umbra

colles afferunt umbram vallibus
hills bring shade to the valleys ne reamur umbras inter vivos volitare
let us not think that ghosts fly about among the living

umbra , ae, f.: shade, shadow, 1.165, et al.; darkness, night, 2.693, et al.; a shade of doubt, 12.669; the shade of the dead, freq.; a ghost, 4.386; a phantom, 10.636; pl., umbrae, ārum, the Manes, shades, 3.638; freq.; sub umbrās, to the abode of the dead, 4.660.

umbra, ae, f. [etym. dub.; Curt. compares Sanscr. ambara, an encircling], a shade, shadow.

• I Lit.: cum usque quaque umbra est, tamen Sol semper hic est, Plaut. Most. 3, 2, 79 (768): illa platanus, cujus umbram secutus est Socrates, Cic. de Or. 1, 7, 28: fiebat, ut incideret luna in eam metam, quae esset umbra terrae, etc., id. Rep. 1, 14, 22; cf. id. Div. 2, 6, 17: colles ... afferunt umbram vallibus, id. Rep. 2, 6, 11: nox Involvens umbrā magnā terramque polumque, Verg. A. 2, 251: spissis noctis se condidit umbris, id. ib. 2, 621: majoresque cadunt altis de montibus umbrae, id. E. 1, 84; 5, 70: pampineae, id. ib. 7, 58: certum est mihi, quasi umbra, quoquo ibis tu, te persequi, Plaut. Cas. 1, 4 (92); cf. id. Most. 3, 2, 82 (771).—Prov.: umbras timere, to be afraid of shadows, i. e. to fear without cause, Cic. Att. 15, 20, 4: umbram suam metuere, Q. Cic. Petit. Cons. 2, 9: ipse meas solus, quod nil est, aemulor umbras, Prop. 2, 34 (3, 32), 19.—
• • B Transf.
  • • 1 In painting, the dark part of a painting, shade, shadow: quam multa vident pictores in umbris et in eminentiā, quae nos non videmus! Cic. Ac. 2 (Luc.), 7, 20; so (opp. lumen) Plin. 35, 5, 11, § 29; 35, 11, 40, § 131; 33, 3, 57, § 163.—
    • 2 A shade, ghost of a dead person (poet. and in post-Aug. prose; cf.: Manes, Lemures): nos ubi decidimus, Quo dives Tullus et Ancus, Pulvis et umbra sumus, Hor. C. 4, 7, 16: ne forte animas Acherunte reamur Effugere aut umbras inter vivos volitare, Lucr. 4, 38; cf.: cornea (porta), quā veris facilis datur exitus umbris, Verg. A. 6, 894; Tib. 3, 2, 9; Verg. A. 5, 734; Hor. C. 2, 13, 30; id. S. 1, 8, 41; Plin. 30, 2, 6, § 18; Suet. Calig. 59 al.: Umbrarum rex, i. e. Pluto, Ov. M. 7, 249; so, dominus, id. ib. 10, 16.— In the plur. umbrae, of a single dead person: matris agitabitur umbris, Ov. M. 9, 410; 8, 476; 6, 541; Verg. A. 6, 510; 10, 519 al.—
    • 3 Like the Greek σκιά, an uninvited guest, whom an invited one brings with him (cf. parasitus), Hor. S. 2, 8, 22; id. Ep. 1, 5, 28; Plaut. Pers. 2, 4, 27 (298); so, of an attendant: luxuriae, Cic. Mur. 6, 13.—
