flamma, ae (archaic gen. sing. flammaï, Lucr. 1, 725; 900; 5, 1099), f. [for flagma, v. flagro; cf. Gr. φλέγμα, from φλέγω], a blazing fire, a blaze, flame (cf. ignis).
I Lit.: fana flammā deflagrata, Enn. ap. Cic. Tusc. 3, 19, 44 (Trag. v. 116 ed. Vahl.); Lucr. 6, 1169: dicere aiunt Ennium, flammam a sapiente facilius ore in ardente opprimi quam bona dicta teneat, Cic. de Or. 2, 54, 222: flammam concipere, to take fire , Caes. B. C. 2, 14, 2: flammā torreri, id. B. G. 5, 43, 4: flamma ab utroque cornu comprehensa, naves sunt combustae, id. B. C. 3, 101, 5: circumventi flammā, id. B. G. 6, 16, 4: effusa flamma pluribus locis reluxit, Liv. 30, 6, 5: flammam sedare, Cic. Rep. 1, 42 fin. : lumina illa non flammae, sed scintillis inter fumum emicantibus similia, Quint. 8, 5, 29: solis flammam per caeli caerula pasci, the blazing light , Lucr. 1, 1090: erat is splendidissimo candore inter flammas circulus elucens, i. e. among the blazing stars , Cic. Rep. 6, 16: polo fixae flammae, Ov. Tr. 4, 3, 15: deum genitor rutilas per nubila flammas Spargit, i. e. flashing lightnings , id. F. 3, 285: flammam media ipsa tenebat Ingentem, i. e. a torch , Verg. A. 6, 518; so, armant picis unguine flammas, Val. Fl. 8, 302; for ignis: modum ponere iambis flammā, Hor. C. 1, 16, 3: flamma ferroque absumi, by fire and sword , Liv. 30, 6; Juv. 10, 266.—
b Provv.
α Flamma fumo est proxima: Fumo comburi nihil potest, flamma potest, i. e. the slightest approach to impropriety leads to vice , Plaut. Curc. 1, 1, 53. —
β E flamma cibum petere, to snatch food from the flames , i. e. to be reduced to extremities for want of it, Ter. Eun. 491 (cf. Cat. 59).—
γ Prius undis flamma (sc. miscebitur), sooner will fire mingle with water , of any thing impossible, Poët. ap. Cic. Phil. 13, 21, 49.—
δ Unda dabit flammas, Ov. Tr. 1, 8, 4.—
ε flamma recens parva sparsa resedit aqua, = obsta principiis, Ov. H. 17, 190.—
B Transf.
1 Of color, flame-color : reddit flammam excellentis purpurae, Plin. 35, 6, 27, § 46: stant lumina (i. e. oculi) flammā, his eyes glare with fire , Verg. A. 6, 300; cf.: rubrā suffusus lumina flammā, Ov. M. 11, 368.—
2 Fever-heat , Ov. M. 7, 554.—
II Trop., viz., acc. as the notion of glowing heat or of destructive power predominates (cf. flagro, II.).—
A The flame or fire of passion , esp. of love, the flame or glow of love , flame , passion , love : amoris turpissimi, Cic. Verr. 2, 5, 35, § 92: cuncto concepit pectore flammam Funditus, Cat. 64, 92; cf.: excute virgineo conceptas pectore flammas, Ov. M. 7, 17: digne puer meliore flammā, Hor. C. 1, 27, 20: ira feri mota est: spirat pectore flammas, Ov. M. 8, 355; Sil. 17, 295: omnis illa vis et quasi flamma oratoris, Cic. Brut. 24, 93; cf.: scilicet non ceram illam neque figuram tantam vim in sese habere, sed memoria rerum gestarum eam flammam egregiis viris in pectore crescere, Sall. J. 4, 6.—
B A devouring flame , destructive fire , suffering , danger : incidi in ipsam flammam civilis discordiae vel potius belli, Cic. Fam. 16, 11, 2: invidiae, id. de Or. 3, 3, 11: is se tum eripuit flammā, id. Brut. 23, 90: implacatae gulae, i. e. raging hunger , Ov. M. 8, 849.—
C Flamma Jovis, the name of a red flower , Plin. 27, 7, 27, § 44.