chain (subs.) Copy link Outline I. Lit.1. cătēna (rarely if ever used of a chain worn for ornament)2. vincŭlum3. torques, is, m. and f. (only for personal adornment, and mostly worn by barbarians)II. By meton.III. A series or succession of anything • chain (subs.): I. Lit.: of metal: 1. cătēna (rarely if ever used of a chain worn for ornament): to put anyone in c.s, aliquem in catenas conjicere, Caes. (= injicere c. alicui, Cic.): the links of a c., catenae anuli, Plin. (also used fig.: v. inf. fin.). Dimin. cătēnŭla (rare), cătella, a small c.; esp. used for adornment: Hor.: Liv. (who use catella). 2. vincŭlum: a bond of any kind: q. v. 3. torques, is, m. and f. (only for personal adornment, and mostly worn by barbarians): a gold c., t. aureus, Liv.: Hor. II. By meton.: bondage (q. v.) vincŭla, servĭtus. Phr.: the c.s of slavery, servile jugum, Cic.: v. yoke. III. A series or succession of anything: sĕries, ēi, f.: a c. of guards, s. custodiarum, Suet.: a c. of causes, s. causarum. Cic. Phr.: a c. of mountains, montes continui, Hor. (who, however, uses the expr. to denote an unbroken range of hills: Ep. 1, 16, 5): or perhaps, montium juga perpetua inter se connexa: a c. of things, res inter se aptae colligataeque, Cic.: fate is an eternal and unalterable succession and c. of things, fatum est sempiterna quaedam et indeclinabilis series rerum et catena, Gell. 6, 2 (init.).