    • 4 A shade, shady place, that which gives a shade or shadow (as a tree, house, tent, etc; poet.); of trees: nudus Arboris Othrys erat nec habebat Pelion umbras, Ov. M. 12, 513; so id. ib. 10, 88; 10, 90; 14, 447; Verg. G. 1, 157, id. E. 9, 20; 5, 5; Sil. 4, 681: Pompeiā spatiabere cultus in umbrā, i. e. in the Pompeian portico, Prop. 4 (5), 8, 75; so, Pompeia, Ov. A. A. 1, 67; 3, 387: vacuā tonsoris in umbrā, in the cool barber's shop, Hor. Ep. 1, 7, 50: studia in umbrā educata, in the closet, study, Tac. A. 14, 53; cf.: rhetorica, i. e. the rhetorician's school, Juv. 7, 173: dum roseis venit umbra genis, i. e. down, beard, Stat. Th. 4, 336; cf.: dubia lanuginis, Claud. Nupt. Pall. et Celer. 42: nunc umbra nudata sua jam tempora moerent, i. e. of hair, Petr. poët. 109: summae cassidis umbra, i. e. the plume or crest, Stat. Th. 6, 226: sed non erat illi Arcus et ex umeris nullae fulgentibus umbrae, i. e. quivers, id. S. 3, 4, 30.—
    • 5 A fish, called also sciaena; a grayling, umber: Salmo thymallus, Linn.; Enn. ap. Ap. Apol. p. 299 (Heduph. v. 7 Vahl.); Varr. L. L. 5, § 77 Müll.; Ov. Hal. 111; Col. 8, 16, 8; Aus. Idyll. 10, 90.—
• II Trop., like the Engl. shadow or shade.
• • A Opp. to substance or reality, a trace, obscure sign or image, faint appearance, imperfect copy or representation, semblance, pretence (cf. simulacrum): veri juris germanaeque justitiae solidam et expressam effigiem nullam tenemus, umbrā et imaginibus utimur, Cic. Off. 3, 17, 69: umbra et imago civitatis, id. Rep. 2, 30, 53: umbra et imago equitis Romani, id. Rab. Post. 15, 41: o hominem amentem et miserum, qui ne umbram quidem umquam τοῦ καλοῦ viderit! id. Att. 7, 11, 1: in quo ipsam luxuriam reperire non potes, in eo te umbram luxuriae reperturum putas? id. Mur. 6, 13: in comoediā maxime claudicamus ... vix levem consequimur umbram, Quint. 10, 1, 100: sub umbrā foederis aequi servitutem pati, Liv. 8, 4, 2: umbras falsae gloriae consectari, Cic. Pis. 24, 57: umbra es amantum magis quam amator, Plaut. Mil. 3, 1, 31 (626): mendax pietatis umbra, Ov. M. 9, 459: libertatis, Luc. 3, 146: belli, Sil. 15, 316: umbras quasdam veritatis habere, Plin. 30, 2, 6, § 17; Claud. Laud. Stil. 1, 273.—
  • B Shelter, cover, protection: umbra et recessus, Cic. de Or. 3, 26, 101: umbrā magni nominis delitescunt, Quint. 12, 10, 15: umbra vestri auxilii tegi possumus, Liv. 7, 30, 18: sub umbrā auxilii vestri latere volunt, id. 32, 21, 31: sub umbrā Romanae amicitiae latebant, id. 34, 9, 10: morum vitia sub umbrā eloquentiae primo latebant, Just. 5, 2, 7.—
  • C Rest, leisure: ignavā Veneris cessamus in umbrā, Ov. Am. 2, 18, 3; Albin. Ob. Maec. 98.

