procella

prŏcella, ae, f [pro and root kel; Gr. kelês, runner; cf.: celer, celox], a violent wind (by which things are prostrated), a storm, hurricane, tempest (class.).

I.

Lit.:

procella distat latitudine a vortice et a turbine disjectā nube verius quam ruptā,

Plin. 2, 49, 50, § 133:

turbinis inmanem vim provomit atque procellae,

Lucr. 6, 447:

imbres, nimbi, procellae, turbines,

Cic. N. D. 3, 20, 51; Plaut. Trin. 4, 1, 17:

creber procellis Africus,

Verg. A. 1, 85:

stridens Aquilone procella,

id. ib. 1, 102:

si mugiat Africis Malus procellis,

Hor. C. 3, 29, 58; 2, 9, 3:

praecipites,

Ov. Tr. 4, 6, 35:

navis quassata procellā,

id. ib. 5, 5, 17:

raperent mea poma procellae, id. Nux, 163: procella nivem effuderat,

Curt. 3, 13, 7:

imbrem excusserant procellae,

id. 4, 7, 14:

Thalle, turbidā rapacior procellā,

Cat. 25, 4.—With gen.:

validi venti collecta procella,

Lucr. 6, 124.—

II.

Transf.

A.

(Mostly in plur.) A storm, tumult, violence, commotion, vehemence:

tempestates et procellas in illis fluctibus concionum,

Cic. Mil. 2, 5 (also cited ap. Quint. 8, 6, 48, and particularly mentioned as a figure, id. 8, 6, 48, § 7):

vita tranquilla et quieta remota a procellis invidiarum,

Cic. Clu. 56, 153:

ut procellam temporis devitaret,

id. Verr. 1, 3, 8:

patriae,

id. Dom. 53, 137:

agitari tribuniciis procellis,

Liv. 2, 1; cf.:

seditionum procellae,

id. 28, 25:

procellae civiles,

civil commotions, Nep. Att. 10, 6; cf.:

ferimur procellā,

Verg. A. 7, 594; Ov. M. 13, 656.—

B.

In milit. lang.

1.

A charge, onset, sudden attack of cavalry:

hac velut procellā ita consternavit equos, ut, etc.,

Liv. 37, 41 fin.:

equestrem procellam excitemus oportet,

id. 30, 18:

equestris,

id. 29, 2; Tac. H. 3, 53.—

2.

In gen., of a fierce battle:

hic secunda belli Punici procella desaevit,

Flor. 2, 6, 12; Luc. 8, 203.—

3.

Of a storm of eloquence:

priusquam illam eloquentiae procellam effunderet (Ulixes),

Quint. 11, 3, 158:

contionum,

id. 8, 6, 7.