I.a city-gate, a gate.
I. Lit.: “hic (miles) portas frangit, at ille (amans) fores,” Ov. Am. 1, 9, 20: “rectā portā invadam extemplo in oppidum antiquom et vetus,” Plaut. Bacch. 4, 4, 60; id. Ps. 2, 2, 3: “si Hannibal ad portas venisset,” Cic. Fin. 4, 9, 22: “pedem portā efferre,” id. Att. 8, 2, 4; 7, 2, 6; Verg. A. 4, 130: “ad portam praesto esse,” Cic. Pis. 23, 55: “portā introire,” id. ib. 23, 55: “egressus portā Capenā,” id. Tusc. 1, 7, 13: “extra portam Collinam,” id. Leg. 2, 23, 58: “porta Carmentalis,” Liv. 2, 49, 8: “pars egressa portis erat,” id. 3, 60, 9; 23, 46, 10: “omnibus portis effundi,” id. 24, 1, 3: “portā Capenā Romam ingressus,” id. 26, 10, 1; 33, 26, 9: “signa portis efferre,” id. 27, 2, 5: “portis ruere,” id. 27, 41, 8: “eādem portā signa infesta urbi inferre,” id. 28, 3, 13: “patefactā portā Romani erumpunt,” id. 28, 36, 8: “subito omnibus portis eruptione factā,” Caes. B. G. 3, 6; 19; 5, 51: “omnibus portis prorumpunt,” Tac. H. 4, 20; 34: “portarum claustra,” Verg. A. 7, 185: “limina portarum,” id. ib. 2, 803: “portas obice firmā claudere,” Ov. M. 14, 780: “portas reserare hosti,” id. A. A. 3, 577: “portā triumphali ducere funus,” Tac. A. 3, 47: “sanctae quoque res, veluti muri et portae, quodammodo divini juris sunt,” Gai. Inst. 2, 8: “vidi Portas (Carthaginis) non clausas, a proof that the people were fearless,” Hor. C. 3, 5, 23.—Connected with urbis: “qui urbis portas occuparent,” Cic. Phil. 14, 6, 15: “bellum a portis hujus urbis avolsum,” id. Rep. 1, 1, 1.—With per (rare except in Livy): “per unam portam praesidium Romanum irrumpit,” Liv. 9, 24, 12: “paulo ante lucem per effractam portam urbem ingreditur,” id. 24, 46, 7: “per aversam portam silentio excedere,” id. 10, 34, 4; 4, 46, 6; 23, 47, 8: “elapsus per eam portam quae ... ad Darii castra pervenit,” Curt. 4, 10, 25; Vulg. Gen. 34, 20: “in fastigio portae,” id. 2 Reg. 18, 24.—Prov.: porta itineri longissima, the way to the gate is the longest (sc. in making a journey), i. e. it is the first step that costs, Varr. R. R. 1, 2, 2.—
B. Transf., in gen., like our gate, of an avenue, entrance, passage, outlet, door of any kind (syn.: fores, janua, ostium). —Of the gates of a camp: “ab decumanā portā castra munita,” Caes. B. G. 3, 25; so, “principalis,” Liv. 40, 27: “quaestoria,” id. ib.: “villarum,” Plin. 28, 10, 44, § 157: venti, velut agmine facto, Quā data porta, ruunt, Verg. A. 1, 82.—Of a cage: “ex portā ludis emitti, said of hares,” Plaut. Pers. 3, 3, 30: porta tonat caeli, Enn. ap. Vet. Gram. ap. Col. (Ann. v. 597 Vahl.); Verg. G. 3, 261: “somni,” id. A. 6, 893; cf. “eburna,” Hor. C. 3, 27, 41: “ubi portitor aera recepit, Obserat umbrosos lurida porta rogos,” the portal of the infernal regions, Prop. 4 (5), 11, 8. belli portae, Enn. ap. Serv. Verg. A. 7, 622; Hor. S. 1, 4, 61 (Ann. v. 271 Vahl.): “mortis,” Vulg. Psa. 9, 15: “inferi,” id. Isa. 38, 10: “portae, quae alibi Armeniae, alibi Caspiae, alibi Ciliciae vocantur,” passes, gorges, defiles, Plin. 5, 27, 27, § 99; Nep. Dat. 7, 3; Val. Fl. 3, 496: “solis,” the signs of Cancer and Aries in the zodiac, Macr. Somn. Scip. 1, 12, and S. 1, 17: jecoris, a part of the liver (so too in Gr. πύλη), Cic. N. D. 2, 55, 137: “fluviorum,” Vulg. Nahum, 2, 6.—Of the fundament, Cat. 15, 17.—*
II. Trop.
A. Et quibus e portis occurri cuique deceret, by what way, by what means, Lucr. 6, 32.—
B. As the symbol of strength: “portae inferi,” the powers of hell, Vulg. Matt. 16, 18.
