rāmus, i, m. [for rad-mus; Sanscr. root vardh, crescere; cf.: radix, radius], a branch, bough, twig (cf.: surculus, termes).
I Lit.: in quibus (arboribus) non truncus, non rami, non folia sunt denique, nisi, etc., Cic. de Or. 3, 46, 179; Enn. ap. Cic. Tusc. 1, 28, 69 (Trag. v. 194 Vahl.): qui praetereuntes ramum defringerent arboris, Cic. Caecin. 21, 60: sub ramis arboris, Lucr. 2, 30; 5, 1393: decidere falcibus ramos, id. 5, 936 et saep.: tempora cingite ramis, Verg. A. 5, 71; 8, 286; Val. Fl. 6, 296; Hor. C. 2, 15, 9; id. S. 1, 5, 81: ingens ramorum umbra, Verg. G. 2, 489; id. A. 6, 808.—Poet., for a tree , Verg. A. 3, 650; for the fruit of trees , id. ib. 8, 318; in partic., for frankincense twigs , Claud. III. Cons. Hon. 211. —
B Transf., of things having a branching form.
1 A branch of a stag’s antlers , Caes. B. G. 6, 26, 2.—
2 A spur of a mountain chain , Plin. 6, 27, 31, § 134. —
3 A club , Prop. 1, 1, 13; 4 (5), 9, 15.—
4 = membrum virile, Nov. ap. Non. 116, 26.—
5 An arm or mouth of a river : multos ignobiles ramos porrigit (Nilus), Sen. Q. N. 4, 2, 11.—
6 A branch or arm of the Greek letter γ, used by Pythagoras as a symbol of the two paths of life, leading to virtue and vice, Aus. Idyll. 12, 9; hence called Samii rami, Pers. 3, 56.—
II Trop., a branch : ramos amputare miseriarum, Cic. Tusc. 3, 6, 13: fortitudo, cujus patientia et perpessio et tolerantia rami sunt, Sen. Ep. 67, 10.—Of a branch of consanguinity , Pers. 3, 28.