I.military service, warfare, war.
I. Lit.: “in militiae disciplinam profectus est,” Cic. Imp. Pomp. 10, 28: “militiam subterfugere,” id. Off. 3, 26, 97: “ferre,” Hor. Ep. 1, 18, 55: “tolerare,” Verg. A. 8, 516: “munus militiae sustinere,” Caes. B. G. 6, 18: “militiae vacatio,” exemption from military service, id. ib. 6, 14: “militiae magna scientia,” Sall. J. 63, 2: “militiam discere,” id. C. 7, 4: “praeclara,” Vell. 2, 5, 1: “Pompeii,” id. 2, 40, 1: “adversus Graecos,” Just. 20, 1, 3: “lentas militias,” Tib. 1, 3, 82: “Cimbrica Teutonicaque,” Vell. 2, 120, 1: “militiae honorem,” military honors, Juv. 7, 88.—
B. Esp.
1. Abl. militiā, in war, opp. togā, in peace, Juv. 10, 9.—
2. Gen. militiae, in military service, or on a campaign, in the field; freq. in phrase: domi militiaeque, at home and abroad, at home and with the army: “quorum virtus fuerat domi militiaeque cognita,” Cic. Tusc. 5, 19, 55; cf.: “et domi et militiae,” id. de Or. 3, 33, 134: “militiae domique,” Liv. 7, 32: “militiae et domi,” Ter. Ad. 3, 5, 49.—Also without domi, Cic. Leg. 3, 3, 6; Sall. J. 84, 2; Tac. H. 2, 5.—
C. Trop., of love: “at confidentia militia illa militatur multo magis quam pondere,” Plaut. Pers. 2, 2, 50; “so of an inattentive lover: pro infrequente eum mittat militiā domum,” id. Truc. 2, 1, 19.—
II. Transf.
A. Military spirit, courage, bravery: “virilis militiae uxor,” Flor. 4, 5.—
B. Concr., the soldiery, military (syn.: “milites, exercitus, copiae): hic pars militiae, dux erat ille ducum,” Ov. H. 8, 46: “Romanae militiae decus,” Val. Max. 1, 6, 11: “cum omni militiā interficitur,” Just. 32, 2, 2; Plin. 4, 14, 27, § 97: “qua (lex) maxima apud eos vis cogendae militiae erat,” Liv. 4, 26, 3: magister militiae, general, id. 22, 23, 2: “caelestis,” Vulg. Luc. 2, 13.—So trop.: “militia caeli,” i. e. the heavenly bodies, Vulg. Act. 7, 42; id. Deut. 17, 3.—
C. A civil service, office, profession, employment, esp. a laborious one: “hanc urbanam militiam respondendi, scribendi, etc.,” Cic. Mur. 9, 19: “haec mea militia est,” Ov. F. 2, 9.—Of swallows building their nests: “eaque militia illis cum anno redit semper,” Plin. 10, 33, 49, § 95.—
D. Any special work of difficulty, requiring a great effort: “completa est militia ejus,” Vulg. Isa. 40, 2: “arma militiae nostrae non carnalia,” id. 2 Cor. 10, 4: “bona,” id. 1 Tim. 1, 18.—
E. Under the emperors (like miles), an office or employment at court, Prud. Cath. 19; Cod. Just. 3, 25.