fames

fămes, is (ante- and post-class. nom. sing.:

famis,

Varr. R. R. 2, 5, 15; Prud. Psych. 479; gen.: fami, Cato and Lucil. ap. Gell. 9, 14, 10; abl., scanned fămē, Lucr. 3, 732; Verg. A. 6, 421; Ov. M. 5, 165; 8, 846; 11, 370 al.) f. [root gha-; Sanscr. gahami, to leave, abandon; Gr. chatis, chêtos, want; chêros, deprived of], hunger (syn.: inedia, jejunium, esuries, esuritio).

I.

Lit.:

interficere aliquem siti fameque atque algu,

Plaut. Most. 1, 3, 36; id. Rud. 2, 2, 7; cf.:

cum cibo et potione fames sitisque depulsa est,

Cic. Fin. 1, 11, 37:

cibi condimentum esse famem, potionis sitim,

id. ib. 2, 28, 90:

bestiae fame monitae,

id. Clu. 25, 67:

fame atque inopia rerum omnium confecti,

id. Verr. 2, 5, 51, § 134;

(avis) fame enecta,

starved to death, id. Div. 2, 35, 73; cf.:

plebem fame necare,

id. Q. Fr. 2, 3, 2:

patientia famis,

id. Cat. 1, 10, 26: famem explere, to satiate, id. pro Dom. 23:

tolerare,

Caes. B. G. 1, 28, 3:

extremam famem sustentare,

id. ib. 7, 17, 3:

duram propellere,

Hor. S. 1, 2, 6; cf.:

pellere querna glande,

Tib. 2, 1, 38:

propulsare,

Col. 2, 10, 1; Tac. A. 14, 24:

deponere,

Ov. F. 6, 530:

levare,

to assuage, id. H. 14, 96:

vincere sacris extis,

Val. Fl. 2, 347 et saep.:

in principio fame utendum,

the patient must fast, Cels. 8, 10, 7; cf.:

primis diebus fames, deinde liberalius alimentum,

id. ib. —Prov.:

ambitiosa non est fames,

is not nice, Sen. Ep. 119, 14:

malum panem tibi tenerum et siligineum fames reddet,

id. ib. 123, 2.—

B.

Transf.

1.

Famine, dearth (rare in class. Lat.):

fames, quae tum erat in hac mea Asia: messis enim nulla fuerat,

Cic. Att. 5, 21, 8:

fames esse coepit,

Curt. 10, 8:

in fame frumentum exportare,

Cic. Fl. 7, 17; Vulg. Ruth, 1, 1; id. Matt. 24, 7 et saep.—

* 2.

In gen., poverty, indigence:

aliquem ad famem reicere,

Ter. Phorm. prol. 19.

II.

Trop.

A.

Like sitis, a violent longing for any thing, greediness, greed, avidity ( poet. and in post-Aug. prose):

quid non mortalia pectora cogis, Auri sacra fames!

Verg. A. 3, 57; so,

auri fames,

Plin. 33, 4, 21, § 72; cf.:

argenti sitis importuna famesque,

Hor. Ep. 1, 18, 23; Plin. 33, 1, 3, § 6; cf.:

auri fames durissima est,

id. 33, 4, 21, § 72:

ex longa fame satiaret se auro,

Curt. 5, 1, 4:

crescentem sequitur cura pecuniam Majorumque fames,

Hor. C. 3, 16, 17:

honorum Marii fames,

Flor. 3, 21, 6.—

* B.

Of speech, poverty of expression:

jejunitatem et famem malle quam ubertatem et copiam,

Cic. Tusc. 2, 1, 3.—

C.

Personified: Fames, as a goddess, Verg. A. 6, 276; Ov. M. 8, 784; 785 et saep.