I.a going, walking, pace, gait.
I. Lit.
A. In gen. (class.): “status, incessus, sessio, accubitio, vultus, oculi, manuum motus teneant illud decorum,” Cic. Off. 1, 35, 128; cf. id. Or. 18, 59: “citus modo, modo tardus,” Sall. C. 15, 8: “fractus,” effeminate, unmanly, Quint. 5, 9, 14; cf.: “in incessu mollior,” Ov. A. A. 3, 306: “incessus Seplasia dignus,” Cic. Pis. 11, 24: “erectus,” Tac. H. 1, 53: “omnibus animalibus certus et uniusmodi incessus est,” Plin. 10, 38, 54, § 111: “vera incessu patuit dea,” Verg. A. 1, 405: “incessum fingere,” Cic. Fin. 2, 24, 77; id. Cael. 20, 49: “qui vultu morbum incessuque fatetur,” Juv. 2, 17: “tot hominum jumentorumque incessu dilapsa est (nix),” the tread, trampling, Liv. 21, 36, 6: “pulvis velut ingentis agminis incessu motus apparuit,” id. 10, 41, 5.—Of a threatening approach (cf. B. infra): “sacerdotes eorum facibus ardentibus anguibusque praelatis incessu furiali militem Romanum insueta turbaverunt specie,” Liv. 7, 17, 3.—In plur., Ov. M. 11, 636 —
B. In partic. (acc. to incedo, I. B.), a hostile irruption, invasion, attack (very rare, except in Tacitus): “Parthorum,” Tac. A. 12, 50: “primo incessu solvit obsidium,” id. ib. 4, 24; 2, 55; 3, 74. — *
II. Transf., concr., an entrance, approach: “incessus hostis claudere,” Tac. A. 6, 33.