—
II Transf.
A A stalk of the flax-plant, Plin. 19, 1, 3, § 17.—
B A streak, stripe in the heavens, a water-gall, Sen. Q. N. 1, 9 and 10.—
C A colored stripe in a garment:
purpureae,Ov. A. A. 3, 269. —
D A twig or branch of the ancestral tree, Juv. 8, 7.—
E Genitalium, = membrum virile, Cassiod. Anim, 9.