templum, i, n. [prob. for temulum; root τεμ- of τέμνω; cf. τέμενος, a sacred enclosure; hence],
I Lit., a space marked out; hence, in partic., in augury, an open place for observation , marked out by the augur with his staff: templum dicitur locus manu auguris designatus in aëre, post quem factum ilico captantur auguria, Serv. Verg. A. 1, 92: dictum templum locus augurii aut auspicii causā quibusdam conceptis verbis finitus. Concipitur verbis non isdem usquequaquae. In Arce sic: templa tescaque me ita sunto quoad ego caste lingua nuncupavero. Olla veter arbor, quirquir est, quam me sentio dixisse, templum tescumque finito in sinistrum, etc. ... In hoc templo faciundo arbores constitui fines apparet, Varr. L. L. 7, § 6 sq. Müll.: Palatium Romulus, Remus Aventinum ad inaugurandum templa capiunt, Liv. 1, 6, 4.—
B Transf., with the idea of openness, extent, or that of sanctity predominating.
1 An open , clear , broad space , a circuit (so rare and mostly poet.): unus erit, quem tu tolles in caerula caeli Templa, i. e. the space or circuit of the heavens , Enn. ap. Varr. L. L. 7, § 6 Müll. (Ann. v. 67); cf.: nec mare nec tellus neque caeli lucida templa, etc., Lucr. 1, 1014; so, caeli, Ter. Eun. 590; Lucr. 1, 1064; 1, 1105; 2, 1039; 6, 286; 6, 644; 6, 1228; cf. caelestia, id. 6, 388; 6, 670: magna caelitum, Enn. ap. Varr. 7, § 6 Müll. (Trag. v. 227 Vahl.): magnum Jovis altitonantis, id. ap. Varr. L. L. 7, § 7 Müll. (Ann. v. 531 Vahl.): mundi magnum et vorsatile templum, the extent or circuit of the world , Lucr. 5, 1436; so, mundi, id. 5, 1205; 6, 43; cf.: deus, cujus hoc templum est omne quod conspicis, Cic. Rep. 6, 15, 15; Somn. Scip. 3, 6: globus, quem in hoc templo medium vides, quae terra dicitur, Cic. Rep. 6, 15, 15.—Of the infernal regions : Acherusia templa alta Orci, salvete, infera, spaces , Enn. ap. Varr. L. L. 7, § 6 Müll. (Trag. v. 107 Vahl.); id. ap. Cic. Tusc. 1, 21, 48.—Of the plain of the sea : loca Neptunia templaque turbulenta, Plaut. Mil. 2, 5, 3; cf. id. Rud. 4, 2, 4.—Of the hollow space or chamber of the mouth: umida linguaï circum sidentia templa, Lucr. 4, 624.—
2 A consecrated or sacred place , a sanctuary (syn.: aedes, fanum).
a In gen.: (sacerdotes) urbem et agros et templa liberata et effata habento, Cic. Leg. 2, 8, 21; cf.: hinc effari templa dicuntur ab auguribus, Varr. L. L. 6, § 53 Müll.—Of the Rostra : in Rostris, in illo inquam inaugurato templo ac loco, Cic. Vatin. 10, 24; cf.: rostraque id templum appellatum, Liv. 8, 14, 12; Cic. Sest. 29, 62; Liv. 2, 56, 10; 3, 17, 1; 8, 35, 8 Drak.—Of the Curia : templum ordini ab se aucto Curiam fecit, Liv. 1, 30, 2; 26, 31, 11; 26, 33, 4.—Of a tribunal , Liv. 23, 10 Drak.; Flor. 2, 12, 11. —Of an asylum , Liv. 2, 1, 4.—
β Trop., a sanctuary , shrine : pectus templaque mentis, Lucr. 5, 103; cf.: (curia) templum sanctitatis, amplitudinis, mentis, consilii publici, Cic. Mil. 33, 90.—
b In partic., a place dedicated to some particular deity , a fane , temple , shrine : Herculis, Cic. Verr. 2, 4, 43, § 94: Jovis, id. Fam. 10, 12, 4: Junonis Sospitae, id. Div. 1, 2, 4; cf. id. ib. 1, 44, 99; Verg. A. 1, 446: Virtutis, Cic. Rep. 1, 14, 21: Vestae, Hor. C. 1, 2, 16: Minervae, Verg. A. 6, 840: antiqua deorum, Hor. S. 2, 2, 104: donec templa refeceris, id. C. 3, 6, 2: testudo amica templis, id. ib. 3, 11, 6: templorum positor, templorum sancte repostor, Ov. F. 2, 63.—Of the sepulchral monument of Sychaeus, to whom divine honors were paid, Verg. A. 4, 457; cf. Sil. 1, 84.—
II A small timber; in architecture, a purlin lying horizontally upon the rafters, Vitr. 4, 2 and 7; cf.: templum significat et tignum, quod in aedificio transversum ponitur, Fest. p. 367 Müll.