I.a race, breed, generation (freq. in Lucr.; very rare in later writers; usu. in plur.): “saecla propagare,” Lucr. 1, 21; cf. id. 2, 173; 5, 850: “nec toties possent generatim saecla referre Naturam parentum,” id. 1, 597: “saecla animantum,” i. e. animals, id. 2, 78; 5, 855: “hominum,” id. 1, 467; 5, 339; 6, 722: “ferarum,” id. 2, 995; 3, 753; 4, 413; 4, 686; cf.: “silvestria ferarum,” id. 5, 967: “serpentia ferarum,” id. 6, 766: “mortalia,” id. 5, 805; 5, 982; 5, 1238: “bucera (with lanigerae pecudes),” id. 5, 866; 6, 1245; cf.: “vetusta cornicum (with corvorum greges),” id. 5, 1084: “aurea pavonum,” id. 2, 503: “totisque expectent saecula ripis,” i. e. the shades of the infernal regions, Stat. Th. 11, 592.—Sing.: “et muliebre oritur patrio de semine saeclum,” the female sex, women, Lucr. 4, 1223; so, “muliebre,” id. 5, 1020; 2, 10 sq.—
II. Transf.
A. Like γενεά.
1. The ordinary lifetime of the human species, a lifetime, generation, age (of thirty-three years; class.; esp. freq. in signif. 2. infra; cf. Schoem. ad Cic. N. D. 1, 9, 21): “cum ad idem, unde semel profecta sunt, cuncta astra redierint ... tum ille vere vertens annus appellari potest: in quo vix dicere audeo, quam multa saecula hominum teneantur,” Cic. Rep. 6, 22, 24 Mos.: “cum ex hac parte saecula plura numerentur,” Liv. 9, 18: “quorum (Socratis atque Epicuri) aetates non annis sed saeculis scimus esse disjunctas,” Hier. Vit. Cler. 4, p. 262; cf. Censor. de Die Nat. 17; Auct. ap. Serv. Verg. A. 8, 508; id. E. 4, 5.—
(β).
Esp., the lifetime or reign of a ruler: “illustrari saeculum suum ejusmodi exemplo arbitrabatur,” Plin. Ep. 4, 11, 6: “digna saeculo tuo,” id. ib. 10, 1, 2.—
2. The human race living in a particular age, a generation, an age, the times: serit arbores quae alteri saeculo prosient, Caecil. ap. Cic. Sen. 7, 24: “in id saeculum Romuli cecidit aetas, cum jam plena Graecia poëtarum esset,” Cic. Rep. 2, 10, 18 (for which: “quorum aetas cum in eorum tempora incidisset,” id. Or. 12, 39): “saeculorum reliquorum judicium,” id. Div. 1, 19, 36: “ipse fortasse in hujus saeculi errore versor,” id. Par. 6, 3, 50; cf.: “hujus saeculi insolentia,” id. Phil. 9, 6, 23; and: o nostri infamia saecli, Ov. M. 8, 97; cf. “also: novi ego hoc saeculum, moribus quibus siet,” Plaut. Trin. 2, 2, 6; so, “hujus saecli mores,” id. Truc. prol. 13; and: “hoccine saeclum! o scelera! o genera sacrilega, o hominem impurum!” Ter. Ad. 3, 2, 6; cf. id. Eun. 2, 2, 15: “nec mutam repertam esse dicunt mulierem ullo in saeculo,” Plaut. Aul. 2, 1, 7: “Cato rudi saeculo litteras Graecas didicit,” Quint. 12, 11, 23; so, “rude,” id. 2, 5, 23: “grave ne rediret Saeculum Pyrrhae,” Hor. C. 1, 2, 6: “primo statim beatissimi saeculi ortu,” Tac. Agr. 3; so, “beatissimum,” id. ib. 44: “felix et aureum,” id. Or. 12; Quint. 