Libra, libræ, f. g. quæ & As, & Mina, seu Mna, & pondo dic tur. A pounde, whereof be three sortes. Troiana vel public being 16. vunces: This all common occupiers doe dse in sa of things. Romana, Containing 12. ounces, which Apoth caries vse, and all Phisitions and auncient writetrs do speal of. The third is Marca, Octonaria, or Nummularia, contar ning but 8. ounces, by this monie is weyed. Libra Romana.In coyne is double out pounde, that is 4 shillings or there about. For Libra containeth 100. Dena rios, and euery Denarius is an olde groate sterling of eigl to an ounce.Vna libra farris. Horat. Implere libram, Vide INPLBO. Libra.Cic.A paire of ballances.In altera libræ lancæ ponere.Cic. Anceps libra. Pers. Libra, Signum cœleste. Plin. One of the twelue signes. Libra instrumentum fabrile. Colum. A carpenters line o masons rule.Pari libra cum æquore maris est. Columel. It is euen by lin with the heigth of the sea. Libra. pro libramento. Plin. A counterpoyse: a balassing
Lewis and Short: Latin dictionary
lībra, ae, f. [cf. li/tra; root cli-, clino], the Roman pound, of twelve ounces: as erat libra pondus, Varr. L. L. 5, 169 Müll.: coronam auream libram pondo ex publica pecunia in Capitolio Iovi donum posuit, Liv. 4, 20: mulli binas libras ponderis raro exsuperant, Plin. 9, 17, 30, 64: expende Hannibalem, quot libras in duce summo invenies?Juv. 10, 147: neque argenti in convivio plus pondo quam libras centum inlaturos, Gell. 2, 24, 2: dipondii pondo duas erant libras, Gai. Inst. 1, 122.—II.Transf.A.A measure for liquids: frumenti denos modios et totidem olei libras, Suet. Caes. 38.—B. 1..A balance, pair of scales: cum in alteram librae lancem animi bona imponebat, in alteram corporis, etc., Cic. Tusc. 5, 17, 51; cf. id. Fin. 5, 30, 91.—2.A water-poise, plummet-level, level, line: sin autem locus ... pari libra cum aequore maris est, Col. 8, 17, 4: libratur autem dioptris aut libris aquariis aut chorobate, Vitr. 8, 6, 1.—Hence, ad libram: alteram navem pluribus aggressus navibus in quibus ad libram fecerat turres, of equal height or of equal weight, Caes. B. C. 3, 40, 1.—3.Counterpoise, balance: contra flatus quoque pervicax libra Bononiensibus calamis, Plin. 16, 36, 65, 161: aes et libra, v. aes.—4. The constellation Libra, The Balance, Verg. G. 1, 208; Ov. F. 4, 386; Plin. 18, 25, 59, 221: felix aequato genitus sub pondere Librae, Manil. 4, 545.—5.Trop., a balance (poet.), Pers. 4, 10: animi cunctantis libra, Claud. Laud. Stil. 1, 75.
