hasta (asta), ae, f. [Sanscr. hastas, hand; cf. Gr. root χαδ- in χανδάνω, pre-hendo], a spear (syn.: hastile, dolo, gaesum, sarisa, sparus, lancea, pilum, spiculum, telum, etc.).
I Lit.
A Most freq. as a military weapon, a lance , pike , javelin (cf. Becker's Antiq. III. 2, p. 242 sq.): nec eminus hastis aut comminus gladiis uteretur, Cic. de Sen. 6, 19: dum transit, striderat hasta, Enn. ap. Prisc. p. 817 P. (Ann. v. 365 Vahl.): Hastati spargunt hastas, id. ap. Macr. S. 6, 1 (Ann. v. 287 ib.): evelli jussit eam, qua erat transfixus, hastam, Cic. Fin. 2, 30, 97: amentatus hastas torquebit, id. de Or. 1, 57, 242; cf. id. Brut. 78, 271; id. Top. 17, 65: hastas vibrare, id. de Or. 2, 80, 325: jactare, id. ib. 2, 78, 316: dirigere in aliquem, Ov. M. 8, 66: contendere, to hurl , Verg. A. 10, 521: protendere aut colligere, Tac. A. 2, 21 al.—As a symbol of war, sent in making a declaration of the same, Gell. 10, 27, 3; Paul. ex Fest. p. 101 Müll., and thrown into the enemy's territory, Liv. 1, 32 fin. ; Varr. ap. Serv. Verg. A. 9, 53: pura, i. e. without iron , given to brave soldiers as a mark of distinction, Plin. 7, 28, 29, § 102; Suet. Claud. 28; Inscr. Orell. 3457; cf. Varr. ap. Serv. Verg. A. 6, 760, and Fest. l. l.— As the symbol of legal ownership: festuca uti quasi hastae loco, signo quodam justi dominii, Gai Inst. 4, 16.—
2 Transf., beyond the milit. sphere: jacet, diffidit, abjecit hastas, i. e. has lost his courage , Cic. Mur. 21, 45.—
B A spear stuck in the ground at public auctions or where the tribunals of the cenlumviri were held (orig. as a sign of booty gained in battle or of magisterial authority): est enim ausus (Sulla) dicere, hasta posita, cum bona in foro venderet et bonorum virorum et locupletium et certe civium praedam se suam vendere, Cic. Off. 2, 8, 27; cf.: hastam in foro ponere et bona civium voci subicere praeconis, id. ib. 2, 23, 83: hasta posita pro aede Jovis Statoris, bona voci acerbissimae subjecta praeconis, id. Phil. 2, 26, 64: quos non illa inflnita hasta satiavit, id. ib. 4, 4, 9: emptio ab hasta, id. Att. 12, 3, 2: comitibus eorum sub hasta venditis, Liv. 23, 38, 7: municipia Italiae splendidissima sub hasta venierunt, Flor. 3, 21, 27: just hastae, Tac. A. 13, 28: cum censores se jam locationibus abstinerent, convenere ad eos, qui hastae hujus generis assueverant, Liv. 24, 18, 10; as a badge of dignity : hunc miratur adhuc centum gravis hasta virorum, Mart. 7, 63, 7.—Hence, transf., the centumviral court : ut centumviralem hastam, quam quaestura functi consuerant cogere, decemviri cogerent, Suet. Aug. 36 fin. —
C A little spear with which a bride's hair was parted into locks, Ov. F. 2, 560.—
D A spear , as a gymnastic weapon, Plaut. Bacch. 1, 1, 38; 3, 3, 24; id. Most. 1, 2, 73.—
II Transf.
A Of the form of a comet: jubae effigies mutata in hasta est. Plin. 2, 25, 22, § 90.—
B I. q. membrum virile, Auct. Priap. 45, 1.