I. A high place from which to look out, a look-out, watch-tower: “specula, de quo prospicimus,” Varr. L. L. 6, § 82 Müll.: “praedonum adventum significabat ignis e speculā sublatus,” Cic. Verr. 2, 5, 35, § 93: “dat signum speculā ab altā,” Verg. A. 3, 239; Luc. 6, 279: “tamquam ex aliquā speculā prospexi tempestatem futuram,” Cic. Fam. 4, 3, 1; id. Phil. 7, 7, 19; Col. 7, 3 fin. al.—Plur., Liv. 29, 23' specularum significationem Sinon invenit, Plin. 7, 56, 57, § 202; Stat. Th. 6, 547; App. de Mundo, p. 69, 40.—*
B. Trop., a watchtower: stetit Caesar in illā amicitiae speculā, Plin. Pan. 86, 4.—
II. In gen.
A. In speculis esse, to be on the watch or lookout: “nunc homines in speculis sunt, observant, quemadmodum sese unusquisque vestrum gerat,” Cic. Verr. 1, 16, 46; cf. id. Deiot. 8, 22: “in speculis omnis Abydos erat, Ov. H. (17), 18, 12: in speculis atque insidiis relicti,” Cic. Mur. 37, 79: “diem unum in speculis fuit,” Liv. 34, 26: “gentis paratas pendere in speculis,” Claud. B. Get. 569.—
B. Poet., like σκοπιά, a high place, height, eminence: “in speculis summoque in vertice montis Planities ignota jacet,” Verg. A. 11, 526; so of the summits of mountains, id. E. 8, 59; id. A. 10, 454; of the high walls of a city, id. ib. 11, 877; 4, 586.
