I. A falling, going down (class.; cf. obitus).
A. Lit., a going down, setting, of the heavenly bodies; “esp. of the sun: ante occasum Maiae,” Verg. G. 1, 225: “ortus occasusque signorum,” the rising and setting of the constellations, Quint. 1, 4, 4: “solis,” Caes. B. G. 1, 50; 2, 11; 3, 15; Liv. 9, 32.—Absol.: “praecipiti in occasum die,” Tac. H. 3, 86.—
B. Transf., the quarter of the heavens in which the sun sets, sunset, the west: “inter occasum solis et septentriones,” Caes. B. G. 1, 1: “ab ortu ad occasum,” Cic. N. D. 2, 19, 49. —Plur., Ov. M. 2, 190: “ager Longus in occasum,” Verg. A. 11, 317: “de terrā occasus solis,” Vulg. Zach. 8, 7.—
C. Trop., downfall, ruin, destruction, end, death: “post obitum occasumque vestrum,” Cic. Pis. 15, 34: “occasus interitusque rei publicae,” id. ib. 8, 18: id. Sull. 11, 33: “Iliaci cineres et flamma extrema meorum, Testor, in occasu vestro, etc.,” Verg. A. 2, 432; cf. “Trojae,” id. ib. 1, 238: “post L. Aelii nostri occasum,” death, Cic. Ac. 1, 2, 8: “odii,” Quint. Decl. 9, 18.— *
II. For occasio, an occasion, opportunity, Enn. ap. Paul. ex Fest. p. 178 Müll. (Ann. v. 164; 171; 292 Vahl.).
