I.the being out of one's senses, beside one's self, madness, insanity.
I. Lit.: “animi adfectionem lumine mentis carentem nominaverunt amentiam eandemque dementiam,” Cic. Tusc. 3, 5, 10: Di monerint meliora atque amentiam averruncassint tuam, Pac. ap. Varr. L. L. 7, § 102 Müll., and in Paul. ex Fest. p. 373 Müll. (Trag. Rel. p. 90 Rib.): heu cor ira fervit caecum, amentiā rapior ferorque, Att. ap. Non. 503, 7 (Trag. Rel. p. 194 Rib.): “Quor meam senectutem hujus sollicito amentiā,” Ter. And. 5, 3, 16: “Quae istast pravitas, Quaeve amentiast ...?” id. Heaut. 5, 2, 21; id. Hec. 4, 4, 50 (not elsewhere in Ter.): “flagrare cupiditate atque amentiā,” Cic. Verr. 2, 4, 34: “amentiā atque audaciā praeditus,” id. ib. 2, 2, 42; Ov. M. 5, 511: “tanta vis amentiae verius quam amoris mentem turbaverat,” Liv. 3, 47; 23, 9: “Percutiat te Dominus amentiā,” Vulg. Deut. 28, 28; ib. Zach. 12, 4.—
II. Meton.
A. Folly, stupidity (cf. amens, II.): “si quem amentia verset,” Hor. S. 2, 3, 249.—
B. Malice, malignity (eccl. Lat.): “propter multitudinem amentiae (tuae),” Vulg. Os. 9, 7.
