Charlton T. Lewis, Charles Short, A Latin Dictionary

I. The relation to or disposition toward a thing produced in a person by some influence (in this and the two foll. signif. almost peculiar to the philos. lang. of Cic.): comparantur ea, quae aut majora aut minora aut paria dicuntur; “in quibus spectantur haec: numerus, species, vis, quaedam etiam ad res aliquas adfectio,” relation, Cic. Top. 18, 68, and § 70; cf. id. ib. 2, 7.—

II. A.. A change in the state or condition of body or mind, a state or frame of mind, feeling (only transient, while habitus is lasting): “adfectio est animi aut corporis ex tempore aliqua de causa commutatio ut, laetitia, cupiditas, metus, molestia, morbus, debilitas, et alia, quae in eodem genere reperiuntur,” Cic. Inv. 1, 25, 36; 1, 2, 5; cf. 1, 2, 5, § 19. In Gellius = adfectus, as transl. of the Gr. πάθος, Gell. 19, 12, 3.—

B. A permanent state of mind, a frame of mind, a state of feeling, Gr. διάθεσις: “virtus est adfectio animi constans conveniensque,” Cic. Tusc. 4, 15, 34 Kühn (cf. in Gr. διάθεσις ψυχῆς συμφώνης αὑτῇ, Stob. Ecl. Eth. 2, p. 104); id. Fin. 3, 26, 65 Goer.: “non mihi est vita mea utilior quam animi talis adfectio, neminem ut violem commodi mei gratiā,” id. Off. 2, 6, 29 Beier.—Also of body, as anal. to the mind, a fixed, permanent constitution: tu qui detinieris summum bonum firma corporis adfectione contineri, etc., Cic. Tusc. 5, 9, 27.—And metaph. of the stars, their position in respect to one another: “astrorum,” a constellation, Cic. Fat. 4: “ex qua adfectione caeli primum spiritum duxerit,” id. Div. 2, 47 (cf. affectus, a, um, B.).—

C. Esp., a favorable disposition toward any one, love, affection, good-will (post-Aug. prose): “simiarum generi praecipua erga fetum adfectio,” Plin. 8, 54, 80: “egit Nero grates patribus laetas inter audientium adfectiones,” Tac. A. 4, 15: “argentum magis quam aurum sequuntur, nullā adfectione animi, sed quia, etc.,” id. G. 5; Just. 24, 3: “Artemisia Mausolum virum amāsse fertur ultra adfectionis humanae fidem,” Gell. 10, 18, 1.—Concr., the loved object: adfectiones, children, Cod. Th. 13, 9, 3.—

D. In the Lat. of the Pandects, ability of willing, will, volition, inclination (cf. 2. affectus, II. D.): “furiosus et pupillus non possunt incipere possidere, quia adfectionem tenendi non habent,” Dig. 5, 16, 60.