I.a female warrior; freq. in close apposition, and taking the place of an adj. (cf. bellator, II.), warlike, skilled in war, serviceable in war (mostly poet.).
I. Lit.: “Penthesilea,” Verg. A. 1, 493: “diva,” i. e. Pallas, Ov. Tr. 1, 5, 76: “Minerva,” id. M. 8, 264: “Roma,” id. Tr. 2, 321: “Hispania,” Flor. 2, 6, 38: “cohors,” Stat. Th. 6, 262: “belua,” i. e. the elephant, Sil. 9, 576.—
B. Transf., of inanim. things: “carinae,” Stat. Th. 7, 57: “glaeba,” i. e. producing warriors, Val. Fl. 7, 612: “pompa,” Claud. III. Cons. Hon. 2: aquilae, ensigns, standards, id. Nupt. Hon. et Mar. 193.—
II. Trop.: ista bellatrix iracundia, this warlike rage, * Cic. Tusc. 4, 24, 54; cf. “ira,” Claud. in Rufin. 2, 118.
