I. The forepart of a ship, the prow (opp. puppis, the stern; “class.): astitit prorae,” Plaut. Merc. 1, 2, 65; Lucr. 2, 554: “prorae admodum erectae,” Caes. B. G. 3, 13: “rostrata,” Plin. 9, 30, 49, § 94: “terris advertere proram,” Verg. G. 4, 117; id. A. 6, 3; 7, 35: prorae tutela Melanthus, i. e. the lookout stationed at the prow, = proreta, Ov. M. 3, 617: “suspensa prora navim in puppim statuebat,” Liv. 24, 34: “prorae litore illisae,” id. 22, 20; Luc. 9, 1082; Stat. Th. 5, 335.—Prov.: mihi prora et puppis, ut Graecorum proverbium est, fuit a me tui dimittendi, ut rationes nostras explicares, i. e. my intention from beginning to end, my whole design, Gr. πρώρα καὶ πρύμνη, Cic. Fam. 16, 24, 1.—
II. Poet., transf., a ship: “quot prius aeratae steterant ad litora prorae,” Verg. A. 10, 223; Ov. M. 14, 164.
