I. Lit., emptiness, nothingness, nullity, want of reality: nulla in caelo nec fortuna, nec temeritas, nec erratio, nec vanitas inest; “contra omnis ordo, veritas, ratio, constantia,” Cic. N. D. 2, 21, 56: “ne vanitas itineris ludibrio esset,” uselessness, purposelessness, Liv. 40, 22, 5: “Romanis Gallici tumultus adsueti, etiam vanitates notae sunt,” id. 38, 17, 5 Weissenb. —
B. Esp., falsity, falsehood, deception, untruth, untrustworthiness, fickleness, etc.
1. Absol.: “non pudet Vanitatis?” Ter. Phorm. 3, 2, 41: “imbuimur erroribus, ut vanitati veritas cedat,” Cic. Tusc. 3, 1, 2: “mercatura ... multa undique apportans, multisque sine vanitate impertiens, etc.,” id. Off. 1, 42, 151: “nec vero quicquam turpius est vanitate,” id. ib. 1, 42, 150: “quamvis blanda ista vanitas apud eos valeat, etc.,” id. Lael. 26, 99: “cum ad vanitatem accessit auctoritas,” id. ib. 25, 94.—Plur.: “Magicae vanitates,” Plin. 26, 4, 9, § 18; cf. id. 27, 8, 35, § 57.—
2. With gen.: “quid de iis existimandum est, qui orationis vanitatem adhibuerunt?” Cic. Off. 3, 14, 58: “opinionum vanitas,” id. Leg. 1, 10, 29: “suum imperium minui per vanitatem populi,” fickleness, Liv. 44, 22, 10: “multa circa hoc non Magorum solum vanitate, sed etiam Pythagoricorum,” Plin. 22, 8, 9, § 20 Jan.—
II. Trop., vanity, vainglory: “huic homini non minor vanitas inerat quam audacia,” Sall. C. 23, 2; id. J. 38, 1: “qui se propalam per vanitatem jactassent tamquam amicos Persei,” Liv. 45, 31, 7: “vanitas atque jactatio,” Quint. 11, 2, 22: “vanitas atque insolentia,” Suet. Vit. 10: “Quintius Atticus consul umbrā honoris et suāmet vanilate monstratus,” Tac. H. 3, 73: “nec Agricola prosperitate rerum in vanitatem usus, etc.,” id. Agr. 18 fin.: “Statius veniam ... vanitate exitūs corrupit,” id. A. 15, 71.