I.nom. sing. PARICIDAS, Fragm. XII. Tab. ap. Fest. s. v. parrici, p. 221 Müll.), ae, comm. the etym. is disputed; “most prob. it is for patricida, from pater-caedo,” Quint. 8, 6, 35, the murderer of his or her father or parents, a parricide.
I. Lit.: “majores supplicium in parricidas singulare,” Cic. Rosc. Am. 25, 70: “nisi forte magis erit parricida, si qui consularem patrem quam si humilem necarit,” id. Mil. 7, 17; Sen. Clem. 1, 23, 2; Suet. Aug. 34: “Telegoni juga parricidae,” Hor. C. 3, 29, 8; Plin. 7, 45, 46, § 149; cf. Sen. ad Marc. 26, 4; Vulg. 1 Tim. 1, 9.—
II. Transf.
A. The murderer of a near relative: “parricida matris quoque aut fratris interfector,” Quint. 8, 6, 35: “Virginius occisā filiā, ne se ut parricidam liberum aversarentur, etc.,” Liv. 3, 50, 5; the murderer of his sister, Flor. 1, 3, 6; 3, 1, 6; cf.: Paul. Sent. 5, tit. 24.—*
B. The murderer of the chief magistrate (as the father of the country); “of the murderers of Cæsar: si parricidae (sunt), cur? etc.,” Cic. Phil. 2, 13, 31 (v. the passage in connection); cf. id. Fam. 12, 3, 1: “Brutus suarum prius virtutum quam patriae parentis parricida,” Val. Max. 6, 4, 5; Aus. Caes. 21, 2.—
C. The murderer of a free citizen, a murderer, assassin (syn.: sicarius, percussor): si qui hominem liberum dolo sciens morti duit, paricidas esto, Lex Numae Pompilii ap. Fest. p. 221 Müll.; “Lex Tribunic. ap. Fest. s. v. Sacer Mons, p. 318 Müll.: parricida civium,” Cic. Cat. 1, 12, 29.—
D. One guilty of high-treason, a traitor (qs. the murderer of his country), a rebel, a sacrilegious wretch, etc.: “sacrum sacrove commendatum qui clepserit rapseritque parricida esto,” Cic. Leg. 2, 9, 22: magno cum dolore parricidarum, i. e. of Antony's adherents, Planc. ap. Cic. Fam. 10, 23, 5: “parricidae reipublicae,” of Catiline's associates, Sall. C. 51, 25; 14, 3: “vos de crudelissimis parricidis quid statuatis cunctamini?” id. ib. 52, 31: Catilinae obstrepere omnes; “hostem atque parricidam vocare,” id. ib. 31, 8; Flor. 4, 1, 10; Tac. H. 1, 85; id. A. 4, 34, 2.