tergum | tergus (noun N) : (poet. and in post-Aug. prose also , ŏris), (
* Masc.: familiarem tergum,Plaut. As. 2, 2, 53; cf. Non. 227, 23) [cf. Gr. τράχηλος, neck; perh. root τρέχω, to run], the back of men or beasts (syn. dor sum).
* Lit.
* Form tergum: dabitur pol supplicium mihi de tergo vestre,Plaut. As. 2, 4, 75: vae illis virgis miseris quae hodie in tergo morientur meo,id. Capt 3, 4, 117: manibus ad tergum rejectis, Asin ap. Cic. Fam. 10, 32, 3: boum terga,id. N D. 2, 63, 159; cf. tergo poenae pendere Ter. Heaut. 4, 4, 6: tergo ac capite puniri, Liv 3, 55, 14.—Of cranes eaeque in tergo praevolantium Colla reponunt,Cic. N. D. 2 49, 125. — Of the dolphin, Ov F 2, 113.— Of the crocodile: ejus terga cataphracta,Amm. 22, 15, 16.
* Transf.
* The back or hinder part, the back, rear
* Esp. in the phrases terga vertere or dare, to turn the back, pregn., for to take to flight, to flee: omnes hostes terga verterunt; neque prius fugere destiterunt, quam, etc.,Caes. B. G. 1, 53; so, terga vertere,id. ib. 3, 19; 3, 21; id. B. C. 3, 63; and even of a single person: terga vertit,Sen. Ep. 22, 7: qui plures simul terga dederant, etc., Liv 22, 29, 5: terga dare,id. 36, 38, 4: inter duas acies Etrusci, cum in vicem his atque illis terga darent,id. 2, 51, 9; Ov. M. 13, 224: terga fugae praebere,id. ib. 10, 706: terga praestare (fugae),Tac. Agr 37; Juv. 15, 75. — Trop. jam felicior aetas Terga dedit, tremuloque gradu venit aegra senectus, Ov M. 14, 143.
* The back of any thing spread out horizontally, as land or water, i. e. the surface (poet.): proscisso quae suscitat aequore terga,Verg. G. 1, 97: crassa,id. ib. 2, 236: amnis,Ov. P. 1, 2, 82; Claud. B. G. 338; Luc. 5, 564; 9, 341.
* (Pars pro toto.) The body of an animal (poet.).
* Form tergum: (serpens) Squamea convolvens sublato pectore terga,Verg. G. 3, 426; so of a serpent,id. A. 2, 208; Petr 89; of Cerberus,Verg. A. 6, 422: horrentia centum Terga suum,i. e. a hundred head of swine,id. ib. 1, 635: nigrantis terga juvencos,id. ib. 6, 243: perpetui tergo bovis,id. ib. 8, 183.
* The covering of the back, the skin, hide, leather, etc. (in this signif. tergus freq. occurs; syn.: pellis, corium).
* Form tergum: taurino quantum possent circumdare tergo,ox-hide,Verg. A. 1, 368: ferre novae nares taurorum terga recusant,Ov. A. A. 2, 655.
* Form tergus: tergora deripiunt costis et viscera nudant,Verg. A. 1, 211; so Cels. 7, 25, 1; 8, 1 med.: durissimum dorso tergus,Plin. 8, 10, 10, § 30; cf. id. 9, 35, 53, § 105; Col. 7, 4 fin.
* Transf., a thing made of hide or leather.
* Form tergum: venti bovis inclusi tergo, i. e. in a bag made of a bull's hide, Ov. M. 14, 225; 15, 305: et feriunt molles taurea terga manus,i. e. tymbals,id. F. 4, 342; so id. ib. 4, 212: Idae terga,Stat. Th. 8, 221: pulsant terga,id. Achill. 2, 154: rupit Terga novena boum, i. e. the nine thicknesses of bull's hide, Ov. M. 12, 97: tergum Sulmonis,Verg. A. 9, 412; 10, 482; 10, 718; hence even: per linea terga (scuti),id. ib. 10, 784 (v. the passage in connection): duroque intendere bracchia tergo, i. e. cestus,id. ib. 5, 403; so id. ib. 5, 419.
* Form tergus: gestasset laevā taurorum tergora septem,a shield covered with seven layers of hide,Ov. M. 13, 347: Martis tergus Geticum,Mart. 7, 2, 2.