I. Fruitful, fertile (class.; syn.: ferax, fecundus, uber).
A. Lit.
(α).
Absol.: “ager, quamvis fertilis, sine cultura fructuosus esse non potest,” Cic. Tusc. 2, 5, 13: “Asia tam opima est ac fertilis. ut, etc.,” id. de Imp. Pomp. 6, 14: “agri opimi et fertiles,” id. Agr. 2, 19, 51; cf.: “agri uberrimi maximeque fertiles,” id. Div. 1, 42, 94: “agri lati et fertiles,” Cic. Verr. 2, 3, 51, § 120; id. N. D. 2, 53: “ager fertilis et praeda onustus,” Sall. J. 87, 1; Ov. F. 5, 12, 23: “terra,” Liv. 45, 30, 4: “Africa,” Hor. C. 3, 16, 31: “Tibur,” id. ib. 4, 3, 10: “oliveta,” id. ib. 2, 15, 8: “Bacchus (i. e. vinum),” id. ib. 2, 6, 19: “herba,” Ov. F. 3, 240: “annus,” Prop. 4 (5), 8, 14. “cornu nutricis (i. e. Copiae),” Ov. F. 5, 127.—Poet.: “serpens, i. e. the Hydra,” continually producing new heads, Ov. H. 9, 95.—Comp.: “uberius solum fertilioremve segetem,” Quint. 12, 10, 25.— “Prov.: fertilior seges est alienis semper in agris,” Ov. A. A. 1, 349.—Sup.: “quae fertilissima sunt Germaniae loca circum Hercyniam silvam,” Caes. B. G. 6, 24, 2: “regio agri,” id. ib. 7, 13 fin.: “ager,” Liv. 29, 25, 12: “quaestus,” Plin. H. N. 14 praef. § 5.—
(β).
With gen.: “proferre possum multos fertiles agros alios aliorum fructuum,” fertile, some in one kind of produce, some in another, Cic. N. D. 2, 52, 131; cf.: “ager frugum fertilis,” Sall. J. 17, 5: “fertilis hominum frugumque Gallia,” Liv. 5, 34, 2: “tellus frugum pecorisque,” Hor. C. S. 29: “mare testae,” id. S. 2, 4, 31: “insulae pabuli tantum,” Plin. 6, 22, 24, § 86: “arenae vitri,” id. 5, 19, 17, § 75.—Comp.: “incolae (Taprobanes) auri margaritarumque grandium fertiliores quam Indi,” richer in, Plin. 6, 22, 24, § 81.—
(γ).
With abl.: “ager a litore arboribus fertilis, intus frugibus tantum,” Plin. 5, 5, 5, § 33: “flumen auro,” id. 6, 23, 26, § 98.—
(δ).
With ad: “tractus fertilis ad omnia,” Plin. 2, 78, 80, § 190.—(ε) With a and abl.: “Aetna a sacro numquam non fertilis igni,” Lucil. Aetna, 556.—
B. Trop., fertile, productive (poet. and in post-Aug. prose): “fertile pectus habes,” Ov. Pont. 4, 2, 11: “Bacche, soles Phoebo fertilis esse tuo,” Prop. 4 (5), 6, 76. “tanto priscorum cura fertilior fuit,” Plin. H. N. 14 praef. § 3.—
II. That makes fruitful or fertile, fertilizing (poet. and in post-Aug. prose): dea (i. e. Ceres), Ov. M. 5, 642: “Nilus,” Tib. 1, 7, 22; Val. Fl. 7, 608: “majores fertilissimum in agro oculum domini esse dixerunt,” Plin. 18, 6, 8, § 43.—Hence, * adv.: fertĭlĭter , fruitfully, abundantly: “derelicta (metalla) fertilius revivescunt,” Plin. 34, 17, 49, § 164.