index, dĭcis, com. [1. indico], he who (that which) points out, a pointer, indicator (class.).
I Lit.
A Of things.
1 Of the forefinger , index-finger.
α With digitus: indice monstraret digito, Hor. S. 2, 8, 26; Isid. Orig. 11, 1, 70.—
β Alone: sed plane pollex, non index, Cic. Att. 13, 46, 1. —
2 In gen., an index , sign , mark , indication , proof : complexus, summae benevolentiae falsi indices in amore simulato, Cic. Phil. 11, 2, 5: quia continetis vocem, indicem stultitiae vestrae, id. Rab. Perd. 6, 18: auctoris anulus index, Ov. P. 2, 10, 3: lacrimas paenitentiae indices profuderunt, Curt. 5, 10, 13: herbae horarum indices heliotropium ac lupinum, Plin. 18, 27, 67, § 252: imago animi vultus, indices oculi, Cic. Or. 18, 60: Janum indicem pacis bellique fecit, Liv. 1, 19, 2.—
B Of persons.
1 In gen., one who indicates or discloses , a discoverer , director , guide , informer , discloser , witness : haec omnia indices detulerunt, rei confessi sunt, Cic. Cat. 4, 3, 5: Sestius ab indice Cn. Nerio de ambitu est postulatus, id. Q. Fr. 2, 3, 5; id. Clu. 7, 21: immittere ad rei probationem, Just. 32, 2 fin. : idem et testis, Tac. A. 4, 28.—
2 Esp., in a bad sense, an informer , betrayer , spy : Catilinam vallatum indicibus atque sicariis, Cic. Mur. 24, 49: saeptus armatis indicibus, id. Sest. 44, 95; id. Vat. 10, 24.—
II Transf.
A Of books.
1 A title , superscription : deceptus indicibus librorum, Cic. de Or. 2, 14, 61: alteri (libello) Gladius, alteri Pugio index erat, Suet. Cal. 49: index orationis P. Scipionis nomen M. Naevii habet, Liv. 38, 56. —
2 An index , catalogue , table , list , summary : ut non indicem certe ex bibliotheca sumptum transferre in libros suos possit, Quint. 10, 1, 57: philosophorum, Sen. Ep. 39, 2; cf. Gell. 3, 3, 1: hactenus omnia jura quasi per indicem tetigisse satis est, Gai. Inst. 3, 54: quasi per indicem rem exponere, id. ib. 4, 15: fungar indicis partibus, Plin. Ep. 3, 5, 2.—
B Of paintings or statues, an inscription : nec quaeris, quid quaque index sub imagine dicat, Tib. 4, 1, 30: tabula in aedem Matris Matutae cum indice hoc posita est, etc., Liv. 41, 28, 8.—
C Of a touchstone : in durum silicem, qui nunc quoque dicitur Index, Ov. M. 2, 706.