I.to prick with a goad, to prick or goad on, to urge on (syn. pungo).
I. Lit. (post-Aug. and rare): “quadrijugos flagello,” Sil. 4, 439: “equos calcaribus,” Val. Max. 3, 2, 9; for which, poet. transf.: “turbatos currus,” Luc. 7, 570; Sil. 16, 367: “aries stimulatus,” Col. 7, 3, 5.—
II. Trop., to goad, torment, vex, trouble, disquiet, disturb (class. and freq.; “syn. agito): jactor, crucior, agitor, stimulor, vorsor in amoris rota miser,” Plaut. Cist. 2, 1, 4: “hunc sibi ex animo scrupulum, qui se dies noctesque stimulat ac pungit, ut evellatis, postulat,” Cic. Rosc. Am. 2, 6: “larvae stimulant virum,” Plaut. Capt. 3, 4, 66: “te conscientiae stimulant maleficiorum tuorum,” Cic. Par. 2, 18: “me nunc et congressus hujus (Caesaris) stimulat,” id. Att. 9, 15, 2: “me haec solitudo minus stimulat quam ista celebritas,” id. ib. 12, 13, 1: “consulem cura de minore filio stimulabat,” Liv. 44, 44: “stimulatus furenti rabie,” Cat. 63, 4: “curis animum stimulantibus,” Claud. in Ruf. 2, 326.—
B. In gen., to rouse up, set in motion; to spur on, incite, stimulate to any action (syn. cieo, excio).
(α).
With simple acc.: “Phrygio stimulat numero cava tibia mentes,” Lucr. 2, 620: “aliquem,” Liv. 3, 68, 10: “avita gloria animum stimulabat,” id. 1, 22, 2: “irā stimulante animos,” id. 1, 12, 1; 30, 11: “cupido animum stimulabat,” Curt. 4, 7, 8; 6, 5, 19: “stimulata pellicis irā,” Ov. M. 4, 235.—With inanim. objects: “jurgia praecipue vino stimulata,” Ov. A. A. 1, 591: “Persicorum sucus sitim stimulat,” Plin. 23, 7, 67, § 132; so, “venerem,” id. 20, 5, 15, § 32; cf. “conceptus,” id. 2, 8, 6, § 38: “fugam hostium,” id. 9, 8, 9, § 32: “iras functas,” to revive, arouse, Stat. Th. 12, 437. —
(β).
With ad: “ad alicujus salutem defendendam stimulari atque excitari,” Cic. Planc. 28, 69: “ad perturbandam rempublicam,” Sall. C. 18, 4: “ad arma,” Liv. 1, 23, 7: “ad iram,” Tac. H. 2, 44.—
(γ).
With in: “injuriae dolor in Tarquinium eos stimulabat,” Liv. 1, 40, 4: “animos eorum irā in hostes stimulando,” id. 21, 11, 3; cf. “in a mixed construction: ad iram saepius quam in formidinem stimulabantur,” Tac. H. 2, 44 fin.—
(δ).
With ut or ne: “vetus nostra simultas antea stimulabat me, ut caverem, etc.,” Cic. Fam. 3, 12, 4: “rubore stimulabantur, ne clientulorum loco numerarentur,” Tac. Or. 37; Curt. 7, 7, 26.—（ε) Poet., with inf.: “festinare fugam ... iterum stimulat,” Verg. A. 4, 576: “stimulante metu fati praenoscere cursus,” Luc. 6, 423: “juvencos jactare accensis stimulavi cornibus ignes,” Sil. 12, 504.—（ζ) Absol.: “stimulante fame,” Ov. Tr. 1, 6, 9: “stimulante conscientiā,” Curt. 5, 11, 7: “metu stimulante,” id. 7, 7, 26.
