I.dep. form fătiscor , ci; v. the foll.) [cf. Gr. χάτις, χατιζω; Lat. fatigo, fessus, adfatim; for the f = χ, cf. Gr. χυ, χέω, χεύσω; Lat. fundo, fons], to open in chinks or clefts, to gape or crack open, to fall apart, tumble to pieces (poet. and in post-Aug. prose).
I. Lit.: “(naves) laxis laterum compagibus omnes Accipiunt inimicum imbrem rimisque fatiscunt,” Verg. A. 1, 123: “saxis solida aera fatiscunt,” id. ib. 9, 809: “area neu pulvere victa fatiscat,” id. G. 1, 180: “(pinguis tellus) haud umquam manibus jactata fatiscit,” id. ib. 2, 249: “viscera flammis (with torreri),” Ov. M. 7, 554: “heu canimus frustra, nec verbis victa fatiscit Janua,” Tib. 1, 5, 67 (Müll. patescit): “camelo ungues in longiore itinere sine calceatu fatiscunt,” Plin. 11, 45, 105, § 254.—
II. Trop., to grow weak, become exhausted, to droop, faint, decrease (ante-class. in the dep. form): “solum segetibus fatiscit,” Col. 2, 13, 3: “scrofa celerrime fatiscit, quae plures educat,” id. 7, 9 fin.: “ipse exercitusque per inopiam et labores fatiscebant,” Tac. A. 14, 24: scriptores dum copia fatiscunt, id. ib. 6, 7: “viri in segnitiem,” Val. Fl. 3, 395: “manibusque nesciis fatiscere,” Tac. A. 16, 5: “donec fatisceret seditio,” id. H. 3, 10.— Poet., with inf.: “exsatiata fatiscet Mater Achilleis hiemes affringere bustis,” Stat. S. 5, 1, 35.—
(β).
In the dep. form: “aevo,” Lucr. 3, 458: altera irā, altera vulneribus fatiscuntur, Varr. ap. Non. 479, 13; Pac. ib. 307, 12; Att. ib. 10 and 479, 10 and 14; Fronto, Princ. Hist. p. 318 ed. Mai.
