Charlton T. Lewis, Charles Short, A Latin Dictionary

I.v. in the foll.: nox, adverb. for nocte; v. fin.), f. (once masc. in Cato; v. infra, I.) [Sanscr. nak, naktis, night; Gr. νύξ; Germ. Nacht; Engl. night; from root naç; cf. neco, νέκυς], night.

I. Lit.: hinc nox processit stellis ardentibus apta, Enn. ap. Macr. S. 6, 1 (Ann. v. 343 Vahl.): “ipsa umbra terrae soli officiens noctem efficit,” Cic. N. D. 2, 19, 49: “negat ullum esse cibum tam gravem, quin is die et nocte concoquatur,” in a day and a night, in twenty-four hours, id. ib. 2, 9, 24 (v. dies, I. B. 2.): “quod serenā nocte subito candens et plena luna defecisset,” id. Rep. 1, 15, 23: “dinumerationibus noctium ac dierum,” id. ib. 3, 2, 3: “Milo mediā nocte in campum venit,” id. Att. 4, 3, 4: “omni nocte dieque,” Juv. 3, 105: “de nocte,” by night, Cic. Mur. 33, 69: “multā de nocte profectus est,” late at night, id. Att. 7, 4, 2; and: “vigilare de nocte,” id. Mur. 9, 22 (v. de, I. B. 2.): “multā nocte veni ad Pompeium,” id. Q. Fr. 2, 9, 2: “qui ad multam noctem vigilāssem,” id. Rep. 6, 10, 10: “ad multam noctem pugnatum est,” Caes. B. G. 1, 26: “sub noctem naves solvit,” id. B. C. 1, 28: “noctes et dies urgeri,” night and day, Cic. de Or. 1, 61, 260; cf.: “qui (scrupulus) se dies noctesque stimulat,” id. Rosc. Am. 2, 6 et saep. (v. dies, I. B. 2.): “concubiā nocte visum esse in somnis ei, etc.,” id. Div. 1, 27, 57 (v. concubius).—

(β). Abl. noctu: hac noctu filo pendebit Etruria tota, Enn. ap. Macr. S. 1, 4 (Ann. v. 153 Vahl.); so, “hac noctu,” Plaut. Am. 1, 1. 116: “noctu hac,” id. Mil. 2, 4, 28: noctu concubiā, Enn. ap. Macr. S. 1, 4 (Ann. v. 169 Vahl.): “senatus de noctu convenire, noctu multā domum dimitti, Quadrig. ib.: ergo noctu futura, cum media esse coeperit, auspicium Saturnaliorum erit,” Macr. S. 1, 4 fin.—Once masc. (as in cum primo lucu; “v. lux): in sereno noctu,” Cato, R. R. 156, 3.—

2. In partic., personified: Nox , the goddess of Night, the sister of Erebus, and by him the mother of Æther and Hemera, Cic. N. D. 2, 17, 44; Hyg. Fab. prooem.; Verg. A. 5, 721; Serv. Verg. A. 6, 250; Tib. 2, 1, 87; 3, 4 17; Ov. F. 1, 455; Val. Fl. 3, 211; Stat. Th. 2, 59 et saep.—

B. Transf.

1. That which takes place or is done at night, nightdoings, night-work (poet. and in post-class. prose): “omnis et insanā semita nocte sonat,” nocturnal noise, a revelling by night, Prop. 5, 8, 60; Val. Fl. 2, 219.—Hence, Noctes Atticae, the title of a work of Gellius, which he wrote at Athens by night, Gell. praef.—

2. Sleep, a dream (poet.): pectore noctem Accipit, Verg. A. 4, 530: “talia vociferans noctem exturbabat,” Stat. Th. 10, 219: “abrupere oculi noctem,” id. ib. 9, 599; Sil. 3, 216.—

3. In mal. part., Plaut. Trin. 2, 1, 21; id. As. 1, 3, 42; Cic. Att. 1, 16, 5; Hor. Epod. 15, 13; Stat. Th. 1, 69; Just. 12, 3 et saep.; cf.: “nox vidua,” Cat. 6, 7; Ov. H. 19, 69.—

4. Death (poet.): “omnes una manet nox,” Hor. C. 1, 28, 15: “jam te premet nox fabulaeque Manes,” id. ib. 1, 4, 16: “in aeternam clauduntur lumina noctem,” Verg. A. 10, 746.—

