ambāges, is, f. (nom. and gen. sing. dub., though mentioned in Charis. p. 25 P. and found in Tac. H. 5, 13 MS.; but found in abl. sing.: ambage, Ov. H. 7, 149; Plin. 2, 9, 6, § 41; Val. Fl. 1, 227; also, ambagine, Manil. 4, 304; the plur. is complete, gen. ambagum, Ov. M. 7, 761; cf. Schneid. Gr. II. p. 403) [ambi-ago], a going round, a roundabout way (poet.; in prose only postAug.; syn.: ambago, sinus, flexus, circuitus).
I Lit.: variarum ambage viarum (of the windings of the labyrinth), Ov. M. 8, 161; cf.: dolos tecti ambagesque resolvit, Verg. A. 6, 29: (Luna) multiformi ambage torsit ingenia contemplantium, Plin. 2, 9, 6, § 41: itinerum ambages, id. 36, 13, 19, § 2: longis ambagibus, Claud. IV. Cons. Hon. 226.—
II Of speech.
A Circumlocution , evasion , digression : ambages mitte, Plaut. Cist. 4, 2, 81; so id. Ps. 5, 1, 10 (not elsewh. in Plaut.): ambages mihi Narrare occipit, * Ter. Heaut. 318: per ambages et longa exorsa tenere, Verg. G. 2, 46; Liv. 9, 11 fin. : ne te longis ambagibus morer, Hor. Ep. 1, 7, 82: missis ambagibus, without circumlocution , directly , id. S. 2, 5, 9; Ov. M. 3, 692; 10, 19.—
B Obscurity , ambiguity (as kindr. with ambiguus).—So of the Theban Sphinx: immemor ambagum, Ov. M. 7, 761; id. F. 4, 261.—Of the lang. of oracles: ambage nexa Arcana tegere, Sen. Oedip. 218: eā ambage Chalcedonii monstrabantur, Tac. A. 12, 63; 2, 54.—Also transf. to actions: per ambages, in an obscure , enigmatical manner , Liv. 1, 56; 1, 54; Plin. 19, 8, 53, § 169.