I.the talk of the multitude, like rumor, either as relating or as judging (v. rumor; cf. also: nomen, gloria, laudatio; clamor, plausus; honos, dignitas, honestas, laus, etc.).
I. That which people say or tell, the common talk, a report, rumor, saying, tradition (freq. and class.; plur. very rare); absol., or with a statement of the subject-matter annexed with de, or as an object-clause; rarely with gen.
a. Absol.: “hascine propter res maledicas famas ferunt?” Plaut. Trin. 1, 2, 149: a Brundisio nulla adhuc fama venerat, Cic. Att. 9, 3, 2: “cum tristis a Mutina fama manaret,” id. Phil. 14, 6, 15: “at fuit fama. Quotusquisque est, qui istam effugere potest in tam maledica civitate?” id. Cael. 16, 38: magna illico fama surrexit, Cael. ap. Cic. Fam. 8, 8, 2: “aliquod fama ac nuntiis afferre,” Caes. B. G. 6, 30, 2: “hac fama ad Treviros perlata,” id. ib. 5, 53, 2: “reliquos (deos) ne famā quidem acceperunt,” id. ib. 6, 21, 2; cf.: “quam Eratostheni et quibusdam Graecis famā notam esse video,” id. ib. 6, 24, 2: “concedamus famae hominum,” Cic. Rep. 2, 2: “Daedalus, ut fama est, fugiens, etc.,” Verg. A. 6, 14; cf.: “pulsis (vetus est ut fama) Sabellis,” Hor. S. 2, 1, 36: “ita fama ferebat,” Ov. M. 12, 197: “duplex inde fama est,” a twofold tradition, Liv. 1, 1, 6.— In plur.: “inhonestas famas adjungere diis,” Arn. 7, 219: “per omnem provinciam magnae atrocesque famae ibant,” Sall. H. 1, 67 Dietsch, ex conj.—
b. Stating the subject-matter or contents.
(α).
With de: “si quis quid de republica a finitimis rumore aut fama acceperit,” Caes. B. G. 6, 20, 1: “si quid ipsi audistis communi fama atque sermone de vi, de manu, de armis, etc.,” Cic. Fl. 6, 13: “de interitu P. Clodii,” id. Mil. 35, 98: “de Afranio fama est,” id. Att. 7, 26, 1: “de Titurii morte,” Caes. B. G. 5, 39, 1; cf.: “de victoria Caesaris,” id. ib. 5, 53, 1; “5, 51, 1: de proelio Dyrrhachino,” id. B. C. 3, 80.—Plur.: ingentes esse famas de Regulo, Arrunt. ap. Sen. Ep. 114, 19 fin.—
(β).
With an appos. clause: “ne mihi hanc famam differant, Me ... dedisse, etc.,” Plaut. Trin. 3, 2, 63; “v. differo, B. 2.: accipere fama et auditione, esse quoddam numen et vim deorum,” Cic. N. D. 2, 37, 95: “quod tibi esse antiquissimum constante famā atque omnium sermone celebratum est,” id. Q. Fr. 1, 1, 8, § 24; so, “constans fama,” Liv. 6, 25, 4: “cum esse praestantem Numam Pompilium fama ferret,” Cic. Rep. 2, 13: “cum fama per orbem terrarum percrebuisset, illum, etc.,” Caes. B. C. 3, 43 fin.: “fama nuntiabat, te esse in Syria,” Cic. Fam. 12, 4, 2: “fama incerta duos equites venisse,” a vague rumor, Liv. 27, 50, 6: “capsis quem (Cassium) fama est esse librisque Ambustum propriis,” Hor. S. 1, 10, 63 al.—
(γ).
With gen.: “vix ad aures meas istius suspicionis fama pervenit,” Cic. Sull. 4, 12: “propter incertam famam aeris alieni,” an unsupported rumor, Liv. 6, 27, 3.—
B. Personified: Fama, a goddess, daughter of Terra, swiftfooted, all-seeing, growing as she runs: “Fama, malum qua non aliud velocius ullum,” Verg. A. 4, 173 sq.; Ov. M. 12, 43 sq.; Val. Fl. 2, 116 sq.; Stat. Th. 3, 426 sq.; Ov. M. 8, 267; 9, 137; 14, 726; 15, 4; 853 al.
II. The voice or judgment of the many, public opinion; more freq. objectively, the fame, character, reputation which a man has, either in general or in particular, as a good or bad reputation, etc. (very freq. and class.).
