I.that by which one is entangled or impeded, a hinderance, impediment (freq. and class.; cf.: obstaculum, difficultas).
I. In gen.: “compeditos primo aegre ferre onera et impedimenta crurum,” Sen. Tranq. 10: “Demosthenes impedimenta naturae diligentia industriaque superavit,” Cic. de Or. 1, 61, 260: “moram atque impedimentum alicui inferre,” id. Inv. 1, 9, 12: “afferre,” Tac. A. 15, 9: “legitimum,” Cic. Agr. 2, 9, 24: “leve,” id. Rep. 1, 3: “impedimentum magis quam auxilium,” Liv. 9, 19, 5: “epistulam jam recepisse te colligo, nam festinanti tabellario dedi: nisi quid impedimenti in via passus est,” hinderance, delay, Plin. Ep. 2, 12, 6: “esse impedimenti loco,” Caes. B. C. 3, 17, 4: “ad dicendum impedimento esse,” Cic. Rosc. Am. 51, 149; so, “with ad,” Curt. 4, 2, 15; so, “impedimento esse,” Plaut. Cas. prol. 61; Ter. And. 4, 2, 24; Cic. Rosc. Am. 4, 9; Quint. 5, 14, 35; 5, 10, 123; 7 praef. § 2 et saep.; cf.: “Gallis magno ad pugnam erat impedimento, quod, etc.,” Caes. B. G. 1, 25, 3; Quint. 2, 5, 2: “quae dictatori religio impedimento ad rem gerendam fuerit,” Liv. 8, 32, 5.—
II. In partic., plur. impedimenta; concr., travelling equipage, luggage; and esp. in milit. lang., the baggage of an army (including the beasts of burden and their drivers; cf. “sarcinae): nullis impedimentis, nullis Graecis comitibus (opp. magno et impedito comitatu),” Cic. Mil. 10, 28: “ad impedimenta et carros suos se contulerunt ... Ad multam noctem etiam ad impedimenta pugnatum est ... impedimentis castrisque nostri potiti sunt,” Caes. B. G. 1, 26: “impedimenta in unum locum contulerunt,” id. ib. 1, 24 fin.: “impedimentis direptis, etc.,” id. ib. 2, 17, 2; “2, 24, 3 et saep.: prima luce magnum numerum impedimentorum ex castris mulorumque produci eque iis stramenta detrahi jubet,” pack-horses, id. ib. 7, 45, 2: “interfectis omnibus impedimentis ad pugnam descendit,” Front. Strat. 2, 1; Veg. Mil. 3, 6.