umbra, ae, f., der Schatten, I) eig. u. bildl.: A) eig.: arboris, Cic.: terrae, Cic.: in umbra, Verg., od. sub umbra, Hor., im Schatten: umbra, ut dies crevit decrevitque, modo brevior modo longior hāc vel illā cadit, Plin. ep.: maiores cadunt de montibus umbrae, es wird Abend, Verg.: longius cadentes umbrae suae, Flor.: poet. für Dunkelheit, Finsternis, noctis, Verg.: aurora dimoverat umbram, Verg.: ad umbram lucis ab ortu, vom Morgen bis zum Abend, Hor. – Sprichw., umbras timere, selbst od. sogar den Schatten fürchten, d.i. ohne Not in Furcht sein, Cic. ad Att. 15, 20, 4: ebenso umbram suam metuere, Q. Cic. de pet. cons. 9: ähnlich ipse meas solus, quod nil est, aemulor umbras, vom eifersüchtigen Liebhaber, Prop. 2, 34, 19. – B) bildl., der Schatten, a) für Schutz, Schirm, Zuflucht, auxilii, Liv.: sub umbra Romanae amicitiae latere, Liv. – b) für Muße, behagliche Rühe, Veneris cessamus in umbra, Ov.: cedat umbra soli, von der Rechtsgelehrsamkeit, Cic. Mur. 30: auch übh. ein zurückgezogenes Leben, Privatleben, im Ggstz. zur Öffentlichkeit, studia in umbra educata, im stillen Studierzimmer, Tac. ann. 14, 53. – c) Schein (im Ggstz. zur Wirklichkeit), Spur, Abbild, ganz wie unser Schatten, umbra imagoque iustitiae (Ggstz. vera iustitia), Lact.: gloriae, Cic.: umbra nomenque P. Licinii, Liv.: libertatis, Lucan.: honoris, von den konsularischen Insignien, Tac.: umbra quaedam illorum honorum et similitudo, Sen. ep. 92, 27: umbram quoque spei devorasse, Varro sat. Men. 378: dah. für Schein, Vorwand, sub umbra foederis aequi servitutem pati, Liv. 8, 4, 2; so auch Claud. laud. Stil. 1, 273. – II) übtr. u. meton.: A) übtr.: 1) der Schatten in der Malerei (Ggstz. lumen), Cic. u.a.: übtr., in der Rede, Cic.: neque enim persona umbram actae rei capit, die Person ist zu merkwürdig, als daß die Tat in der Dunkelheit bleiben, mit Stillschweigen übergangen werden könnte, Vell. – 2) der Schatten = Begleiter, luxuriae, Cic. Mur. 13. – v. uneingeladenen Gästen, die man mitbringt (wie σκιά), Hor. sat. 2, 8, 22 u. ep. 1, 5, 28. – B) meton.: 1) das Schattige, a) übh., wie Bäume, Häuser usw., umbras falce premere, Verg.: inducite montibus umbras, i.e. arbores, Verg.: so auch fontes inducere viridi umbrā (im Gedichte), Verg. – b) der Köcher, Stat. silv. 3, 4, 30. – c) der Bart oder die ersten Barthaare, Claud. nupt. Pall. et Celer. 42. Stat. Theb. 4, 336. – u. das Haupthaar, Petron. 109, 9. – d) jeder schattige Ort, Pompëia, Halle, Galerie (porticus), Ov.: tonsoris, Bude, Stube, Hor.: rhetorica, Rhetorschule, Iuven. – umbrae = schattige Laubhütten, Paul. ex Fest. 377, 4. – 2) = εἴδωλον, φάσμα, der Schatten, die Schattengestalt, das Schattenbild, a) übh.: umbrae hominum, Liv. 21, 40, 9: tenuis, luftiger Schemen, Verg. Aen. 10, 636: umbrae ex hostibus, Schreckbilder, die von den F. ausgehen, ibid. 10, 593. – b) das Schattenbild eines Verstorbenen, der Schatten, der Geist, die Seele, Pauli, Sil.: tricorpor, Verg.: Plur., umbrae, Tibull., Verg. u. Plin.: umbris exagitari, v. Geistern, Gespenstern, Suet.: umbrae silentes, Schatten, Unterwelt, Verg.: umbrarum dominus od. rex, Pluto, Ov.: ire per umbras, in die Unterwelt gehen, sterben, Vitr.: per umbram, per umbras, im Orkus, Ov. – Plur. umbrae vom Schatten eines Verstorbenen, ucm species et umbrae insontis interempti filii agitarent, Liv.: matris agitari umbris, Ov.: omnia Deiphobo solvisti et funeris umbris, Verg. – 3) ein Fisch, sonst sciaena gen., die Äsche (Salmo Thymallus, L.), Varro LL. 5, 77. Ov. hal. 111. Colum. 8, 16, 8. Auson. Mos. 90.

