thēsaurus (old form thensaurus, Plaut. Trin. prol. p. ciii. Ritschl; cf. Marin. Fratr. Arv. p. 590; collat. form thensaurum, n., Petr. 46, 8), i, m., = θησαυρός.
I Any thing laid or stored up , a hoard , treasure , provision , store.
A Lit.: TABVLARIVS THENSAVRORVM, Inscr. Orell. 3247: thensaurum effodere, Plaut. Trin. 3, 3, 53; 4, 4, 8; id. Ps. 2, 2, 33; id. Aul. prol. 7: thesaurum defodere ... invenire, Cic. Div. 2, 65, 134: nec vero quemquam senem audivi oblitum, quo loco thesaurum obruisset, id. Sen. 7, 21: non exercitus neque thensauri praesidia regni sunt, verum amici, Sall. J. 10, 4: intactis opulentior Thesauris Arabum, Hor. C. 3, 24, 2.—
2 Law t. t., treasure trove : thensaurus est vetus quaedam depositio pecuniae, cujus non exstat memoria, ut jam dominum non habeat, Dig. 41, 1, 31, § 1; 41, 2, 3, § 3; Cod. 10, 15, 1.—
B Trop. (very rare): thesaurus mali, a great quantity , Plaut. Merc. 1, 2, 54: stupri, id. Fragm. ap. Non. 456, 19; cf.: augent ex pauxillo; thensaurum inde pariunt, id. Most. 4, 1, 8: thesauros penitus abditae fraudis vultu laeto tegentes, Ap. Met. 5, 14, 9. —
2 Of persons, a treasure , loved one , a valued or dear object: Di. Quid, amator novos quispiam? Ast. Integrum et plenum adortust thensaurum, Plaut. Truc. 4, 2, 13; cf. id. ib. 2, 1, 34: eccum lenonem, incedit, thensaurum meum, id. Curc. 5, 2, 76; cf.: thensaurus copiarum, id. As. 3, 3, 67.—
II A place where any thing is stored up , a storehouse , treasure - chamber , treasure - vault , treasury (cf.: cella, armarium).
A Lit.: monedula condens semina in thesauros cavernarum, Plin. 17, 14, 22, § 99; cf. poet., of the cells of bees , Verg. G. 4, 229: admonent quidam, esse thesaurum publicum sub terrā saxo quadrato septum, Liv. 39, 50, 3: Proserpinae, id. 29, 8, 9; 29, 18, 4; 31, 12, 1; cf. poet. of the Lower World : postquam est Orcino traditus thesauro, Naev. ap. Gell. 1, 24, 2.—
2 Esp., a strong-box , treasure-chest : cum thesaurum effregisset heres, Plin. 34, 7, 17, § 37: apertis thesauris suis, Vulg. Matt. 2, 11.—
B Trop., a repository , conservatory , magazine , collection , Plaut. Poen. 3, 3, 12: quid dicam de thesauro rerum omnium, memoria? Cic. de Or. 1, 5, 18; Quint. 11, 2, 1; cf.: thesauri argumentorum, Cic. Part. Or. 31, 109: suppeditat nobis Atticus noster de thesauris suis quos et quantos viros, id. Fin. 2, 21, 67: thesauros oportet esse non libros, Plin. praef. § 17; cf.: mihi quoties aliquid abditum quaero, ille thesaurus est, a literary storehouse , Plin. Ep. 1, 22, 2.—
III The title of a Greek play by Philemon , upon which Plautus founded the Trinummus , Plaut. Trin. prol. 18.