8, 6, 24: “aureum,” Sen. Contr. 2, 17; Lact. 5, 6, 13; cf.: “aurea saecula,” Verg. A. 6, 792; Ov. A. A. 2, 277: “his jungendi sunt Diocletianus aurei parens saeculi, et Maximianus, ut vulgo dicitur, ferrei,” Lampr. Elag. 35: “ceteri, qui dii ex hominibus facti esse dicuntur, minus eruditis hominum saeculis fuerunt (with Romuli aetas),” Cic. Rep. 2, 10, 18; cf.: “res publica constituta non unā hominum vitā sed aliquot saeculis et aetatibus,” id. ib. 2, 1, 2: “perpetuā saeculorum admiratione celebrantur,” Quint. 11, 1, 13: “fecunda culpae saecula,” Hor. C. 3, 6, 17: “ferro duravit saecula,” id. Epod. 16, 65; cf.: “sic ad ferrum venistis ab auro, Saecula,” Ov. M. 15, 261.—
3. The spirit of the age or times: nemo illic vitia ridet; “nec corrumpere et corrumpi saeculum vocatur,” Tac. G. 19.—
B. The utmost lifetime of man, a period of a hundred years, a century: “saeclum spatium annorum centum vocārunt,” Varr. L. L. 6, 2, § 11 Müll.; cf. Fest. s. v. saeculares, p. 328 ib.; Censor. de Die Nat. 17: “cum (Numa) illam sapientiam constituendae civitatis duobus prope saeculis ante cognovit, quam eam Graeci natam esse senserunt,” Cic. de Or. 2, 37, 154: “saeculo festas referente luces,” Hor. C. 4, 6, 42; cf.: “multa virum durando saecula vincit,” Verg. G. 2, 295.—
2. For an indefinitely long period, an age; plur. (so mostly): “(Saturni stella) nihil immutat sempiternis saeculorum aetatibus, quin eadem iisdem temporibus efficiat,” Cic. N. D. 2, 20, 52: “aliquot saeculis post,” Cic. Verr. 2, 4, 35, § 73: “cum aliquot saecula in Italiā viguisset,” id. Univ. 1; so, “tot,” Cic. Verr. 2, 4, 55, § 122; id. Ac. 2, 5, 15: “quot,” Quint. 12, 11, 22: “multa,” Cic. Rep. 2, 10, 20; 6, 26, 29; id. de Or. 2, 5, 21; id. Cat. 2, 5, 11; id. Fam. 11, 14, 3: “plurima,” id. Rep. 3, 9, 14: “sexcenta,” id. Fat. 12, 27: “omnia,” id. Lael. 4, 15; id. Phil. 2, 22, 54: “ex omni saeculorum memoriā,” id. ib. 4, 1, 3: “vir saeculorum memoriā dignus,” Quint. 10, 1, 104; cf.: “ingeniorum monumenta, quae saeculis probarentur,” id. 3, 7, 18: “facto in saecula ituro,” to future ages, to posterity, Sil. 12, 312; so Plin. Pan. 55, 1: “in famam et saecula mitti,” Luc. 10, 533: tarda gelu saeclisque effeta senectus, with (many) years, Verg. A. 8, 508.—Sing.: “propemodum saeculi res in unum diem cumulavit,” Curt. 4, 16, 10: “longo putidam (anum) saeculo,” Hor. Epod. 8, 1: “ut videri possit saeculo prior,” Quint. 10, 1, 113.—Esp. (eccl. Lat.), the following phrases are used to express forever, to all eternity, endlessly, without end: “in saeculum,” Vulg. Exod. 21, 6; id. Dan. 3, 89: “in saeculum saeculi,” id. Psa. 36, 27; id. 2 Cor. 9, 9: “in saecula,” id. Ps. 77, 69; id. Rom. 1, 25: “in saecula saeculorum,” Tert. ad Uxor. 1, 1; Ambros. Hexaëm. 3, 17, 72; Vulg. Tob. 9, 11; id. Rom. 16, 27; id. Apoc. 1, 6 et saep.—
