lituus, i (gen. plur. lituum, Luc. 1, 237; Val. Fl. 6, 166; Sil. 13, 146), m. prob. Etruscan; prim. signif. crooked. Lit. The crooked staff borne by the augurs, an augur's crook or crosier, augural wand: dextra manu baculum sine nodo aduncum tenens, quem lituum appellaverunt, Liv. 1, 18, 7; cf.: lituus iste vester, quod clarissimum est insigne auguratus, Cic. Div. 1, 17. 30; Geh. 5, 7, 8: Quirinalis, Verg. A. 7, 187: lituo pulcher trabeaque Quirinus, Ov. F. 6, 375.

— A crooked wind-instrument (used to give signals in war), a curved trumpet, cornet, clarion: lituus sonitus effudit acutos, Enn. ap. Paul. ex Fest. p. 116 Mull. (Ann. v. 522 Vahl.); Verg. A. 6, 167: jam lituus pugnae signa daturus erat, Ov. F. 3, 216: lituo tubae Permixtus sonitus, Hor. C. 1, 1, 23: stridor lituum clangorque tubarum, Luc. 1, 237: cornua cum lituis audita, Juv. 14, 200.

— Transf., a signal: de lituis, βοώπιδος, Cic. Att. 2, 12, 2.

— Trop., an instigator, author: lituus meae profectionis, Cic. Att. 11, 12, 1.