malitia

mălĭtĭa, ae, f. [malus], bad quality, badness.

I.

Lit. (post-class.):

terrae malitia,

Pall. 1, 6:

arboris,

unfruitfulness, id. 11, 8.—

II.

Trop., ill-will, spite, malice (class.): virtutis contraria est vitiositas: sic enim malo, quam malitiam, appellare eam, quam Graeci kakian appellant:

nam malitia certi cujusdam vitii nomen est: vitiositas omnium,

Cic. Tusc. 4, 15, 34:

est enim malitia versuta et fallax nocendi ratio,

id. N. D. 3, 30, 75; id. Rosc. Com. 16, 46:

per summam fraudem et malitiam,

id. Quint. 18, 56; id. Clu. 26, 70;

opp. to virtus: virtute, non malitia, P. Scipioni placuisse,

Sall. J. 22, 2.—With malus:

sine mala omni malitia,

Plaut. Aul. 2, 2, 38.—In plur.:

collatio nostrarum malitiarum,

Plaut. Mil. 3, 3, 66:

everriculum malitiarum omnium,

Cic. N. D. 3, 30, 74.—

B.

Cunning, artfulness:

muliebris malitia adhibenda est mihi,

Plaut. Ep. 4, 1, 23.—

C.

Sometimes in a good sense, like our roguery, Cic. Att. 15, 26, 4:

tamen a malitia non discedis,

you do not desist from your roguery, id. Fam. 9, 19, 1.