I.an empty place, a waste, desert.
I. Lit.: te propter tot tantasque habemus vastitatis funerum, Att. ap. Non. 417, 12 (Trag. Rel. v. 175 Rib.): “audistis, quae solitudo in agris esset, quae vastitas, quae fuga aratorum, quam deserta, quam inculta, quam relicta omnia,” Cic. Verr. 2, 4, 5, § 114; so (with solitudo) Tac. A. 13, 55: “judiciorum et fori,” Cic. Brut. 6, 21.—
II. Transf. (acc. to vastus, II.).
A. Desolation, devastation, ruin, destruction: “cum caedem a vobis, vastitatem a templis, urbe, Italiā depellebam,” Cic. Fl. 1, 1: “Italiam totam ad exitium et vastitatem vocas,” id. Cat. 1, 5, 12: “vastitatem efficere,” id. Pis. 35, 85: “inferre vastitatem tectis atque agris,” id. Har. Resp. 2, 3: “ut studiis civilibus bellum atque vastitas Italiae finem faceret,” Sall. J. 5, 2: “vastitatem reddere,” Liv. 3, 26, 2: “et plus vastitatis hinc urbi secunda nostra fortuna faciet, quam adversa fecit?” id. 5, 51, 3: “fugam ac vastitatem late fecerunt,” id. 8, 9, 12: “protritis arboribus ac frugibus dira vastitas,” Tac. H. 2, 70.—
2. Trop., of persons: “et has duplices pestis sociorum, publicanorum ruinas, provinciarum vastitates,” destroyers, Cic. Prov. Cons. 6, 13.—
B. Terrible size, hugeness, immensity, vastness (post-Aug.; “but cf. vastus, II. B.): beluae pari vastitate,” of like vast size, Col. 3, 8, 3: “roborum Hercyniae silvae,” Plin. 16, 2, 2, § 6; cf.: “immensa aequorum,” id. 3, praef. 1, § “1: hostis formidandae vastitatis,” Gell. 9, 13, 4: “caeli,” Plin. 2, 41, 41, § 110: “solis,” id. 2, 11, 8, § 49: “odoris,” id. 31, 6, 32, § 60: “vocis,” Col. 1, 9, 2. —
2. Trop.: “vastitas instantis laboris,” the fearful magnitude, immensity, vastness, Col. 4, 18, 2: “scientiae rei rusticae,” id. 5, 1, 1.
