collum, i, n. (ante-class. access. form collus, i, m., Naev., Cato, Lucil., Att., Caecil., Varr. ap. Non. p. 200, 14 sq.; Plaut. Capt. 2, 2, 107; 4, 3, 2; and, acc. to Non. l. l., also id. Am. 1, 1, 289:
I nec collos mihi Calvus persuaserit, Quint. 1, 6, 42; Front. Ep. ad M. Caes. 2, 16) [cf. Germ. Hals].
I Prop., the neck , of men and animals: accipite si vultis hoc onus in vostros collos, Cato, l.l.: anseris, Lucil. l.l.: pavonis, Varr. l. l.: columbarum, Lucr. 2, 802; cf. Cic. Ac. 2 ( Luc. ), 7, 19; id. N. D. 2, 47, 122 al.: in collum invasit, fell upon the neck , id. Phil. 2, 31, 77: amplexu petebat, Cael. ap. Quint. 4, 2, 124: pendentia bracchia collo, Tib. 3, 6, 45; Verg. A. 1, 715: collo dare bracchia circum, id. ib. 6, 700: implicuit materno bracchia collo, Ov. M. 1, 762: colloque infusa mariti, id. ib. 11, 386; cf. id. ib. 14, 585: cingere colla lacertis, id. A. A. 2, 457: complecti lacertis, id. M. 10, 407: captare lacertis, id. H. 8, 93: adducere lacertis, id. M. 6, 625 et saep.: avaritiae poenam collo et cervicibus suis sustinere, Cic. Verr. 2, 5, 42, § 108: conjecta vincula collo, Ov. Tr. 4, 1, 83: collum in laqueum inserere, Cic. Verr. 2, 4, 17, § 37; cf. Hor. Ep. 1, 16, 37: monstri angere, Stat. Th. 4, 827: aptare vincula collo, Ov. M. 10, 381: colla assuescere servitio, Verg. G. 3, 167: tonsori committere, Cic. Tusc. 5, 20, 58.—Hence,
2 In partic.
a As a symbol of servitude: dare colla triumpho, Prop. 2 (3), 10, 15: eripe turpi Colla jugo, Hor. S. 2, 7, 92.—
b (As in Engl., it costs him his neck, etc.) A symbol of life: actum'st de collo meo, Plaut. Trin. 2, 4, 194; cf.: posuit collum in Pulvere Teucro, Hor. C. 4, 6, 11.—
c Collum torquere, obtorquere, obstringere alicui, legal t. t., to seize by the neck and drag before a tribunal or to prison : priusquam obtorto collo ad praetorem trahor, Plaut. Poen. 3, 5, 45 (cf.: obtortā gulā de convivio in vincla abripi jussit, Cic. Verr. 2, 4, 10, § 24); Plaut. Curc. 5, 3, 15; Liv. 4, 53, 8.—
II Meton., of the neck of a flask , bottle , Cato R. R. 88, 1; Phaedr. 1, 26, 10; Plin. 17, 21, 35, § 161; 28, 11, 48, § 174.—Of the poppy , Verg. A. 9, 436.—Of the middle part of Mount Parnassus , Stat. Th. 9, 643.