A. In gen.: “famam atque rumores pars altera consensum civitatis et velut publicum testimonium vocat: altera sermonem sine ullo certo auctore dispersum, cui malignitas initium dederit, incrementum credulitas,” Quint. 5, 3; cf.: “adversus famam rumoresque hominum si satis firmus steteris,” Liv. 22, 39, 18: “contra opinionem militum famamque omnium videri proelium defugisse, magnum detrimentum afferebat,” Caes. B. C. 1, 82, 2; cf. id. ib. 3, 56 fin.: fama popularis, popular fame or favor, Cic. Tusc. 3, 2, 4; 5, 16, 46: “forensis,” Q. Cic. Petit. Cons. 5, 17: de bona fama (quam enim appellant εὐδοξίαν, aptius est hoc loco bonam famam appellare quam gloriam), Cic. Fin. 3, 17, 57: “bona de Domitio, praeclara de Afranio fama est,” id. Att. 7, 26, 1; cf.: “qui bonam famam bonorum, quae sola vere gloria nominari potest, expetunt,” id. Sest. 66, 139; Sall. C. 7, 6: “si bonam famam mihi servasso, sat ero dives,” Plaut. Most. 1, 3, 70 sq.: “bona,” Cat. 61, 62: “bene loquendi fama,” Cic. Brut. 74, 259: “eloquentiae,” Quint. 7, 1, 41: “sapientiae,” Cic. Lael. 4, 15: “pudica,” Prop. 2, 32 (3, 30), 21: “alium mala fama et timor impediebat,” Sall. J. 35, 4: “inconstantiae,” Cic. Fam. 1, 9, 11: “vappae ac nebulonis,” Hor. S. 1, 2, 12.—In plur.: inter arma civilia aequi boni famas petit, Sall. Fragm. ap. Sen. Ep. 114, 19 (Hist. inc. lib. 76 Dietsch).—
B. In partic.
1. In a good sense, fair fame, reputation, renown, = existumatio, fama bona: “ut vos mihi domi eritis, proinde ego ero famā foris,” Tert. Hec. 2, 1, 21: fundamentum est perpetuae commendationis et famae justitia, Cic. Off. 2, 20, 71: “fama et existimatio,” id. Quint. 15, 50; cf.: “ut ante collectam famam conservet (for which, shortly after: habet existimationem multo sudore collectam),” id. Div. in Caecil. 22, 71: “sic ejus (Archiae) adventus celebrabantur, ut famam ingenii exspectatio hominis superaret ... hac tanta celebritate famae cum esset jam absentibus notus, etc. (shortly before: celeriter antecellere omnibus ingenii gloriā contigit),” id. Arch. 3, 5; “so corresp. to gloria,” id. Tusc. 1, 46, 110: “fama ingeni abicienda,” id. Fam. 9, 16, 3; “with the latter cf.: anxius de fama ingenii,” Quint. 11, 1, 50; 74: “de alicujus fama detrahere,” Cic. Fam. 3, 8, 5: “famam in tuto collocare,” Quint. 12, 11, 7: “ejus scripta tantum intra famam sunt,” id. 11, 3, 8: “ad famam populi Romani pertinere, eos consules esse, etc.,” Liv. 10, 24, 17: “(ut amicorum) aut caput agatur aut fama,” Cic. Lael. 17, 61: “loco, fortuna, fama superiores,” id. ib. 25, 94: “virtus, fama, decus divitiis parent,” Hor. S. 2, 3, 95: “cui gratia, fama, valetudo, contingat abunde,” id. Ep. 1, 4, 10: “famam dicendi fortius quaerunt,” Quint. 2, 12, 9: Evadne ... Occidit Argivae fama pudicitiae, the glory or pride of Argive chastity, i. e. of the chaste women of Argos, Prop. 1, 15, 22.—Esp.: magna fama, great reputation, fame, glory: “magnam famam attulisse Fabio Tarentum rebatur,” Liv. 27, 25, 11: “magnam famam sui relinquere,” Nep. Lys. 1, 1: “habere,” Plin. 36, 21, 39, § 149.—
2. In a bad sense, illfame, infamy, scandal, = infamia, fama mala (rare): opplere (aliquem) famā ac flagitiis, Turp. ap. Non. 306, 2; Ter. Ad. 2, 3, 10: “neque specie famāve movetur, Nec jam furtivum Dido meditatur amorem,” Verg. A. 4, 172; Sall. C. 3, 5; Tac. A. 12, 49; Plin. Pan. 28, 1; cf.: “laeta apud plerosque, apud quosdam sinistra fama,” Tac. A. 11, 19.
