umbĭlīcus, i, m. [akin to o)mfalo/s], the navel.I.Lit., Cels. 7, 14; 6, 17; Plin. 11, 37, 89, 220; Liv. 26, 45, 8; Auct. B. Afr. 85, 1; Isid. Orig. 11, 1.—II.Transf.A.The umbilical cord, Cels. 7, 29, 41.—B.The middle, centre: dies quidem jam ad umbilicum est dimidiatus mortuus, Plaut. Men. 1, 2, 45: qui locus, quod in mediā est insulā situs, umbilicus Siciliae nominatur, Cic. Verr. 2, 4, 48, 106: terrarum, i. e. Delphi, Att. ap. Varr. L. L. 7, 17 Müll.; and in Cic. Div. 2, 56, 115; also called umbilicus orbis terrarum, Liv. 38, 48, 2; and, umbilicus medius Graeciae, id. 41, 23, 13: qui (Aetoli) umbilicum Graeciae incolerent, id. 35, 18, 4: Italiae, Varr. ap. Plin. 3, 12, 17, 100.—C.The projecting end of the cylinder on which an ancient book was rolled, Mart. 2, 6, 11; 1, 67, 11; 3, 2, 9; 5, 6, 15; 8, 61, 4; Cat. 22, 7: iambos ad umbilicum adducere, i. e.
to bring to a close
, Hor. Epod. 14, 8; cf.: ohe, jam satis est, ohe libelle: Jam pervenimus usque ad umbilicos,
to the end
, Mart. 4, 91, 2.—D.A projection in the middle of plants, Plin. 15, 22, 24, 89; 16, 7, 10, 29; 18, 14, 36, 136; Pall. Nov. 7, 8. —E.A small circle, Plin. 37, 5, 20, 78; 18, 33, 76, 327.—F.The pin or index on a sundial, Plin. 6, 34, 39, 212; 2, 72, 74, 182.—G.A kind of sea-snail, sea-cockle, Cic. de Or. 2, 6, 22; Val. Max. 8, 8, 1; Aur. Vict. Vit. Caes. 3.—H. Umbilicus Veneris, the herb navelwort, App. Herb. 43.