ăquĭla, ae, f. (gen. aquilāï, Cic. Arat. 372) [perh. from aquilus, from its common color, Gr μελανάετος; cf. Engl. eagle; Fr. aigle; Germ. Adler], an eagle.
I Lit.: Falco melanaëtus, Linn.; Plin. 10, 3, 3, § 6 sqq.; Cic. Div. 1, 15, 26; 2, 70, 144; Varr. R. R. 3, 16, 4, Liv. 1, 34, 8; Verg. A. 11, 751; Ov. M. 1, 506; Hor. C. 4, 4, 32: aquilis velociores, Vulg. 2 Reg. 1, 23 si exaltatus fueris ut aquila, ib. Abd. 4: dilata calvitium tuum ut aquila, ib. Mich. 1, 16.—Poet., the lightningbearer of Jupiter. Jovis satelles, Cic. Tusc. 2, 10, 24: armigera Jovis, Plin. l. l.; cf. Serv ad Verg. A. 1, 398.—
II Transf.
A The eagle , as the principal standard of a Roman legion (while signa are the standards of the single cohorts; cf. Schwarz ad Plin. Pan. 82; Web. ad Luc. 7, 164; Smith, Dict. Antiq.): aquila argentea, Cic. Cat. 1, 9, 24; aquilae duae, signa sexaginta sunt relata Antonii, Galba ap. Cic. Fam. 10, 30; Plin. 13, 3, 4, § 23 et saep.—Poet.: ut locupletem aquilam tibi sexagesimus annus Adferat, the office of a standard-bearer , Juv. 14, 197.—Hence, meton., a legion : erat acies tredecim aquilis constituta, Auct. B. Hisp. 30; Luc. 5, 238.—*
B In arch.: aquilae, as in Gr. ἀετοί and ἀετώματα, the highest parts of a building , which supported the front of a gable. sustinentes fastigium aquilae, Tac. H. 3, 71.—*
C The Eagle , a constellation , Cic. Arat. 372.—
D A species of fish of the ray genus , the sea-eagle : Raja aquila, Linn.; Plin. 9, 24, 40, § 78.—
E Aquilae senectus, prov., acc. to Donatus, of an old man fond of drinking (since it was believed that the eagle, in old age, drank more than it ate; but more prob., a vigorous old age ), Ter. Heaut. 521, ubi v. Don.