I.a., to lie in a place or upon a thing (class.).
I. Lit.: “hic leno aegrotus incubat in Aesculapii fano,” Plaut. Curc. 1, 1, 61: namque incubare satius te fuerat Jovi, against (the statue of) Jupiter, id. ib. 2, 2, 16: “umero incubat hasta,” rests, lies upon her shoulder, Ov. M. 6, 593: “ipsi caetris superpositis incubantes flumen tranavere,” Liv. 21, 27, 5: “his (utribus) incubantes tranavere amnem,” Curt. 7, 21, 18.— Poet.: ferro, to fall upon one's sword, Sen. Hippol. 259.— In part. pres.: incubans, lying near to, bordering upon: “jugum mari,” Plin. 6, 17, 20, § 53.—
B. In partic.
1. To sit upon eggs, to brood, to hatch: “gallinas incubare fetibus alienigenis patiemur,” Col. 8, 5, 10: “ova gallinis incubanda subicere,” Plin. 10, 59, 79, § 161: “ova incubita,” id. 29, 3, 11, § 45.—
2. To abide or dwell in: “rure incubabo in praefectura mea,” Plaut. Cas. 1, 1, 21: “lucos et specus,” to inhabit, App. M. 4, p. 150, 15. — “Pregn.: tabernulam littori proximam, vitatis maris fluctibus, incubabant,” i. e. entered and lodged, App. M. 7, p. 190.—
3. To be in, lie in, rest in or on: “purpura atque auro,” Sen. Thyest. 909: “pavidusque pinnis anxiae noctis vigil incubabat,” on his wings, id. ib. 570 sq.—
4. To cling to, fall upon, said of mourners over the dead, etc.: “indigna fui marito accendisse rogum, incubuisse viro?” Luc. 9, 57; 8, 727; cf. id. 2, 27 al.—
II. Trop., to brood over, to watch jealously over a thing, either to keep or get possession of it: “qui illi pecuniae, quam condiderat, spe jam atque animo incubaret,” Cic. Clu. 26, 72: “auro,” Verg. G. 2, 507: “divitiis,” id. A. 6, 610: “publicis thesauris,” to retain sole possession of, Liv. 6, 15: “opimae praedae,” Flor. 2, 10, 2.—
2. To press upon, weigh upon, be a burden to, fasten on: “ut inhaerentem atque incubantem Italiae extorqueret Annibalem,” Flor. 2, 6, 57: “protervus menti furor,” Sen. Hippol. 268: “illi mors gravis incubat,” id. Thyest. 401.—
3. To settle on, attach one's self to any thing. — Absol., of bees: “nisi incubavere,” Plin. 11, 16, 15, § 45.— Usually with dat.: “leo victor armento incubat,” Sen. Thyest. 733: “ponto nox incubat atra,” glooms over, darkens, Verg. A. 1, 89: “quamvis ipsis urbis faucibus incubaret,” took up a position at, Flor. 1, 10, 2; “but cf.: pigra incubat Caligo terras,” Avien. Or. Mar. 236: “caelum quod incubat urbi,” Val. Fl. 2, 494.
