a portent

portent, omen, monster.

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prodigy, portent / monster, unnatural thing.

ăvis, is, f. ( abl. sing. avi and ave; cf. Varr. L. L. 8, § 66 Müll.; Prisc. p. 765 P.; Rhem. Palaem. p. 1374 P.; Neue, Formenl. I. pp. 218, 222; in the lang. of religion, the form avi is most common; v. infra) [cf. Sanscr. vā (which may imply av), to blow (to wave); vis, a bird; Zend, vi; with which Curt. compares oi-ônos, a large bird, and Benfey ai-etos, an eagle].

Lit., a bird; or collect., the winged tribe:

Liber captivos avis ferae consimilis est,

Plaut. Capt. 1, 2, 7:

videmus novis avibus canere undique silvas,

Lucr. 1, 256:

arguta,

Prop. 1, 18, 30:

istā enim avi (sc. aquilā) volat nulla vehementius,

Cic. Div. 2, 70, 144:

ave ad perfugia litorum tendente,

Plin. 10, 3, 3, § 9; Vulg. Gen. 1, 2; ib. Deut. 4, 17; ib. