cŏma, ae, f., = κόμη,
I the hair of the head (hence barba comaeque, Ov. M. 7, 288), considered as an ornament for the head: comae dicuntur capilli cum aliquā curā compositi, Paul. ex Fest. p. 63, 13 Müll. (class., esp. in poetry and post-Aug. prose; very rare in Cic.).—With adj.: unguentis effluens calamistrata coma, Cic. Sest. 8, 18: madens, id. post Red. in Sen. 6, 13: fulva, ξανθή, Prop. 2, 2, 5: flava, Hor. C. 1, 5, 4; Tib. 1, 5, 44: myrtea, id. 3, 4, 28: longa, Hor. Epod. 11, 28: nitidae, Prop. 3 (4), 10, 14; cf.: spissā te nitidum. Hor. C. 3, 19, 25: odorata, Ov. A. A. 2, 734; cf. ambrosiae, Verg. A. 1, 403: cana, Tib. 1, 6, 86: virides Nereidum, Hor. C. 3, 28, 10: regia (of Berenice), Cat. 66, 93: ventis horrida facta, Tib. 1, 9, 14; cf.: dare diffundere ventis, Verg. A. 1, 319. —With verb : deciderint comae, Hor. C. 4, 10, 3: ne comae turbarentur, quas componi post paulum vetuit. Quint. 11, 3, 148: componere, Ov. H. 12, 156: comere, id. ib. 21, 88; cf.: inustas comere acu, Quint. 2, 5, 12: pectere, Ov. H. 13, 39: in gradus frangere, Quint. 1, 6, 44; cf.: formare in gradum, Suet. Ner. 51: longam renodare, Hor. Epod. 11, 28; cf. id. C. 2, 11, 24: positu variare, Ov. M. 2, 412; cf. ponere, id. F. 1, 406: componere, id. R. Am. 679: rutilare et summittere (after the manner of the Germans), Suet. Calig. 47: sertis implicare, Tib. 3, 6, 64: Delphicā lauro cingere, Hor. C. 3, 30, 16; cf. in a Gr. constr.: fronde comas vincti, id. Ep. 2, 1, 110: scindens dolore intonsam comam, Att. ap. Cic. Tusc. 3, 26, 62 (transl. of Hom. Il. 10, 15).—So of Venus lamenting Adonis: effusā isse comā, Prop. 2 (3), 13, 56; and in a Gr. constr.: scissa comam, Verg. A. 9, 478; cf. Ov. Am. 3, 9, 52; id. H. 12, 63; id. M. 4, 139; Hor. Ep. 2, 1, 110.—
b Of animals, of the golden fleece : agnus aureā clarus comā, Att. ap. Cic. N. D. 3, 26, 68 (Trag. Rel. v. 211 Rib.); cf. Sen. Herc. Oet. 736.— The mane of lions, Gell. 5, 14, 9; of the horse, Pall. 4, 13, 2.—*
c The crest of a helmet , Stat. Th. 8, 389.—
II Transf., of objects resembling the hair in appearance or in ornamental effect; most freq. acc. to a trope common in most languages, of leaves, grass, etc., foliage , ears , grass , and stalks of trees, etc., Cat. 4, 12; Tib. 1, 4, 30; Prop. 3 (4), 16, 28; Hor. C. 1, 21, 5; 4, 3, 11; 4, 7, 2; Tib. 2, 1, 48; Prop. 4 (5), 2, 14; Ov. Am. 3, 10, 12; id. F. 4, 438; Verg. G. 4, 137; Col. 10, 277, Plin. 13, 4, 7, § 30; 18, 7, 10, § 53; 19, 6, 32, § 102.—
b The wool or hair upon parchment , Tib. 3, 1, 10.—Poet., of the rays of light , Cat. 61, 78; 61, 99; Sen. Oedip. 311; id. Herc. Oet. 727.