umbra [CL] 1 shadow (cast on a surface by body intercepting the rays from source of light, esp. the sun); b (astr.). c (transf., of image falling on surface) reflection. d the side or direction in which shadows are cast, (spec.) the side or direction of shadows cast by the sun (i. e. the north in the northern hemisphere), (esp. versus ~am or sim.) to the north. e (her.) charge depicted in outline or silhouette, or in the manner of a shadow on its background, umbrated charge (cf. umbrare 2). in ~a facienda tria simul concurrere necesse est: lucem, corpus, et obscuratum locum Bede TR 7; c800 quicquid ‥ in hoc saeculo amatur vel visibile videtur, omnia enim recedunt et quasi ~e vel fumus evanescit [sic] Alcuin Ep. 297; est ‥ in ~a indigencia luminis, assistencia frigoris, et apparencia corporis ‥ ~e sunt longiores et frigidiores versus vesperam quam in meridie Holcot Wisd. 71; si horas de clok ante meridiem per alicujus ~am habere voluerit, operetur cum ~a secundum docetur operari cum altitudine solis post meridiem N. Lynn Kal. 191.  b quantum de spatio aeris occupet umbra terrae, cum sol recedit a nobis diemque abducit, inferiora axis illuminans; et quemadmodum in regionem ~ae hujus incidens lunae globus eclipsim faciat Bede TR 7; primo quidem ~a arietis in praesenti regione notanda est, deinde per gradum in paginam differentiarum intrandum, ejusque adjunctum in ~am praedictam ducendum Adel. Elk. 26a; signum rotundum indicat causam rotundam, et ideo per rotunditatem ~e probatur rotunditas terre J. Blund An. 90.  c super aquas sedere consuevit ut venturi raptum accipitris praevisa in aquis ~a declinet Bede Hom. I 12. 62C; in aquarum levi superficie, si simul obscuritate obumbrentur, eaedem repercussiones fiunt, quas philosophus ~as vocat Adel. QN 29; juvenis ‥ mille vaccas ‥ super ripam stagni ‥ statuat in ordine ‥ ut sint ~e singularum in aqua Map NC II 22 f. 31.  d 1202 medietas ipsius dominii versus ~am Fines Warw 82; 1209 medietatem crofte ‥ versus ~am et medietatem crofte ‥ versus solem Fines RC I 246; 1222 terciam partem sicut jacet ubique in eadem cultura versus ~am Reg. Ant. Linc. III 33; 1235 concessit predictis A. et J. medietatem tocius predicte terre cum pertinenciis, sc. illam medietatem propinquiorem ~e Fines 1/180/3 (41); c1300 divisio terrarum prioratus ‥ et vicarii ‥ prior versus solem, vicarius versus ~am terre et prati MonA III 597.  e 1415 fiat tumba mea ‥ habens imaginem mei super ‥ tumbam, armatam in armis meis cum ~a leonis in le Bende prout vivens utor Foed. IX 272; aliud exemplum ‥ de umbratione cujusdam crucis ‥ et ista crux vocatur ‘crux florida patens umbrata’, set recte loquendo et proprie non est crux, sed ~a talis crucis: et ratio, quia corpus dicte ~e est ejusdem coloris cum campo, et sic color qui est in campo per totum corpus dicte ~e ostenditur Upton 220; sunt ‥ certi nobiles et generosi in Anglia qui portant diversas ~as in suis armis ‥ et credo quod tales qui portant tales ~as habuerunt suos progenitores portantes eadem non umbrata et integra, quorum quidem progenitorum patrimonia et possessiones ad alios descenderunt Ib. 247. 2 area sheltered or protected from direct light, shade, (also transf.) that which produces shadow or shade, (means of) protection from direct light, cover, shelter; b (transf. or fig., esp. w. ref. to protection); c (w. ref. to appearance or sim.). genus ‥ hominum quos Graeci Sciapodas appellant eo quod se ab ardore solis pedum ~a jacentes resupini defendunt Lib. Monstr. I 17; sub ~a illius volucres caeli habitant Bede Mark 174A; Helias, qui projecit se subter ~am unius juniperi Bald. Cant. Serm. 17. 20. 504; sub ~a ‥ illius quem desideraveram sedi J. Ford Serm. 38. 7; non cancri calor exestuans compellit ad ~as Gir. TH I 33.  b c795 sub cujus ~a superna quiete populus requiescit Christianus Alcuin Ep. 41; qui ‥ corda et hora [v. l. ora] prophetarum implens per eorum verba in mundum venturus prenuntiabatur, oris eorum spiritus nominatur, in cujus ~a se vivere dicit, qui se ejus protectionem et imitationem habere vitam et salutem credit Eccl. & Synag. 121; eisdem [fidelibus] vestre protectionis ~am et vestrae consolationis fomentum deesse non expedit Steph. Hard. Exord. 