I.an infectious or contagious disease, a plague, pest, pestilence.
I. Lit. (class.): “Massilienses gravi pestilentiā conflictati,” Caes. B. C. 2, 22; Cic. Off. 2, 5, 16: “pestilentia gravis incidit in urbem,” Liv. 27, 23: “pestilentiae contagia prohibere,” Plin. 23, 8, 80, § 157; Cels. 1, 10; 2, 1; 3, 7 init.—
B. Transf., an unwholesome atmosphere, weather, or region (class.): “agrorum genus propter pestilentiam vastum atque desertum,” Cic. Agr. 2, 26, 70: “pestilentiae signa (opp. signa salubritatis),” id. Div. 1, 5, 7: “pestilentiae possessores,” id. Agr. 1, 5, 15.—
II. Trop., a plague, pest, pestilence (poet. and in postclass. prose): “oratio plena veneni et pestilentiae,” Cat. 44, 11: “cathedra pestilentiae,” the seat of the scornful, Vulg. Psa. 1, 1.— In plur.: “animorum labes et pestilentiae,” Gell. 1, 2, 4.
