sĭlex (noun M) : (poet. and late Lat.; also
* Fem., Verg. E. 1, 15; id. A. 6, 471; 6, 602; 8, 233; Ov. M. 9, 225; 9, 304; 9, 613; Amm. 14, 6, 16; cf. Quint. 1, 6, 2; gen. plur. silicum, Lucr. 6, 683; Luc. 4, 304) [root sar-, to be firm; cf.: solum, solidus].
* Any hard stone found in fields, a pebble-stone, a flint, flint-stone: silicem caedere,Cic. Div. 2, 41, 85: silice vias sternere,Liv. 41, 27; cf. id. 41, 27, § 7: silici scintillam excudere,Verg. A. 1, 174: gravem medios silicem jaculatus in hostes,Ov. M. 7, 139 et saep.: per ampla spatia urbis, subversasque silices,pavements,Amm. 14, 6, 16; cf.: silicem pedibus quae conteret atrum,Juv. 6, 350.— Freq. joined with lapis: Ag. Illa mulier lapidem silicem subigere, ut se amet, potest. Mi. Pol id quidem haud mentire: nam tu es lapide silice stultior,Plaut. Poen. 1, 2, 77 sq.; Cato, R. R. 18, 3; Liv. 30, 43; Fest. s. v. lapidem, p. 115 Müll.; and in inscrr.: II VIRI VIAM LAPID(e) SILIC(e) STERN(endam) CVR(averunt), Inscr. Bull. dell' Inst. 1839, p. 60; so Inscr. Orell. 6617.—With saxum: porcum saxo silice percussit,Liv. 1, 24 fin. —To denote hard-heartedness: non silice nati sumus,Cic. Tusc. 3, 6, 12: nec in tenero stat tibi corde silex,Tib. 1, 1, 64: nec rigidas silices in pectore gerit,Ov. M. 9, 614: et dicam silices pectus habere tuum,id. Tr. 3, 11, 4: moturaque duras Verba queror silices,id. M. 9, 304.
* In gen., a rock, crag (poet.), Lucr. 6, 683: validi silices,id. 1, 571; 2, 449: stabat acuta silex praecisis undique saxis,Verg. A. 8, 233: nudus silex,bare rick,Sen. Phoen. 69: excisae rupes durissimi silicis,Suet. Calig. 37: juventus duris silicum lassata metallis,Luc. 4, 304: Lycius Phrygiusque silex,Stat. S. 1, 2, 148.—Of limestone, Ov. M. 7, 107; cf. Plin. 36, 23, 53, § 174.