aurum (Sab. ausum, Paul. ex Fest. p. 9 Müll.; vulg. Lat., ōrum, ib. p. 183; cf. Ital. and Span. oro and Fr. or), i, n. [v. aes].
I Gold; as a mineral, v. Plin. 33, 4, 21, § 66 sqq.: auri venas invenire, Cic. N. D. 2, 60, 151: venas auri sequi, Lucr. 6, 808; Tac. G. 5: aurum igni perspicere, Cic. Fam. 9, 16: eruere terrā, Ov. Am. 3, 8, 53: auri fodina, Plin. 33, 4, 21, § 78; Vulg. Gen. 2, 11; ib. 2 Par. 2, 7; ib. Matt. 2, 11; Naev. ap. Serv. ad Verg. A. 2, 797: ex auro vestis, id. 2, 22 (ap. Isid. Orig. 19, 22, 20) et saep.— Provv.: montes auri polliceri, to promise mountains of gold , Ter. Phorm. 68: carius auro, more precious than gold , Cat. 107, 3 (cf.: κρείσσονα χρυσοῦ, Aesch. Choëph. 372; χρυσοῦ χρυσότερα, Sapph. Fr. 122. Ellis).—
II Meton.
A Things made of gold , an ornament of gold , a golden vessel , utensil , etc.: Nec domus argento fulget nec auro renidet, gold plate , Lucr. 2, 27. So,
1 A golden goblet : et pleno se proluit auro, Verg. A. 1, 739: Regales epulae mensis et Bacchus in auro Ponitur, Ov. M. 6, 488: tibi non committitur aurum, Juv. 5, 39; 10, 27; Stat. Th. 5, 188; and in the hendiadys: pateris libamus et auro = pateris aureis, Verg. G. 2, 192.—
2 A golden chain , buckle , clasp , necklace , jewelry : Oneratas veste atque auro, Ter. Heaut. 452: Donec eum conjunx fatale poposcerit aurum, Ov. M. 9, 411; 14, 394.—
3 A gold ring : Ventilet aestivum digitis sudantibus aurum, Juv. 1, 28.—
4 A golden bit : fulvum mandunt sub dentibus aurum, Verg. A. 7, 279; 5, 817.—
5 The golden fleece : auro Heros Aesonius potitur, Ov. M. 7, 155.—
6 A golden hairband , κρωβύλος: crines nodantur in aurum, Verg. A. 4, 138 Serv.—
7 Esp. freq., gold as coined money : si quis illam invenerit Aulam onustam auri, Plaut. Aul. 4, 2, 4: De Caelio vide, quaeso, ne quae lacuna sit in auro, Cic. Att. 12, 6, 1: Aurum omnes victā jam pietate colunt, Prop. 4, 12, 48 sq.: quid non mortalia pectora cogis Auri sacra fames? Verg. A. 3, 56; cf. Plin. 37, 1, 3, § 6; so Hor. C. 2, 16, 8; 2, 18, 36; 3, 16, 9; id. S. 2, 2, 25; 2, 3, 109; 2, 3, 142; id. Ep. 2, 2, 179; Vulg. Matt. 10, 9; ib. Act. 3, 6 et saep.—
B The color or lustre of gold , the gleam or brightness of gold , Ov. M. 9, 689: anguis cristis praesignis et auro (hendiadys, for cristis aureis), id. ib. 3, 32: saevo cum nox accenditur auro, Val. Fl. 5, 369 (i. e. mala portendente splendore, Wagn.); so, fulgor auri, of the face, Cat. 64, 100, ubi v. Ellis.—
C The Golden Age : redeant in aurum Tempora priscum, Hor. C. 4, 2, 39: subiit argentea proles, Auro deterior, Ov. M. 1, 115; 15, 260.