stimulus

stĭmŭlus, i, m. [for stig-mulus, from the root stig; Gr. stizô; v. stilus].

I.

A goad for driving cattle, slaves, etc. (class., [p. 1760] esp. in the trop. sense).

A.

Lit.:

jam lora teneo, jam stimulum in manu: Agite equi, etc.,

Plaut. Men. 5, 2, 112:

parce, puer, stimulis, et fortius utere loris,

Ov. M. 2, 127:

aut stimulo tardos increpuisse boves,

Tib. 1, 1, 30 (12); cf. Ov. M. 14, 647:

ita te forabunt patibulatum per vias Stimulis,

Plaut. Ps. 1, 1, 54:

aliquem stimulo fodere,

id. Curc. 1, 2, 40:

dum te stimulis fodiam,

Cic. Phil. 2, 34, 86:

numquam stimulo lacessat juvencum,

Col. 2, 2, 26.—As a term of abuse of slaves:

stimulorum seges,

Plaut. Aul. 1, 1, 6; cf. id. Cas. 2, 8, 11:

stimulorum tritor,

id. Pers. 5, 2, 17.—Prov.:

si stimulos pugnis caedis, manibus plus dolet,

i. e. an evil is aggravated by foolish opposition, Plaut. Truc. 4, 2, 55; cf.:

advorsum stimulum calces,

kick against the pricks, Ter. Phorm. 1, 2, 28.—

B.

Trop., a goad (as in Engl., either that which vexes, irritates, torments, or, more freq., that which spurs on, incites, stimulates).

1.

A sting, torment, pang:

mens sibi conscia factis... adhibet stimulos torretque flagellis,

Lucr. 3, 1019; cf.:

subesse caecum aliquem cordi stimulum,

id. 3, 874:

ne illa stimulum longum habet, quae usque illinc cor pungit meum,

Plaut. Truc. 4, 3, 79:

stimulos doloris contemnere,

Cic. Tusc. 2, 27, 66; cf.:

(res malae) lacerant, vexant, stimulos admovent, etc.,

id. ib. 3, 16, 35:

stimulos in pectore caecos Condidit,

Ov. M. 1, 726.—

2.

A spur, incentive, incitement, stimulus:

animum gloriae stimulis concitare,

Cic. Arch. 11, 29:

quidam industriae ac laboris (with illecebrae libidinum),

id. Cael. 5, 12:

quot stimulos admoverit homini victoriae studioso,

id. Sest. 5, 12; cf.:

defendendi Vatinii,

id. Fam. 1, 9, 19:

omnia pro stimulis facibusque ciboque furoris Accipit,

Ov. M. 6, 480:

ardet, et injusti stimulis agitatur amoris,

id. F. 2, 779:

non hostili modo odio sed amoris etiam stimulis,

Liv. 30, 14, 1:

ad hanc voluntatem ipsius naturae stimulis incitamur,

Cic. Rep. 1, 2, 3:

ad dicendum etiam pudor stimulos habet,

Quint. 10, 7, 16:

agrariae legis tribuniciis stimulis plebs furebat,

Liv. 2, 54; cf.:

acriores quippe aeris alieni stimulos esse,

id. 6, 11:

subdere stimulos animo,

id. 6, 34:

in aliquem stimulis accendi,

Tac. H. 3, 45; cf.:

suis stimulis excitos Moesiae duces,

id. ib. 3, 53:

secundae res acrioribus stimulis animos explorant,

id. ib. 1, 15:

acres Subjectat lasso stimulos,

Hor. S. 2, 7, 94:

stimulos sub pectore vertit Apollo,

Verg. A. 6, 101:

movere acres stimulos irarum,

Luc. 2, 324:

accensae stimulis majoribus irae,

Stat. Th. 11, 497:

dare stimulos laudum,

id. Achill. 1, 203.—

II.

In milit. lang., a pointed stake concealed beneath the surface of the ground, to repel hostile troops (syn.:

sudes, stipes),

Caes. B. G. 7, 73 fin.:

se stimulis induere,

id. ib. 7, 82.