I.fearfulness, fear, terror, dread (class.).
I. Lit.: “parasitus, qui me conplevit flagiti et formidinis,” Plaut. Men. 5, 5, 3: popolo formidinem inicere, Furius ap. Macr. S. 3, 9, 8: “Stoici definiunt formidinem metum permanentem,” Cic. Tusc. 4, 8 fin.: “ut aliqua in vita formido improbis esset posita, apud inferos antiqui supplicia constituta esse voluerunt,” id. Cat. 4, 4, 8: “quae tanta formido,” id. Rosc. Am. 2, 5: “neque miser me commovere possum prae formidine,” Plaut. Am. 1. 1, 181: “subita atque improvisa,” Cic. Prov. Cons. 18, 43: “formidinem suam alicui inicere,” Cic. Verr. 2, 3, 28, § 68: “formidinem inferre,” Tac. H. 2, 15: “intendere,” id. ib. 2, 54: “facere,” id. ib. 3, 10: “mortis,” Cic. Rep. 1, 3; Hor. Ep. 2, 2, 207: “poenae,” id. ib. 1, 16, 53: “fustis,” id. ib. 2, 1, 154.—In plur.: “pericula intendantur, formidines opponantur,” Cic. Quint. 14, 47: “ex ignoratione rerum ipsa horribiles exsistunt formidines,” id. Fin. 1, 19, 63: “contra formidines pavoresque,” Plin. 28, 8, 29, § 115.—
B. In partic., awe, reverence: “(portae) religione sacrae et saevi formidine Martis,” Verg. A. 7, 608; Sil. 1, 83.—
II. Transf., concr., that which produces fear, a frightful thing, a fright, horror.
A. In gen.: “alta ostia Ditis Et caligantem nigrā formidine lucum Ingressus,” Verg. G. 4, 468; Front. de Fer. Als. 3: “defensoribus moenium praemia modo, modo formidinem ostentare,” Sall. J. 23, 1; 66, 1.—
B. In partic., a scarecrow made of differentcolored feathers, a bugbear: cum maximos ferarum greges linea pennis distincta contineat et in insidias agat, ab ipso effectu dicta formido, Sen. de 1ra, 2, 12 (cf. Nemes. Cyneg. 303 sq.): “cervum puniceae septum formidine pennae,” Verg. A. 12, 750; cf. Luc. 4, 437: “furum aviumque Maxima formido,” Hor. S. 1, 8, 4.—Personified, as a goddess, Hyg. Fab. prooem. p. 10 Munk.