1506C; hujus [Haroldi] sub ~a Emma securum triennium egit W. Malm. GR II 188; que nihil sibi tutum arbitrans in Normannia ‥ sub ~a deguit Baldewini comitis Flandrie Silgrave 66; ob cujus [vitis] ~am Bacchus equitabat, vitisque racemis erat plena Deorum Imag. 19.  c succedent duo dracones quorum alter invidie spiculo suffocabitur, alter vero sub ~a nominis redibit G. Mon. VII 3. 3 (also pl.) dark conditions, darkness, absence of light (esp. of night, also fig.); b (~a mortis, w. mental, moral, or spiritual ref.). ibi legebam clarius quae mihi forsitan antea obscura fuerant, cessante ~a ac veritate firmius inlucescente Gildas EB 1; dicunt bestias esse nocturnas, et non tam bestias quam dira prodigia, quod nequaquam in luce sed in ~is cernuntur nocturnis Lib. Monstr. II 20; noctis ~am Bede TR 7; 800 ut vix antiquae dilectionis quaelibet scintilla eluceat inter caliginosas terrenorum desideriorum ~as Alcuin Ep. 209; noctis et astriferas adtraxerat Hesperus umbras Wulf. Swith. I 923; sacra templa et monasteria augebit, que delubra dicuntur, quia in eis ~a delentur [? l. deletur] peccatorum per sacramenta baptismatis et confessionis (Ergome) Pol. Poems I 193.  b quia sanctis edocta litteris et animam esurientem satiare bonis et sedentibus in tenebris atque ~a mortis lucernam verbi subministrare didicit Bede Tab. 414C; qui in tenebris et ~a mortis positos ad lumen scientie perduxit (Lit. Papae) W. Malm. GR I 58; et cum sedentibus in tenebris et ~a mortis lucem superne gratie infudisset, et Nazareth sancta sua nobilitavit presentia Ailr. Jes. I 3; nos procul eramus a te, quoniam in regione longinqua valde a luce tua, in regione tenebrarum, in regione ~e mortis exulabamus J. Ford Serm. 7. 4. 4 shade (of dead person, esp. in the underworld or sim.), ghost. b (pl.) the world of the dead, the underworld. larba [l. larva], ~a exerrans GlC L 69; exagitabant illum ~e fraterne, diras exigentes inferias W. Malm. GR II 165; funus dicitur in domo, cadaver in tumulo, ~a apud inferos Osb. Glouc. Deriv. 232; [liberi] qui omnes pene in bello Trojano mortui sunt, unde eorum ~as, id est animas, dicit minores in comparacione ad ~am patris eorum Priami Trevet Troades 6.  b Orpheus ut conjugem suam extraheret ad inferos descendit, ~arum dominos permulsit, uxorem ‥ recepit Bern. Comm. Aen. 54; Anglos quoscunque in plateis et domibus reperiebant ‥ crudeliter ad ~as transmiserunt Gir. EH II 3. 5 phantom, ghost. constat custodes locis [sic] ~is fantasticis inquietatos, donec cadaver suffossum longe a monasterio paludi profundae immerserint W. Malm. GP V 258. 6 empty appearance, semblance, merely apparent state or conditions. nec vos decipiat presentis ~a felicitatis Dominic V. Ecgwini I 17; felix si [Anglia] umquam in libertatem respirare poterit, cujus inanem jam dudum persequitur ~am W. Malm. GR II 207; statuto ‥ ad ~am regnandi filio ‥ senem in sua regredi non siverit Id. GP II 79; transivit pater sanctus de mundo ad Patrem, de fide ad faciem ‥ de ~a ad veritatem J. Furness Walth. 90; si vere vita sit tanta fugacitas / in nullo discrepat ab umbra veritas Walt. Wimb. Sim. 178; apostolus ista metaphorice tantum, quo non palam sed sub similitudinis quadam ~a ostendit Fortescue NLN II 57. 7 symbol, type, symbolic representation, adumbration (esp. w. ref. to foreshadowing). recole sacerdotium Aaron ~am aeterni fuisse sacerdotii et promissionem aeternitatis intellege non ad umbram sed ad umbratam pertinere veritatem Bede Sam. 517A; 798 mandata legalia veteris testamenti, quae sunt ~a futurorum Alcuin Ep. 144; in Pascha Judeorum in veritate quidem immolatus est agnus, sed secundum figuram et ~am in ipso agno immolatus est Christus Ailr. Serm. 61. 4; hic est veritas promissionum Dei, veritas signorum, veritas sacrificiorum, veritas ~arum et figurarum Bald. Cant. Serm. 4. 17. 406. 8 kind of fish, perh. shadefish, meagre (Argyrosomus regius or sim.). ~a nomen traxit a locis umbrosis, que libenter inhabitat ‥ sapidus est piscis Neckam NR II 35; habent ‥ stagna terre istius tria piscium genera ‥ sunt enim quidam turtris ‥ thymallis, qui vulgariter ~e dicuntur, persimiles Gir. TH I 10; sanguis anguille et fel ejus, et salmonis et sagimen ~e et coturnicis Gilb. III 136v. 1.

