I. Lit., a package, bundle, burden, load, pack; more freq. in the plur., luggage (class. only in the plur.; not in Cic.); sing.: “quid ego nunc agam? nisi uti sarcinam constringam et clipeum ad dorsum accommodem,” Plaut. Trin. 3, 2, 93; 2, 4, 195: “sarcinam inponam seni,” id. Most. 2, 1, 83: “essem militiae sarcina fida tuae,” Prop. 4 (5), 3, 46. “gravis,” Hor. Ep. 1, 13, 6; Petr. 117, 11.—In plur.: “sarcinas colligere,” Sall. J. 97, 4; Varr. R. R. 1, 1, 1; Caes. B. G. 3, 24; 7, 18; id. B. C. 1, 59; 3, 76; Tac. A. 1, 23; Phaedr. 2, 7, 1; 4, 2, 5.—Esp. of the baggage of soldiers on the march, Caes. B. G. 1, 24; 2, 17; Liv. 44, 38; Hirt. B. Afr. 69: “sub sarcinis aggredi,” id. B. G. 8, 27.—Poet., of the fruit of the womb: “Ismenos, qui matri sarcina quondam Prima suae fuerat,” Ov. M. 6, 224: “sarcinam effundere,” Phaedr. 3, 15, 6.—
II. Trop. (Ovid.), a burden, weight of cares, troubles, griefs, Ov. H. 4, 24; id. P. 3, 7, 14. —Of government, Ov. P. 1, 2, 101: “sarcina sum (tibi),” id. Tr. 5, 6, 5.