I.might, force, power.
I. Lit. (class.; cf.: “potestas, opes): armorum tenendorum potentia,” Liv. 21, 54 fin.: “potentia solis Acrior,” Verg. G. 1, 92: “ventosa,” Ov. Am. 2, 16, 27: “formae,” id. M. 10, 573: “morbi,” id. ib. 7, 537: “occulti miranda potentia fati,” Juv. 7, 200.—
B. Transf., efficacy, virtue (poet. and in postAug. prose): “herbarum,” Ov. M. 1, 522: “dictamni,” Plin. 25, 8, 53, § 94: “potentia achatae contra scorpiones,” id. 37, 10, 54, § 142: “aquarum,” id. 31, 1, 1, § 1.—
II. Trop.
A. In gen., ability, faculty, capacity (post-class.): “supra humanam potentiam magnitudine animi praeditus,” Just. 12, 16, 1: “facultas videndi,” Cels. 7, 7, 13 fin.: “audiendi,” id. 7, 8: “loquendi,” id. 7, 12, 4.—
B. Political power, authority, sway, influence (class.): “potentia est ad sua conservanda et alterius obtinenda idonearum rerum facultas,” Cic. Inv. 2, 56, 169: “postquam divitiae honori esse coeperunt, et eas gloria, imperium, potentia sequebatur,” Sall. C. 12, 1; Caes. B. G. 6, 14: “erant in magnā potentiā, qui consulebantur,” were in great authority, Cic. Mur. 11, 25: “potentiam alicujus criminari,” id. Mil. 5, 12: “singularis,” the rule of an individual, monarchical power, Nep. Dion, 9, 5: “rerum,” supreme dominion, sovereignty, Ov. M. 2, 259.—In plur.: “contra periculosissimas hominum potentias,” Cic. Cael. 9, 22.—
III. In abl.: potentiā, virtually, Boethius, Analyt. Post. 1, 24.