I.tender-heartedness, pity, compassion, mercy.
I. Lit. (class.): “misericordia est aegritudo ex miseriā alterius injuriā laborantis,” Cic. Tusc. 4, 8, 18: “(Stoici) misericordiam, cupiditatem, metum, morbos animi appellant,” Lact. 6, 14: “misericordiam aliis commovere ... misericordiā capi,” Cic. de Or. 2, 47, 195: “misericordiā commotus,” id. Mur. 31, 65: “mentes hominum ad lenitatem misericordiamque revocare,” id. de Or. 1, 12, 53: misericordiam implorare et exposcere, id. Mil. 34, 92: “vestram misericordiam implorat,” id. Mur. 40, 86: “captare,” id. Phil. 2, 34: “populi concitare,” id. de Or. 1, 53, 227: “tribuere alicui,” to give, bestow, id. Planc. 1, 3: “adhibere,” to show, id. Rab. Perd. 2, 5: “praebere, Aug. Civ. Dei, 9, 5: exercere,” to exercise, Dig. 16, 3, 7: “misericordiam facere (eccl. Lat.),” Vulg. Gen. 20, 13 al.: “alienā misericordiā vivo,” on the compassion of others, Cic. Rosc. Am. 50, 145: “cum ipse patitur, miseria, cum aliis compatitur, misericordia dici solet,” Aug. Conf. 3, 2, 1: “ad misericordiam inducere,” to move, Cic. Brut. 50, 188: “ad misericordiam vocare,” id. Mur. 3: “misericordiam magnam habere,” to have, entertain, id. ib. 40, 86.—Plur.: “misericordias habere,” Plaut. Most. 2, 3, 115.—With gen.: “puerorum,” for the children, Cic. Att. 7, 12: “haec magnā cum misericordiā fletuque pronuntiantur,” with great pathos, Caes. B. C. 2, 12 fin.: “remotā misericordiā discutere,” without compassion, Aug. Conf. 9, 13, 1.— Esp., plur.: “misericordiae,” works of charity, Salv. adv. Avar. 2, 1.—*
B. Transf., a condition to excite compassion, wretchedness, misery: “quantum misericordiae nobis tuae preces et tua salus allatura sit,” Cic. Q. Fr. 1, 3, 8.—
II. Personified: Mĭ-sĕrĭcordĭa , the goddess Mercy or Compassion, App. M. 1, p. 263, 38; cf. Quint. 5, 11, 38; Claud. B. Gild. 404.
