I.ah! alas!
(α).
Absol.: “Mantua, vae, miserae nimium vicina Cremonae,” Verg. E. 9, 28; Hor. C. 1, 13, 3: “vae verbero!” Plaut. Mil. 2, 3, 51.—
(β).
Very freq. like the Gr. οὐαί and our woe! with dat.: “vae misero mihi!” Plaut. Am. 2, 2, 94; Ter. Heaut. 2, 3, 9: “mihi,” id. Eun. 4, 4, 42: “illi,” Plaut. As. 2, 2, 7: “tergo meo,” id. Men. 2, 2, 3; cf. id. Capt. 3, 4, 117: “capiti atque aetati tuae,” id. Rud. 2, 3, 44.—Esp., in the exclamation ascribed to Brennus: “vae victis! intoleranda Romanis vox,” Liv. 5, 48, 9; Flor. 1, 13, 17; Fest. p. 372 Müll.; Plaut. Ps. 5, 2, 19; also, as title of a Satire by Varro, v. Non. 82, 17; 156, 13; 492, 8 (Müll. de victis).—
(γ).
Very rarely with acc.: “vae te!” woe to you! Plaut. As. 2, 4, 75: “scelesta, vae te!” Cat. 8, 15: “vae me!” Sen. Apocol. 4, 3.