umbra, (7) æ, f. , ¶ 1 ombre [produite par interposition dʼun corps] : platani umbra Cic. de Or. 1, 28, ombre dʼun platane, cf. Cic. Rep. 1, 22, etc. ; umbras timere Cic. Att. 15, 20, 4, craindre lʼombre des objets ; umbram suam metuere Q. Cic. Pet. 9, craindre son ombre ; [fig.] umbram facere alicui rei Sen. Ep. 21, 2, jeter de lʼombre sur (éclipser) qqch. ¶ 2 [métaph.] a) ombre en peinture : Cic. Ac. 2, 20 ; Plin. 35, 29, etc. ; [dans un discours, par anal.] Cic. de Or. 3‘ 101 ; b) ombre dʼun mort, fantôme, spectre : Hor. O. 4, 7, 16 ; Virg. En. 6, 894, etc. ; pl., umbræ matris Ov. M. 9, 410, etc., lʼombre dʼune mère ; c) ombre [convive quʼun invité peut de son chef amener avec lui, parasite] : Hor. S. 2, 8, 22 ; Ep. 1, 5, 28 ; d) umbra luxuriæ Cic. Mur. 13, ce qui accompagne la vie de plaisirs (lʼorgie) (comme une ombre) [la danse] ; e) lieu ombragé, ombrage : vacua tonsoris in umbra Hor. Ep. 1, 7, 50, dans la boutique déserte dʼun barbier ; Pompeia in umbra Prop. 4, 8, 75, à lʼombre du portique de Pompée || la vie à lʼombre : Cic. Mur. 30 ; f) [en parl. de la barbe, du duvet qui ombrage les joues] Stat. Th. 4, 336 ; [de lʼaigrette qui ombrage le sommet du casque] Stat. Th. 6, 226 ; g) ombre [poisson] : Varro L. 5, 77 ; Col. Rust. 8, 16, 8 ¶ 3 [fig.] a) ombre, apparence : veri juris... umbra et imaginibus utimur Cic. Off. 3, 69, du droit pur... nous nʼavons quʼune ombre, un semblant, cf. Cic. Rep. 2, 53 ; Att. 7, 11, 1, etc. ; Liv. 8, 4, 1 ; b) = protection, asile, secours : umbra vestri auxilii tegi possumus Liv. 7, 30, 18, nous pouvons avoir sur nous lʼombre tutélaire de votre secours ; sub umbra Romanæ amicitiæ latere Liv. 34, 9, 10, sʼabriter sous lʼombre de lʼamitié romaine.

