I.to wither, droop, shrink, shrivel
II. Transf., to be faint, weak, drooping, feeble, languid, lazy (not in Cic. or Cæs.): “annis corpus jam marcet,” Lucr. 3, 946: “marcent luxuria, vino, et epulis per totam hiemem confecti,” Liv. 23, 45: “otio ac desidia corrupti marcebant,” Just. 30, 1: “pavore,” Curt. 4, 13, 18; Vell. 2, 84: “si marcet animus, si corpus torpet,” Cels. 2, 2: “amor,” Claud. Laud. Seren. 226: “juventa,” Nemes. Ecl. 1, 60.—Hence, marcens , entis, P. a., withering, drooping, feeble, wasted away, exhausted, weak, languid, indolent (mostly poet.).
A. Lit.: “marcentes coronae, Claud. Epithal. Pall. et Celer. 96: marcentes tibi porrigentur uvae,” Mart. 5, 78, 12: “bracchia marcentia vino,” Col. 10, 428.—
B. Transf.: “colla,” Stat. Th. 2, 630: “guttura,” Ov. M. 7, 314: “senex marcentibus annis,” Sil. 15, 746: “visus,” Sen. Agam. 788: “stomachus,” Suet. Calig. 58: “terga,” Mart. Cap. 6, § 704.—Absol.: “tostis marcentem squillis recreabis,” Hor. S. 2, 4, 58: “Vitellius deses et marcens,” Tac. H. 3, 36: “pocula,” i. e. enfeebling, Stat. S. 4, 6, 56: “pax,” Tac. G. 36: flamma cupiditatis, Mam. Grat. Act. ad Julian. 17.
