lūmen, ĭnis, n. [contr. from lucmen, from the root luc; v. luceo], light.
I Lit.: quasi lumen de suo lumine accendat, Enn. ap. Cic. Off. 1, 16, 51 (Fragm. v. 388 Vahl.): solis, Cic. Div. 2, 42, 91: tabulas bene pictas conlocare in bono lumine, id. Brut. 75, 261: solare, Ov. Tr. 5, 9, 37: lumina solis, the sunbeams , Lucr. 2, 162.—
B Transf.
1 A light, a source of light, a lamp, torch : lumine apposito, Cic. Div. 1, 36, 79: diurnum, the morning-star , Lucr. 4, 455; Liv. 29, 25: lumini oleum instillare, Cic. de Sen. 11, 36: luminibus accensis, Plin. 11, 19, 21, § 65: multa lumina nocte tuli, Tib. 1, 10 (9), 42.—
2 Brightness, splendor, gleam (poet.): ferri, Stat. Th. 9, 802; Claud. Cons. Prob. et Olybr. 94.—
3 A bright color (poet.): flaventia lumina calthae, Col. poët. 10, 97; 9, 4.—
4 Daylight, day (poet.): si te secundo lumine hic offendero, Moriere, Enn. ap. Cic. Rab. Post. 11, 29 (Trag. v. 302 Vahl.): lumine quarto, Verg. A. 6, 356; cf.: eos hostes, urbes agrosque eorum ... lumine supero privetis, Vet. Form. ap. Macr. S. 3, 9, 11. —
5 The light of life, life (poet.): lumen linque, Plaut. Cist. 3, 12: lumine adempto, Lucr. 3, 1033; Ov. Tr. 4, 4, 45.—
6 The light of the eye, the eye (mostly poet.): luminibus amissis, Cic. Tusc. 5, 39, 114: astantes lumine torvo Aetnaeos fratres, Verg. A. 3, 677: fossis lumen abire genis, Ov. P. 2, 8, 66: acuentes lumina rutae, id. R. Am. 801: lumina defixa tenere in gremio, id. H. 21, 113: lumina flectere, id. M. 5, 232: parcite luminibus, close or turn away the eyes , Tib. 1, 2, 33: lumina sera dextra componere, to close one's eyes , Val. Fl. 3, 279.—Fig.: Romani imperii lumen, Vell. 2, 52, 3: reipublicae lumen et caput, id. 2, 99, 1.—*
b The pupil of the eye , Veg. Vet. 2, 16.—
7 An opening through which light can penetrate, a light , Val. Fl. 1, 168; Vitr. 4, 6.— An airhole, air-shaft , Plin. 31, 6, 31, § 57.— A window : stabula non egeant septentrionis luminibus, Pall. 1, 21: obserare lumina, Ap. Met. 2, 23, 13; altius aedes non tollendi, ne luminibus vicini officiatur, Gai Inst. 2, 31: immittere lumina, to put in windows , Dig. 7, 1, 13.—
8 In plur., the light in a building: ne quid altius exstruendo, aut arborem ponendo, lumina cujusquam obscuriora fiant, Dig. 8, 2, 14: cum M. Buculeius aedes L. Fufio venderet, in mancipio lumina, uti tum essent, ita recepit, Cic. de Or. 1, 39, 179.—Hence, se luminibus ejus esse obstructurum, to obstruct the light by building , Cic. pro Dom. 44, 115.—
9 The opening or orifice in a water-pipe or funnel, Front. Aquaed. 27; 29; 36; 105.—
10 The light in pictures, in opp. to the shade: invenit lumen atque umbras, Plin. 35, 5, 11, § 29; 35, 11, 40, § 131; Plin. Ep. 3, 13.—
II Trop.
A A light , i. e. a most distinguished person or thing, an ornament, glory, luminary : clarissimis viris interfectis lumina civitatis exstincta sunt, Cic. Cat. 3, 10, 24: certis dicendi luminibus ornare orationem, id. de Or. 2, 27, 119: animi, ingenii consiliique tui, id. Rep. 6, 12, 12: probitatis et virtutis, id. Lael. 8, 27: est corporis macula, naevus; illi tamen hoc lumen videbatur, i. e. a beautyspot , id. N. D. 1, 28, 79: luminibus alicujus obstruere or officere, to obscure one's glory or reputation , id. Brut. 17, 66.—
B Light, clearness, perspicuity : ordo est maxime, qui memoriae lumen affert, Cic. de Or. 2, 86, 353: oratio adhibere lumen rebus debet, id. ib. 3, 13, 50: nunc parvulos nobis dedit (natura) igniculos, quos celeriter ... sic restinguimus, ut nusquam naturae lumen adpareat, id. Tusc. 3, 1, 2: nec mentis quasi luminibus officit altitudo fortunae, id. Rab. Post. 16, 43.—
C Merit, excellence, beauty of style: Origines (Catonis) quod lumen eloquentiae non habent? Cic. Brut. 17, 66; so in the pun: Catonis luminibus obstruere, id. ib.; cf. I. B. 7. 8. supra.—
D Ornaments of style : at sunt qui haec excitatoria lumina a componendis orationibus excludenda arbitrentur, Quint. 12, 10, 49; 8, 5, 29: orationis, id. 8, 5, 34: lumina sententiarum, id. 9, 2, 202.