I.gen. plur.; abl. impetibus, Lucr. 1, 293; v. also impes), m. impeto, an attack, assault, onset (freq. and class.; in sing. and plur. equally common).
I. Lit.
A. In gen.: “incursio atque impetus armatorum,” Cic. Caecin. 15, 44: “gladiis destrictis in eos impetum fecerunt,” Caes. B. G. 1, 25, 2: “impetum facere in aliquem,” id. ib. 1, 46 fin.; Hirt. B. G. 8, 18, 4: “in agros,” Liv. 1, 5, 4: “ad regem,” id. 1, 5, 7; cf.: “in hostes,” Caes. B. G. 1, 22, 3: “dare impetum in aliquem,” Liv. 4, 28, 1; 2, 19, 7: “capere impetum in aliquem,” Plin. 9, 30, 48, § 91: “hostes impetu facto celeriter nostros perturbaverunt,” Caes. B. G. 4, 12, 1: “oppidum magno impetu oppugnare,” id. ib. 2, 6: “primo hostium impetu pulsi,” id. ib. 2, 24, 1: “impetus gladiorum excipere,” id. ib. 1, 52, 4: “impetum sustinere,” id. ib. 3, 2, 4: “ferre impetum,” id. ib. 3, 19, 3: “fracto impetu levissimi hominis,” Cic. Fam. 1, 5, b, 2: “impetum propulsare,” id. Mur. 1, 2: “nec primum quidem impetum, nec secundum, nec tertium, sustinere potuerunt,” Flor. 3, 3, 4; Liv. 33, 36, 11: “uno impetu,” Curt. 8, 14, 18; Lact. 3, 26, 10; 5, 4, 1: “coërcere,” Plin. 17, 22, 35, § 180: “aquarum domare,” id. 31, 6, 31, § 58: “nec tantum (cupiditates) in alios caeco impetu incurrunt, etc.,” Cic. Fin. 1, 13, 44.— Poet.: biformato impetu Centaurus, with double - shaped attack, Cic. poët. Tusc. 2, 8 fin.; v. biformatus.—
B. In partic.
1. In medic. lang., an attack of a disease, a fit, paroxysm: “febris,” Cels. 2, 15: “pituitae,” Plin. 28, 12, 50, § 183: “coeliacorum,” id. 20, 14, 53, § 148: oculorum, i. e. inflammation, id. 20, 3, 8, § 16: “thymum e vino tumores et impetus tollit,” id. 21, 21, 89, § 157; so absol., id. 22, 25, 58, § 122. —
2. In mechanics, the pressure of a load, Vitr. 6, 3.—
II. Transf., in gen. (without reference to an object), violent impulse, violent or rapid motion, impetus, impetuosity, violence, fury, vehemence, vigor, force.
A. Physical: labitur uncta carina, volat super impetus undas, Enn. ap. Macr. S. 6, 1 (Ann. v. 379 Vahl.): “in magno impetu maris atque aperto,” Caes. B. G. 3, 8, 1: “Hebri,” Phaedr. 3, prol. 59: “impetus caeli,” i. e. rapid motion, Cic. N. D. 2, 38, 97; Lucr. 5, 200. — Hence also poet.: quieti corpus nocturno impetu Dedi, in the nocturnal revolution, i. e. in the night, Att. ap. Cic. Div. 1, 22, 44: “impetus ipse animaï Et fera vis venti,” Lucr. 6, 591; cf.: “tantos impetus ventorum sustinere,” Caes. B. G. 3, 13, 6.—
B. Mental, impulse, vehemence, ardor, passion, etc.
(α).
Sing.: “repentino quodam impetu animi incitatus,” internal pressure, impulse, Cic. Off. 1, 15, 49; cf.: “ut tota mente omnique animi impetu in rem publicam incumbas,” id. Fam. 10, 5, 2; id. Att. 11, 5, 1: “impetu magis quam consilio,” Liv. 42, 29, 11: “aliter in oratione nec impetus ullus nec vis esse potest,” Cic. Or. 68, 229; cf.: “ad omnem impetum dicendi,” id. Deiot. 2, 5: “actiones quae recitantur impetum omnem caloremque perdunt,” Plin. Ep. 2, 19, 2: “resumere impetum fractum omissumque,” id. ib. 7, 9, 6: “adulescens impetus ad bella maximi,” Vell. 2, 55, 2: “est prudentis, sustinere ut currum sic impetum benevolentiae,” Cic. Lael. 17, 63: “divinus impetus,” id. Div. 1, 49, 111: “si ex hoc impetu rerum nihil prolatando remittitur,” Liv. 37, 19, 5: “donec impetus famae et favor exercitus languesceret,” Tac. Agr. 39 fin.: “est mihi per saevas impetus ire feras,” I feel an impulse, Ov. H. 4, 38: “Bessus occidendi protinus regis impetum ceperat,” had formed a sudden purpose, Curt. 5, 12, 1: “statim moriendi impetum cepit,” Suet. Oth. 9.— “Prov.: Da spatium tenuemque moram, male cuncta ministrat impetus,” haste makes waste, Stat. Th. 10, 704 sq.—
(β).
Plur.: “animalia, quae habent suos impetus et rerum appetitus,” impulses, instincts, Cic. Off. 2, 3, 11: “an fortitudo, nisi insanire coeperit, impetus suos non habebit?” id. Tusc. 4, 22, 50: “temperantia est rationis in libidinem atque in alios non rectos impetus animi firma et moderata dominatio,” id. Inv. 2, 54, 164: “insanos atque indomitos impetus vulgi cohibere,” id. Rep. 1, 5.