calcŭlus, i, m. dim. [2. calx; cf. Paul. ex Fest. p. 46].
I In gen., a small stone , a pebble : conjectis in os calculis, Cic. de Or. 1, 61, 261: Demosthenes calculos linguā volvens dicere domi solebat, Quint. 11, 3, 54; Vitr. 7, 2: argilla et dumosis calculus arvis, gravel in the thorny fields , Serv. ad Verg. G. 2, 180; Plin. 4, 8, 15, § 37; 28, 9, 33, § 124.—
B Trop., of discourse: qui tenui venulā per calculos fluunt, Quint. 12, 10, 25.—
II Esp.
A A stone in the bladder or kidneys , the gravel , stone , Cels. 7, 26: curare, Plin. 20, 21, 86, § 234: comminuere et eicere, id. 20, 4, 13, § 23; cf. eicere, Suet. Aug. 80: movere, Plin. 20, 22, 91, § 248: exturbare, id. 20, 10, 42, § 109: frangere, id. 22, 21, 29, § 59: rumpere, id. 23, 8, 80, § 153. —
B A draughtsman , a stone or counter used in playing draughts. called duodecim scripta, in which, as in chess, by driving a piece from one square to another, the person beaten could not finally move at all (ad incitas redactus est): in lusu duodecim scriptorum cum prior calculum promovisset, etc., Quint. 11, 2, 38; cf. Ov. A. A. 2, 207; 3, 357; id. Tr. 2, 478; Plin. Ep. 7, 24, 5; Mart. 14, 20; Isid. Orig. 18, 67: calculorum ludus, Cael. Aur. Tard. 1, 5, 165.—
2 Trop.: calculum reducere, to take back a move : tibi concedo, quod in XII. scriptis solemus, ut calculum reducas, si te alicujus dati paenitet, Cic. ap. Non. p. 170, 28 (Hortens. Fragm. 51 B. and K.): quā re nunc saltem ad illos calculos revertamur, quos tum abjecimus, i. e. those principles of action , id. Att. 8, 12, 5.—
C A stone used in reckoning on the counting-board; hence meton., a reckoning, computing, calculating : calculi et rationes, Quint. 11, 3, 59; 7, 4, 35; 8, 3, 14; 12, 11, 18 Spald.: calculos subducere, to compute , reckon , cast up , Cic. Fin. 2, 19, 60: ponere, Col. 3, 3, 7: ponere cum aliquo, Plin. Pan. 20, 5: de posteris cogitanti in condicionibus deligendus ponendus est calculus, id. ib. 1, 14, 9: amicitiam ad calculos vocare, to subject to an accurate reckoning , hold to a strict account , Cic. Lael. 16, 58: si ad calculos eum respublica vocet, settles accounts , reckons , Liv. 5, 4, 7: revocare aliquid ad calculos, Val. Max. 4, 7, 1: ratio calculorum, Col. 1, 3, 8.—
2 Trop.: cum aliquā re parem calculum ponere, i.e. to render equal for equal , Plin. Ep. 5, 2, 1: quos ego movi calculos, considerations which I have suggested , id. ib. 2, 19, 9.—
D In the most ancient per., a stone used in voting; a vote , sentence , decision , suffrage; a white one for assent or acquittal, a black for denial or condemnation; cf. Ov. M. 15, 41 sq.; Ap. Met. 10, 8, 6.— Hence judicialis, Imp. Just. Cod. 3, 1, 12: deteriorem reportare, i. e. an adverse decision , Impp. Diocl. et Max. Cod. 7, 62, 10: calculis omnibus, by a unanimous vote , Ap. Met. 7, 9, 1.—Trop.: si modo tu fortasse errori nostro album calculum adjeceris, i. e. approve , Plin. Ep. 1, 2, 5.—
E The Thracians were accustomed to preserve the recollection of fortunate occurrences by white stones, and of unfortunate by black, Plin. 7, 40, 41, § 131.—Hence,
2 Trop.: o diem laetum, notandumque mihi candidissimo calculo! i. e. a most happy day! Plin. Ep. 6, 11, 3; cf. Mart. 12, 34, 9, § 53; Pers. 2, 1 sq.—
F In late Lat., a small weight : calculus constat ex granis ciceris duobus, Auct. Ponder ap. Goes. Agr. p. 322 (in Isid. Orig. 16, 25, 8, called calcus).