I.possessed of command, far-ruling, mighty, powerful, puissant (class.).
I. In gen.: urbes magnae atque imperiosae, Enn. ap. Cic. Rep. 1, 2: “populi,” Cic. Or. 34, 120: imperiosissima civitas, Aug. Civ. Dei, 15, 19 (cf. Verg. A. 1, 284): “dictatura,” Liv. 7, 40, 9; cf. “virga,” i. e. the fasces, Ov. Tr. 5, 6, 32: “quisnam igitur liber? sapiens, sibi qui imperiosus,” who has dominion over himself, Hor. S. 2, 7, 83; cf. Plin. 34, 8, 19, § 62: “imperiosissimae humanae mentis artes (religio, astrologia, medicina),” id. 30, 1, 1, § 1: “risus habet vim nescio an imperiosissimam,” Quint. 6, 3, 8. —
II. In partic.
A. In a bad sense, imperious, domineering, tyrannical: “cupiditas honoris quam dura est domina, quam imperiosa,” Cic. Par. 5, 3, 40: “nimis imperiosus philosophus,” id. Fin. 2, 32, 105: “paedagogi,” Quint. 1, 1, 8: “imperiosus atque impotens,” Sen. Ben. 3, 28 fin.: “imperiosi nobis ipsis et molesti sumus,” id. Q. N. 4 praef.: “Proserpina,” Hor. S. 2, 5, 110: “quojus cibo iste factust imperiosior,” Plaut. Capt. 4, 2, 26: “imperiosius aequor,” Hor. C. 1, 14, 8: “familia imperiosissima et superbissima,” Liv. 9, 34, 15.—Hence,
B. Impĕrĭōsus , i, m., a surname of the dictator L. Manlius Torquatus and his son, the consul T. Manlius Torquatus, on account of their severity, Liv. 7, 3, 4; 7, 4, 7; Sen. Ben. 3, 37; Cic. Fin. 2, 19, 60; Plin. 22, 5, 5, § 8; Liv. 4, 29, 6; cf. Manlius.—Hence, adv.: impĕrĭōsē , imperiously, tyrannically (ante- and postclass.): “non severe, non imperiose praecepit,” Gell. 2, 29, 1; Charis. 202, 11: paene imperiosius quam humanius, Varr. ap. Non. 287, 20.
