I.to whip, scourge, lash (poet. and in postAug. prose).
I. Lit.: “quaestorem suum in conjuratione nominatum flagellavit,” Suet. Calig. 26: “aliquem manu sua,” id. ib. 55; id. Claud. 38: “canes extremis polypi crinibus,” Plin. 9, 30, 48, § 92: “terga caudā (leo),” id. 8, 16, 19, § 49; cf.: “arborem caudā (serpens),” Ov. M. 3, 94: “messem perticis,” to thresh out, Plin. 18, 30, 72, § 298: “serpentes sese interimunt flagellando,” id. 25, 8, 55, § 101.—Absol.: “in tergum flagellat,” Quint. 11, 3, 118.—
II. Transf.: “flagellent colla comae,” beat, dangle against his face, Mart. 4, 42, 7: “sertaque mixta comis sparsa cervice flagellat,” i. e. shakes, Stat. Th. 10, 169; cf. id. ib. 3, 36: “flagellatus aër,” Plin. 2, 45, 45, § 116: “si puteal multa cautus vibice flagellas,” i. e. practise outrageous usury, Pers. 4, 49: cujus laxas arca flagellat opes, presses down, i. e. encloses, Mart. 2, 30, 4; 5, 13, 6; cf.: prout aliquis praevalens manceps annonam flagellet, keeps back commodities, i.e. maintains them at too high a price, Plin. 33, 13, 57, § 164.
