purple (subs.) Copy link Outline 1. purpŭra, f. (πορφύρα, orig. the p.-fish, Plin. 9, 36, foll.)2. purpŭrissum, n. (πορφύριζον)3. mūrex, ĭcis, m., esp. the dye (from the mollusc so called4. ostrum, n. (same meaning as No. 3)5. conchȳlium (κογχύλιον, same sense as Nos. 3 and 4) • purple (subs.): 1. purpŭra, f. (πορφύρα, orig. the p.-fish, Plin. 9, 36, foll.): gen. term for any red or rosy colour: natural; a p. hue shines through dark violet in the leaves, in foliis ... violae sublucet purpura nigrae, Virg. G. 4, 275: artificial; purpurae usum Romae semper fuisse video, Plin. 9, 39, 63. Used of different shades of p.: Join: purpurae and conchylia: sea-shells used for p. dyes, concharum ad purpuras et conchylia ... eadem enim est materia, sed distat temperamento ... duo sunt genera, Plin. 9, 36, 61: just as nearly all the best p.s are now dyed, qualiter omnes paene commodiores purpurae tinguntur, ib.: a violet p., violacea purpura, ib.: a double-dyed Tyrian p., dibapha Tyria (p. not expressed), ib. Esp. for p. cloth, dress, and coverings: you remember his dress and p. reaching to the heels (i. e. the praetexta), amictum atque illam usque ad talos demissam p. recordamini, Cic. Clu. 40, 111: an ivory bed with a coverlet of gold and p., lectus eburneus, auro ac purpura stratus, Suet. Caes. 84: as a token of wealth, splendour, and luxury: shining in p., qui nitent unguentis, qui fulgent purpura, Cic. Cat. 2, 3, 5. Join: aurum et purpura, gold and p.: Nam amator meretricis mores sibi emit auro et purpura, Pl. Most. 1, 3, 128. In old times skins, now gold and p. rack The life of men with cares and weary wars, Tunc igitur pelles, nunc aurum et purpura curis Exercent hominum vitam, belloque fatigant, Lucr. 5, 1422-3: repose, my friend, not to be purchased with gems or p. or gold, (otium) Grosphe, non gemmis neque purpura venale nec auro, Hor. Od. 2, 16, 7. Esp. the regal p., as the emblem of royal power and state., illum non populi, non purpura regum flexit, Virg. G. 2, 495. Meton. for kings: And p.d slaves (lit. purple) that serve the Roman sword, Atque omnis Latio quae servit purpura ferro, Lucan 7, 228: to assume the p. (be proclaimed as emperor), purpuram sumere, Eutrop. 8, 9; to adore the p. (i. e. the emperor), adorare purpuram, Amm. 21, 9, fin.: Cod. Theod. 6, 24, 3: born in the p., porphyrogennētus (πορφυρογέννητος), or, Latinized, porphyrogenĭtus, a title of children of the Eastern emperors born during their father's reign. 2. purpŭrissum, n. (πορφύριζον): us, m., late Latin: a deep crimson p., Pl. Most. 1, 3, 104: Plin. 35., 6, 12 hence, (books) bound in p. or crimson, purpurissati, adapted from the purpurissati fasti (the consular fasti, so called from the colour of their robes), Sid. Ep. 8, 8. 3. mūrex, ĭcis, m., esp. the dye (from the mollusc so called: poet.): Tyrioque ardebat murice laena, Virg. Aen. 4, 262. 4. ostrum, n. (same meaning as No. 3): ostro perfusae vestes, ib. 5, 111: for a covering or dress of p.: they recline on the spread p., stratoque super discumbitur ostro (i. e. on purple-covered couches), ib. 1, 700. Join: purpura and ostra, though p. shines from the Tyrian shells, Poenis si purpura fulgeat ostris, Prop. 4, 3, 51. Hence, purple-coloured, (poet.) ostricolor, Sid. Carm. 5, 18. 5. conchȳlium (κογχύλιον, same sense as Nos. 3 and 4): all dyed with p., nil nisi conchylio tinctum, Cic. Verr. 4, 26, 59. Comp. purpureusque colos conchyli jungitur uno corpore cum lanae, Lucr. 6, 1073. Join: purpura and conchylium: (of luxurious education): quid non adultus concupiscet, qui in purpuris repit? Nondum prima verba exprimit, jam conchylium poscit, Quint. 1, 2, 6: and in pl.: Spartana chlamys, conchylia Coa, Juv. 8, 101. Hence, clad, clothed, or robed in p., conchȳliātus, Sen. Ep. 62: also purpŭrātus, (esp. as subs. for a courtier): minitare purpuratis tuis, Cic. Tusc. 1, 43, 102: Sopatrum ex purpuratis et propinquis regis esse, Liv. 30, 42: also purpŭreus (poet.): medio rex ipse resedit Agmine purpureus, Ov. M. 7, 103. Purple in compounds: purpŭrārius, adj., p.-works, p. officinae, Plin. 35, 6, 17: a p.-shop or warehouse, p. taberna, Paul. 32, 1, 89: a p.-dyer, purpŭrārius, m. (subs.) Inscr.: a dealer in p. (Lydia), purpŭrāria, f., Vulg. Act. Apost. xvi. 14: a p. dye-house, purpuraria, f., Inscr.