I.a battle, combat (class.; syn.: pugna, dimicatio).
I. Lit.: “induperatores pugnare ac proelia obire,” Lucr. 4, 967: “non proeliis, neque acie bellum gerere,” Sall. J. 54, 5: “exitus proeliorum,” Cic. Fam. 6, 4, 1: “proelium facere,” to engage, id. Tusc. 4, 19, 43: “inire,” Liv. 25, 38: “committere cum aliquo,” Cic. Div. 1, 35, 77: “redintegrare,” Caes. B. G. 1, 25: “restituere,” id. ib. 53: “conficere,” Hirt. B. G. 8, 28: “miscere,” Prop. 4 (5), 1, 28. “proelio dimicare cum hoste,” Cic. N. D. 2, 2, 6: “proeliis decertare,” id. Prov. Cons. 13, 33: “proelium sumere,” to join battle, engage, Tac. H. 2, 42: “singulare,” single combat, Aus. Per. Iliad. 7: “Punica passi proelia,” the wars with Carthage, Juv. 14, 162.—
B. Transf.
1. Of animals (poet.): “proelia dant cervi,” Verg. G. 3, 265: “(taurorum),” id. ib. 3, 220; cf. Hor. C. 3, 20, 4; 3, 13, 5.—
2. Of inanimate subjects (poet.): “ventorum proelia,” Verg. G. 1, 318.—
3. A warrior: “Colchis flagrantes adamantina sub juga tauros Egit et armigera proelia sevit humo,” Prop. 3, 11 (4, 10), 10: “trepidum si Martis operti agricolam infandis condentem proelia sulcis expediam,” Stat. Th. 1, 8.—
II. Trop.
A. Contest, strife (class.): “proelia te meā causā sustinere,” Cic. Fam. 9, 11, 2: “committere proelia voce,” Ov. M. 5, 307; id. Am. 1, 8, 96.—Humorously, of a struggle with food and drink: “in eo uterque proelio potabimus,” Plaut. Men. 1, 3, 3: “sed quid cessamus proelium committere?” id. Pers. 1, 3, 32.—
