I.a royal staff, a sceptre.
I. Lit.: “(rex Ptolemaeus) sedens cum purpurā et sceptro et illis insignibus regiis,” Cic. Sest. 26, 57; Quint. 9, 3, 57; 11, 3, 158; Suet. Aug. 94: “Augusti,” id. Galb. 1; Verg. A. 7, 247: “dextrā sceptrum gerebat,” id. ib. 12, 206; Ov. M. 7, 103; 1, 178; 2, 847; “5, 422. Also borne by a king's daughter,” Verg. A. 1, 653 Heyne: “exitiale,” Stat. Th. 1, 34; “of a triumphant general,” Liv. 5, 41; Juv. 10, 43.—Poet., in the plur., by way of amplification, of a single sceptre, Cic. poët. Div. 1, 12, 21; cf.: “celsā sedet Aeolus arce Sceptra tenens,” Verg. A. 1, 57; “and of Juno,” Ov. M. 3, 265; 1, 596; 11, 560; Verg. A. 7, 173; 7, 252 al.—
B. Transf. *
1. A teacher's rod (humorously): “ferulae tristes, sceptra paedagogorum,” Mart. 10, 62, 10.— *
2. A name of the plant aspalathus, Plin. 12, 24, 52, § 110.—
3. = membrum virile, Auct. Priap. 25.—
II. Trop., as a symbol of authority, also used by the poets, in the plur., for kingdom, rule, dominion, authority: en impero Argis, sceptra mihi liquit Pelops, Poët. ap. Quint. 9, 4, 140: “tu mihi quodcumque hoc regni, tu sceptra Jovemque Concilias,” Verg. A. 1, 78: “sic nos in sceptra reponis?” id. ib. 1, 253; 7, 422; “9, 9: pulsus solio sceptrisque paternis,” id. ib. 10, 852: “sceptra Asiae tenere,” Ov. H. 16, 175: “potiri perenni sceptro,” id. M. 15, 585; id. F. 4, 198; id. M. 6, 677: “Heliconiadum comites, quorum unus Homerus Sceptra potitus, etc.,” Lucr. 3, 1038.