I. Lit., fellowship, companionship, brotherhood, friendship, intimacy; abstr. and concr. (class.; cf. “societas): sodalitas familiaritasque,” Cic. Verr. 2, 1, 37, § 94: “summā nobilitate homo, cognatione, sodalitate, collegio,” id. Brut. 45, 166: “intima sodalitas,” Tac. A. 15, 68.—Concr.: “nunc ego de sodalitate solus sum orator datus,” Plaut. Most. 5, 2, 5. —Plur.: “aliquem a sodalitatibus abducere,” Gell. 20, 4, 3.—
II. Transf.
A. A society, association of any kind, esp. for religious purposes (syn. sodalicium): “fera quaedam sodalitas et plane pastoricia germanorum Lupercorum,” Cic. Cael. 11, 26: “SODALITAS PVDICITIAE SERVANDAE,” Inscr. Orell. 2401.—
B. A company assembled for feasting, a banqueting - club: “sodalitates autem me quaestore constitutae sunt sacris Idaeis ... epulabar igitur cum sodalibus modice, etc.,” Cic. Sen. 13, 45.—
C. In a bad sense, an unlawful secret society: “eodem die senatus consultum factum est, ut sodalitates decuriatique discederent, etc.,” Cic. Q. Fr. 2, 3, 5; id. Planc. 15, 37.