5. Darkness, obscurity, the gloom of tempest: “quae lucem eriperet et quasi noctem quandam rebus offunderet,” Cic. N. D. 1, 3, 6: “carcer infernus et perpetuā nocte oppressa regio,” Sen. Ep. 82, 16: “taetrā nimborum nocte coörtā,” Lucr. 4, 172: “imber Noctem hiememque ferens,” Verg. A. 3, 194: “venturam melius praesagit navita noctem,” Prop. 4, 10, 5 (mortem, Müll.).—Hence, poet., of clouds of missiles, Luc. 7, 520; Val. Fl. 7, 598: “veteris sub nocte cupressi,” the shadow, id. 1, 774.—

6. Blindness: “perpetuāque trahens inopem sub nocte senectam Phineus,” Ov. M. 7, 2: ego vero non video, nox oboritur, Sen. ap. Quint. 9, 2, 43: vultus perpetuā nocte coöpertus, Ps.-Quint. Decl. 1, 6. —

7. The shades below, the infernal regions: “descendere nocti,” Sil. 13, 708: “noctis arbiter,” i. e. Pluto, Claud. Rapt. Pros. 1, 55.—

II. Trop.

A. Darkness, confusion, gloomy condition: “doleo me in hanc rei publicae noctem incidisse,” Cic. Brut. 96, 330; cf.: “rei publicae offusa sempiterna nox esset,” id. Rosc. Am. 32, 91: “nox ingens scelerum,” Luc. 7, 571.—

B. Mental darkness, ignorance (poet.): “quantum mortalia pectora caecae Noctis habent,” Ov. M. 6, 472.—

2. Obscurity, unintelligibility: “mei versus aliquantum noctis habebunt,” Ov. Ib. 63.— Hence, adv.: nocte , noctū (cf. diu), and nox , in the night, at night, by night.

(α). Form nocte (rare but class.): “luce noctem, nocte lucem exspectatis,” Auct. Her. 4, 36, 48: “in campum nocte venire,” Cic. Att. 4, 3, 4 (shortly after: “in Comitium Milo de nocte venit): nec discernatur, interdiu nocte pugnent,” Liv. 8, 34 fin.; so id. 21, 32, 10; cf.: “nec nocte nec interdiu,” id. 1, 47; Juv. 3, 127, 198: “velut nocte in ignotis locis errans,” Quint. 7 prol. 3.—

(β). Form noctu (so most freq.): ob Romam noctu legiones ducere coepit, Enn. ap. Paul. ex Fest. p. 179 Müll. (Ann. v. 295 Vahl.): “noctuque et diu,” Plaut. Cas. 4, 4, 5; so, noctu diuque, Titin. and Sall. Hist. Fragm. ap. Charis. p. 185 P.; cf.: nec noctu nec diu, Plaut. Fragm. ap. Non. 98, 27: “continuum diu noctuque iter properabant,” Tac. A. 15, 12 fin.: “quā horā, noctu an interdiu,” Auct. Her. 2, 4, 7; cf.: “nonnumquam interdiu, saepius noctu,” Caes. B. G. 1, 8 fin.: “noctu ambulabat in publico Themistocles,” Cic. Tusc. 4, 19, 44: “noctu ad oppidum respicientes,” id. Div. 1, 32, 69; id. Fam. 14, 7, 1: “noctu Jugurthae milites introducit,” Sall. J. 12, 4: “noctu profugere,” id. ib. 106, 2: “dum noctu stertit,” Hor. Ep. 2, 2, 27: “noctu litigare,” Juv. 6, 35; 605; 14, 306.—

(γ). Form nox (cf. pernox, and the Gr. νυκτός, only ante-class.): SI NOX FVRTVM FACTVM SIT, Fragm. XII. Tab. ap. Macr. S. 1, 4 med.: “hinc media remis Palinurum pervenio nox,” Lucil. Sat. 3, 22: quin tu hic manes? Arg. Nox si voles manebo, Plaut. As. 3, 3, 7 Ussing (al. mox); cf. id. Trin. 4, 2, 22 Brix, Krit. Anh. and Ritschl, ed. 2: si luci, si nox, si mox, si jam data sit frux, Enn. ap. Prisc. p. 724 P. (Ann. v. 412 Vahl.); cf. Gell. 12, 1.