aciēs ēī (old form ē; acc. aciem, disyl. V.; plur. only nom. and acc.), f 2 AC-, a sharp edge, point, cutting part: securium: falcis, V.
—Fig.: horum auctoritatis, the edge, i. e. efficiency.
— Meton., of sight, sharpness of vision, keen look: aciem oculorum ferre, Cs.: fugere aciem: cum stupet acies fulgoribus, the sight, H.
— Brilliancy, brightness: neque tum stellis acies obtunsa videtur, V.
— Concr., the pupil of the eye: acies ipsa, quā cernimus.
—Poet., the eye: huc geminas nunc flecte acies, V.: huc atque huc acies circumtulit, V.
—In war, the front of an army, line of battle, battle-array: triplex, i. e. the legion in three ranks, Cs.: duplex, Cs.: mediā acie, Cs.: exercitūs nostri: aciem instruere, Cs.: extra aciem procurrere, Cs.: neque in acie, sed alio more bellum gerendum, S.
— Of a line of ships: productā longius acie (navium), Cs.
—The battle-array, an army in order of battle: hostium acies cernebatur, Cs.: unius corporis duae acies dimicantes, two divisions of an army: prima, the van, L.: tertia, Cs.: novissima the rear, L.
— Of cavalry: equitum acies, L.
— Poet.: Volcania, a line of fire, V.
—A battle, engagement: in acie Pharsalicā: in acie vincere, Cs.
—Fig., of mind, acuteness, sharpness, force, power: mentis: animi.
—A verbal contest, disputation, discussion, debate: in aciem prodire.