I. In abstr., the condition of a slave or servant, slavery, servitude (not so in Cic., who has servitus).
A. Lit.: hoc tibi pro servitio debeo, as your servant, * Ter. And. 4, 1, 52: “cum secum ipse reputaret, quam gravis casus in servitium ex regno foret,” Sall. J. 62, 9: neque desistam abstrahere a servitio civitatem nostram, Brut. ap. Cic. Ep. ad Brut. 1, 16, 9: “militibus nostris Jugurthae servitium minari,” Sall. J. 94, 4: “genus servitii insolitum,” id. H. 2, 81 Dietsch: “servitii pretium,” id. ib. 3, 61, 20; 3, 61, 1; “4, 61, 11: ductus ab creditore in servitium,” Liv. 2, 23, 6: “justum pati servitium (just before: regia servitus),” id. 41, 6, 9: “cum domus Assaraci Phthiam Servitio premet,” Verg. A. 1, 285: “aliquem servitio levare,” to free from slavery, Hor. S. 2, 5, 99: “servitio exire,” Verg. E. 1, 41: “servitium subire,” Ov. Tr. 4, 6, 8.—
B. Transf., in gen., servitude or subjection of any kind: “animi imperio, corporis servitio magis utimur,” Sall. C. 1, 2: “illi etiam tauros primi docuisse feruntur Servitium,” Tib. 2, 1, 41; 2, 4, 1; Ov. A. A. 3, 488; cf. Verg. G. 3, 168; Col. 8, 8, 4: “qui servitium (amoris) ferre fatentur,” Ov. Am. 1, 2, 18: “tanto infensius servitium,” Tac. A. 1, 81 fin. —
II. In concr., a body of servants, the class of slaves (collect.; class. in sing. and plur.).
(α).
Sing.: “ita nunc servitium'st,” such are servants nowadays, Plaut. Curc. 2, 3, 21: “Lycurgus agros locupletium plebi, ut servitio, colendos dedit,” Cic. Rep. 3, 9, 16: “ut a servitio caveremus (cf. just before: examina tanta servorum immissa in populum Romanum),” id. Har. Resp. 12, 25: “nulline motus in Siciliā servorum Verre praetore ... facti esse dicuntur? ... coeptum esse in Siciliā moveri aliquot locis servitium suspicor,” Cic. Verr. 2, 5, 4, § 9: “ex omni faece urbis ac servitio,” id. Pis. 4, 9: “calonum servitiique tertia (pars),” Vell. 2, 82, 3; cf.: “servitii decem milia offerebat,” Tac. A. 12, 17: “qui (gladiatores) e servitio Blaesi erant,” id. ib. 1, 23 et saep.—
(β).
Plur.: “servitia ad caedem et inflammandam urbem incitavit,” Cic. Cael. 32, 78: “vincula soluta sunt et servitia incitata,” id. Leg. 3, 11, 25: “opera facessant, servitia sileant,” id. Fl. 38, 97; Sall. C. 24, 4; 46, 3; 50, 1; 56, 5; id. J. 66, 1; Liv. 2, 10; 6, 12; 28, 11; Col. 11, 1, 3 et al.—
B. Transf., of drones among bees: “sunt autem fuci ... quasi servitia verarum apium,” Plin. 11, 11, 11, § 27.—
2. = servi, servants as individuals: “servitia regum superborum,” Liv. 2, 10, 8: “inopia servitiorum,” id. 28, 11, 9: “dilapsis etiam infimis servitiorum,” Tac. H. 3, 84.
