cupiditas

cŭpĭdĭtas, ātis ( gen. plur. rarely -tatium, Cic. Sest. 66, 138; Sen. Ep. 5, 7), f. [cupidus], a desire, wish, longing, in a good and (more freq.) in a bad sense.

I.

In a good sense, a longing, desire.

(α).

With gen.:

insatiabilis quaedam veri videndi,

Cic. Tusc. 1, 19, 44:

cognoscendi,

id. ib.:

imitandi,

id. Brut. 92, 317:

mirabilis pugnandi,

Nep. Milt. 5, 1 al.:

justi et magni triumphi,

Cic. Pis. 25, 59:

gloriae,

id. ib.:

mira studiorum,

Tac. Or. 2:

cibi,

appetite, Cels. 2, 3 al. —

(β).

With ad:

tanta cupiditas ad reditum,

Cic. Phil. 1, 4, 9:

tanta ad venandum,

Curt. 9, 1, 33.—

(γ).

Absol.:

nimis flagrare cupiditate,

Cic. de Or. 1, 30, 134:

nimis confidere propter cupiditatem,

on account of warm desire, id. Off. 1, 21, 73:

de voluntate tuā, ut simul simus, vel studio potius et cupiditate non dubito,

eager longing, id. Att. 12, 26, 1; cf.: tanta erat magnificentia apud opulentiores, cupiditas apud humiliores, devotion, enthusiasm, Auct. B. G. 8, 51 fin. —

II.

In a bad sense, a passionate desire, lust, passion, cupidity.

A.

In gen.

(α).

With gen.:

pecuniae,

Caes. B. G. 6, 22; Quint. 7, 2, 30 al.:

praedae,

Caes. B. G. 6, 34:

praeceps et lubrica dominandi,

Cic. Phil. 5, 18, 50:

laedendi,

Quint. 5, 7, 30:

diutius exigendi mercedulas,

id. 12, 11, 14 et saep. —

(β).

Absol.:

vel libido vel cupiditas,

Cic. Tusc. 4, 19, 44:

vita maxime disjuncta a cupiditate,

id. Rosc. Am. 14, 39:

caeca ac temeraria dominatrix animi cupiditas,

id. Inv. 1, 2, 2:

mala,

Ter. Heaut. 1, 2, 34:

vita hominum sine cupiditate agitabatur,

Sall. C. 2, 1:

indomitas cupiditates atque effrenatas habere,

Cic. Verr. 2, 1, 24, § 62; cf.:

domitas habere libidines, coërcere omnes cupiditates,

id. de Or. 1, 43, 194 et saep.:

P. Naso omni carens cupiditate (i. e. non appetens provinciam),

id. Phil. 3, 10, 25:

temeritatem cupiditatemque militum reprehendit,

immoderate love of fighting, Caes. B. G. 7, 52.—

b.

Carnal desire, lust, Plin. 36, 5, 4, § 21;

of animals,

Col. 6, 27, 4.—

2.

Transf., the object of desire (cf. epithumia):

alicujus ex inpurissimis faucibus inhonestissimam cupiditatem eripere,

Cic. Q. Fr. 1, 1, 6, § 19; cf. id. Scaur. 14, 45.—

B.

In partic.

1.

A passionate desire for money or other possessions; avarice, cupidity, covetousness:

nisi ipsos caecos redderet cupiditas et avaritia et audacia,

Cic. Rosc. Am. 35, 101;

so with avaritia,

Quint. 12, 1, 6; Suet. Dom. 9:

et contemptus pecuniae et cupiditas,

Quint. 7, 2, 30;

opp. abstinentia,

Suet. Dom. 9; 10:

cupiditas causa sceleris fuit,

Quint. 5, 12, 6 Spald.; 3, 5, 10; 5, 10, 34; Suet. Calig. 44 al.—

b.

The passion of love:

cupiditatis ardor,

Curt. 8, 4, 27:

insana,

Val. Max. 7, 3, 10:

aliquam non cupiditate tantā diligere, ut, etc.,

Suet. Calig. 24.—

c.

Greediness of gain in trade, usury, overreaching, fraud, Cic. Att. 1, 17, 9.—

d.

The lust of power, ambition (post-Aug.):

non te propria cupiditas, sed aliena utilitas principem fecit,

Plin. Pan. 7.—

2.

An undue partiality, spirit of party:

(testes) aut sine ullo studio dicebant, aut cum dissimulatione aliquā cupiditatis,

Cic. Fl. 10, 21; 26, 64; id. Planc. 17, 43; Liv. 24, 28, 8.