I.abundant power, wealth, riches, abundance (very freq. in all periods and species of composition).
I. Of material objects.
A. Of possessions, resources, wealth, supplies, riches, prosperity (syn.: divitiae, opes; “opp. inopia): pro re nitorem et gloriam pro copiā,” Plaut. Aul. 3, 6, 5: divitiarum fructus in copiā est; “copiam autem declarat satietas rerum et abundantia,” Cic. Par. 6, 2, 47; Plaut. Cist. 1, 1, 32: “copiis rei familiaris locupletes et pecuniosi,” Cic. Rosc. Com. 15, 44: “utrum copiane sit agri, vectigalium, pecuniae, an penuria,” id. Inv. 2, 39, 115: “frugum,” id. Dom. 7, 17: publicani suas rationes et copias in illam provinciam contulerunt, id. Imp. Pomp. 7, 17: “circumfluere omnibus copiis atque in omnium rerum abundantiā vivere,” id. Lael. 15, 52 and 55; id. Deiot. 5, 14; Caes. B. G. 4, 4 fin.; Hor. C. 3, 29, 9: “Plenior ut si quos delectet copia justo,” id. S. 1, 1, 57: “Si recte frueris non est ut copia major Ab Jove donari possit tibi,” id. Ep. 1, 12, 2; Ov. M. 8, 838: “exercitus omnium rerum abundabat copiā,” Caes. B. C. 1, 49: “abundans omni copiā rerum est regio,” Liv. 29, 25, 12: bonam copiam ejurare, to abjure property, i. e. to declare one's self exempt through poverty, Cic. Fam. 9, 16, 7.—Poet.: “omnis copia narium ( = luxus odorum, Schol.),” Hor. C. 2, 15, 6.—
B. In respect to other objects, fulness, copiousness, multitude, number, abundance: “meretricum,” Plaut. Bacch. 3, 6, 34: “tanta copia venustatum aderat,” id. Poen. 5, 4, 5: “quorum (librorum) habeo Antii festivam copiam,” Cic. Att. 2, 6, 1: “tanta copia virorum fortium atque innocentium,” id. Imp. Pomp. 10, 27; cf.: “tanta doctissimorum hominum,” Sall. H. 1, 1 Dietsch: “magna latronum in eā regione,” id. C. 28, 4: “tubicinum,” id. J. 93, 8: “procorum,” Ov. M. 10, 356: “nimborum,” Lucr. 6, 511 et saep.—
2. In milit. lang. copia, and far more freq. in plur. copiae, ārum, men, troops, forces, army.
(α).
Sing.: “omnis armatorum copia,” Cic. Att. 13, 52, 2: “eā copiā, quam secum eduxit, se hanc civitatem oppressurum arbitratur,” id. Mur. 37, 78: “ex omni copiā eligere aliquos,” Caes. B. G. 1, 48; id. B. C. 1, 45; Pompei. ap. Cic. Att. 8, 12, A, 3; Sall. C. 56, 2 Kritz; 61, 5.—
(β).
More freq. plur., orig. of a body of troops as made up of smaller bodies; cf. Engi. troops; the forces, troops, etc.: “armare quam maximas copias,” Sall. J. 13, 1: “copias secum adducere,” Ter. Eun. 4, 6, 17; cf.: “in angustum oppido nunc meae coguntur copiae,” id. Heaut. 4, 2, 2: cogere copias Brundusium, Cn. Pomp. ap. Cic. Att. 8, 12, A, 3; id. Fam. 3, 3, 2; Caes. B. G. 1, 11; 1, 12; 1, 13; 1, 25; Nep. Them. 2, 4; id. Alcib. 8, 2; Liv. 40, 44, 3 et saep.—
II. Of immaterial objects, fulness, copiousness, multitude, abundance.
A. In gen.: “Quam tibi de quāvis unā re versibus omnis argumentorum sit copia missa per auris,” Lucr. 1, 417: “rerum copia verborum copiam gignit,” Cic. de Or. 3, 31, 125; cf. “rerum,” Sall. C. 2, 10; Quint. 7, prooem. § 1;: “inventionis,” id. 11, 3, 56: “orationis,” id. 4, 2, 117: “sermonis,” id. 8, 6, 5: “abundare debet orator exemplorum copiā,” id. 12, 4, 1: “tanta facultas dicendi vel copia,” Cic. Verr. 1, 4, 10: “verborum,” Quint. 1, 8, 8: “in dicendo ubertas et copia,” Cic. de Or. 1, 12, 50: “dicendi,” id. Red. Sen. 1, 1; id. Top. 18, 67; Quint. 10, 6, 6; and so of fulness in expression, absol., copia, Cic. Brut. 11, 44; id. Fam. 5, 12, 3; Quint. 1, 8, 17: “copias eloquentiae ponere in medio,” id. 7, 10, 15: “Platonis,” id. 10, 1, 108: “Senecae,” id. 12, 10, 11.—
B. Esp., in reference to action, ability, power, might, opportunity, facilities, means of doing a thing.
(α).
With gen. gerund.: “ut mi ejus facias conveniundi copiam,” Plaut. Capt. 3, 5, 90; so, “facere,” Ter. Heaut. prol. 29; cf. “dare,” id. ib. 28; Verg. A. 1, 520 al.: “edundi,” Plaut. Capt. 4, 2, 72: “cunctandi,” id. Ep. 1, 2, 58: “illius inspectandi,” id. Bacch. 3, 3, 84: “societatis amicitiaeque conjungendae,” Sall. J. 83, 1 al.—
(β).
With inf.: “quibus in otio vel magnifice vel molliter vivere copia erat,” Sall. C. 17, 6; so Cat. 64, 366. —
(γ).
With ut: “cum copiam istam mihi et potestatem facis, ut ego, etc.,” Plaut. Capt. 2, 3, 14; id. Mil. 3, 1, 174; Ter. Heaut. 2, 3, 87 al.—
(δ).
Absol.: “neque edepol facio: neque, si cupiam, copia est,” Plaut. Aul. 2, 2, 76; id. Trin. 1, 2, 98 al.: “ne quam aliam quaerat copiam ac te deserat,” Ter. Heaut. 5, 1, 54; cf. Plaut. Capt. 2, 1, 22.—So pro copiā, according to one's ability, as one is able: volo habere hic aratiunculam pro copiā hic aput vos. Plaut. Truc. 1, 2, 46: “pro copiā supplicare Lari familiari,” Cato, R. R. 143, 2: “dona pro copiā portantes,” Liv. 26, 11, 9: “in vehiculis pro copiā cujusque adornatīs,” Curt. 9, 10, 26.—Esp. with the implication that one can do little: pro eā copiā quae Athenis erat, Sulp. ap. Cic. Fam. 4, 12, 3: “pro rei copiā,” Sall. J. 90, 1: “ludi funebres additi pro copiā provinciali et castrensi apparatu,” Liv. 28, 21, 10: “iudos pro temporis hujus copiā magnifici apparatus fecerunt,” id. 27, 6, 19. —
2. Access to a person, with gen.: quando ejus copia est. Plaut. Trin. 3, 2, 45; cf.: “obsecrat, ut sibi ejus faciat copiam,” Ter. Phorm. 1, 2, 63.
