I.lowness of price, cheapness.
I. Lit.: “tanta repente vilitas annonae ex caritate rei frumentariae consecuta est, etc.,” Cic. Imp. Pomp. 15, 44: “vilitas in vendendis (fructibus),” Cic. Verr. 2, 3, 98, § 227: “cum alter annus in vilitate, alter in summā caritate fuerit,” id. ib. 2, 3, 93, § “216: ad denarios senos vilitas rediit,” Plin. 35, 6, 28, § 47: “offerre aliquid vilitati,” to offer for sale at a low price, Plaut. Capt. 2, 1, 34.—
II. Transf.
A. Trifling value of a thing, meanness, baseness, worthlessness, vileness (post-Aug.): “verborum,” Petr. 118: “nominum,” Plin. 20, praef. § 1: si humiles producet, vilitatem; “potentes, gratiam oportebit incessere,” Quint. 5, 7, 23: “morum,” App. Flor. 1, p. 344, 30.—
B. Subject., low esteem, disregard, slighting, contempt: “vilitas sui,” Sen. Clem. 1, 3, 4; id. Ep. 121, 24; Curt. 5, 9, 6.