umbra , ae. f.
陰凉。影。推之辭。謹廕。廕之物。陪赴席者。魚名。Umbrae. plur. 人鬼。地獄。Umbrarum rex vel pater 閆王。Humens umbra 夜。Tonsoris umbra 剃頭舖。Timere umbras vel Timere umbram suam 自畏其影。妄怕。Facere umbram ei 壓人榮。Inducere fontibus umbras 栽樹遮水泉。Umbras arborum amputare 殳刂樹繁蔭。Adigere eum ad umbras infernas 逼人謝世。Umbras falsae gloriae consectari 求虛幻之榮。

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umbra ae, f

• a shade, shadow: terrae: colles . . . adferunt umbram vallibus: noctis se condidit umbris, V.: pampineae, of vines, V.: Falce premes umbram, i. e. prune the foliage, V.—Prov.: qui umbras timet, is afraid of shadows.—A shaded place, place protected from the sun, shade: Umbra loco deerat, i. e. trees, O.: Pompeiā spatiere sub umbrā, in the Pompeian portico, O.: vacuā tonsoris in umbrā, in the cool barber's shop, H.: rhetorica, i. e. the rhetorician's school, Iu.—In painting, a dark place, shade, shadow: quam multa vident pictores in umbris et in eminentiā.—Of the dead, a shade, ghost: Pulvis et umbra sumus, H.: Cornea (porta), quā veris facilis datur exitus umbris, V.: Umbrarum rex, i. e. Pluto, O.: matris agitabitur umbris, O.—A shadow, attendant, companion: cum Servilio Vibidius, quas Maecenas adduxerat umbras, H.—A grayling, umber (a fish): corporis umbrae Liventis, O.—Fig., a shadow, trace, image, appearance, outline, semblance, pretence, pretext: civitatis: umbras falsae gloriae consectari: umbrae hominum, fame frigore evecti, L.: Mendax pietatis, O.—A shelter, cover, protection: umbra et recessus: sub umbrā vestri auxilii latere, L.—Rest, leisure: docere in umbrā atque otio: ignava Veneris, O.: cedat umbra soli, i. e. repose to exertion.

Umbra

(1) (εἴδωλον, imago). A ghost. The ancients believed that the spirit of the human body descended into subterranean regions after life was extinct, and there retained the same figure and appearance it had possessed during life, so as to be recognizable by the relatives and friends who followed it, but without any real corporeal substance; or, in other words, that it was visible but impalpable. Those who had passed a life of virtue were removed to Elysium (see Elysii Campi), where they continued in the enjoyment of perpetual youth, and sharing in the intercourse of such friends and relatives as had obtained the same lot. Those, on the contrary, who had lived in vice were removed to Tartarus, where they wore out an existence of perpetual punishment ( Serv. ad Verg. Aen. iv. 654; Tibull. iii. 2, 9; Lucret. i. 120; Hor. Carm. iv. 7.14). Hence the poets and artists always invest the shades with a corporeal form, and with the same appearances which the body presented during life. Popular tradition held that the spirits of the dead could revisit the earth; so that there are many passages in ancient literature that are curiously suggestive of the modern “ghost-story.” Several such are found in a letter of Pliny (vii. 27), where all the accessories of strange noises, clanking chains, etc., are introduced, and where the longest tale is the literary prototype of Washington Irving's ghost-story in Dolph Heyliger. See Tylor, Primitive Culture (1871); and the article larva.

(2) A guest who comes to dinner on the invitation, not of the host, but of one whom the host has invited (Hor. Epist. i. 5, 28).