“head” in Latin

primum locum obtinere (general term, to stand at the head of anything): in prima acie versari: primam aciem obtinere (to be placed in the first rank of an army): exercitui praeesse (to command an army): principem alicujus rei esse, principatum alicujus rei tenere: principem alicujus rei locum obtinere (to be the first in il): caput alicujus rei esse (to be the head of it): to head an embassy, principem legatorum esse; principem legationis locum obtinere; a party, principem factionis esse; principatum factionis tenere; a conspiracy, principem or caput conjurationis esse: to offer to head anything, ducem se offerre or se addere: to head a party or cause, causae alicujus ducem et quasi signiferum esse.

caput (general term; also for any upper part, whether round or not; and, by metonymy, the whole person or animal itself, especially in enumerations and in divisions; lastly, also, so far as the head is considered the seat of life, for life itself): cacumen (the highest point of a thing): bulla (a thick upper part of a thing; e.g., of a nail, clavi). The front of the head, back of the head, capitis pars prior, pars aversa; the back also occipitium. One who has a large head, capito: from head to foot, a capillo usque ad ungues; a vestigio ad verticem; a vertice ad talos (poetical); a vertice, ut aiunt, ad extremum unguem; ab unguiculo ad capillum summum; ab imis unguibus usque ad verticem summum or ad capillos summos (all proverbially; ☞ for which no Latin ever said a capite ad pedes or ad calcem): to contemplate or survey anybody from head to foot, aliquem totum oculis perlustrare: the wine gets into my head, vino incalesco: my head is full, multa simul cogito (I have many thoughts at the same time in my head); multa me sollicitant or sollicitum habent (there are many things which trouble me); multa negotia per caput saliunt (many kinds of business claim my attention. Hor., Sat., 2, 6, 33): to shave anybody’s head close, caput ad cutem tondere (Cels.): it will also be well to have his head shaved close, neque inutile erit caput attonsum (Cels.): to carry anything on one’s head, aliquid repositum in capite sustinere (Cic.; of the Canephoroe). A congestion of blood in the head, implementum capitis (caelius, Tard., 1, 5). Anybody is placed with his head leaning back on anybody’s lap, aliquis collocatur sic aversus, ut in gremium alicujus caput resupinus effundat (Cels.). To be over head and ears in debt, aere alieno obrutum or demersum esse; plane perditum esse aere alieno (Cic.); animam debere (comedy): twenty-five head of cattle, grex XXV. capitum (of oxen; but of sheep, ovium must be used): to pay for anything with one’s head, capite luere aliquid: to lose one’s head, supplicio capitis or summo supplicio affici, securi percuti or feriri (to be executed; the former general term, the latter with the axe; ☞ capite minui, caput perdere are not Latin). To get anything out of one’s head, cogitationem de re abjicere; non amplius cogitare de re: I wish you could get this out of your head, abducas velim animum ab his cogitationibus: write whatever comes into your head, quicquid tibi in mentem veniet, scribas velim. In order that the odium of the unsuccessful treatment might not fall on his head, ne in ipsius caput panim prosperae curationis eventus rectdat: the blood of the slain is upon your head, *Manes caesorum poenas a te repetunt: may that be upon their heads, quod illorum capiti sit. I don’t know whether I am standing on my head or my heels, non, edepol, nunc, nbi terrarum sim, scio (Plaut.). To carry one’s head high [Vid: “to be PROUD”].

Memory, memoria: a good head, memoria tenax: a bad head, immemor ingenium (with reference to studies): to retain anything in one’s head, aliquid memoria tenere.

Mental talents, ingenium: mens [Vid: INTELLECT] (☞ never caput). He has a good head for his studies, aliquis ingenio est docili: a bad head, immemor ingenium (Cic.): anybody has a good head, ingenium alicui non deest; ingenium alicujus non absurdum est.

The most important person, the chief, caput (general term): princeps (the principal, most dignified, whom the others take as a pattern): coryphaeus (one that gives the tone, κορυφαῖος; only Cic., N.D., 1, 21, 59, as an expression of Philo’s, who used to call Zeno coryphaeus Epicureorum): dux (a leader). (The words are found in this connection and order.) dux et princeps: auctor (by whose advice anything is undertaken). (The words are found in this connection and order.) dux et auctor: caput: signifer: fax (the head of a party or conspiracy, leader in a tumult). The head in a civil war (he who gave the signal for rising), tuba belli civilis (Cic., Fam., 6, 12, 3). The head of a conspiracy, caput conjuratorum; princeps conjurationis: the heads of the town, of the state, capita rerum or rei publicae; principes civitatis: the heads of the people, capita, or principes, or primores plebis.

Heads or tails, capita aut navim (a gold coin was thrown up, and it was then seen whether the “head of Janus” or the “ship’s-beak” fell uppermost; Macrobius, Sat., 1, 7; Aur, Vict., Orig., 3). Neither head nor tail, nee caput nec pedes (i. e., without beginning or end; of a tale, etc.; Cic., Fam., 7, 31; ☞ Plaut., Asin., 3, 3, 139; Cato, ap. L. Epit., lib., 53).