I.a being dark, darkness, obscurity.
I. Lit. (perh. only post-Aug.): “latebrarum,” Tac. H. 3, 11: “atra,” Plin. 2, 18, 16, § 79: “visūs,” dimness, id. 23, 1, 20, § 35: “oculorum,” id. 37, 3, 12, § 51. —
II. Trop. (class.), obscurity, indistinctness, uncertainty: “ut oratio, quae lumen adhibere rebus debet, ea obscuritatem et tenebras afferat,” Cic. de Or. 3, 13, 50: “Pythagorae,” id. Rep. 1, 10, 16: “obscuritas fit etiam vet is ab usu remotis,” Quint. 8, 2, 12: “in eā obscuritate ac dubitatione omnium,” uncertainty, Cic. Clu. 27, 73: “rerum,” id. Fin. 2, 5, 15: “naturae,” id. Div. 1, 18, 35.—In plur.: “quo pertinent obscuritates et aenigmata somniorum,” Cic. Div. 2, 64, 132: obscuritates non adsignemus culpae scribentium, sed inscientiae non adsequentium, Caecil. ap. Gell. 20, 1, 5: “obscuritatibus involutum,” Arn. 1, 38.—
B. Of rank, obscurity, lowliness, meanness: quorum prima aetas propter humilitatem et obscuritatem, in hominum ignoratione versatur. Cic. Off. 2, 13, 45: “sordes et obscuritatem Vitellianarum partium perstringemus,” Tac. H. 1, 84: “generis,” Flor. 3, 1, 13: “nec obscuritas inhibuit (Servium Tullium), quamvis matre servā creatum,” id. 1, 6, 1.
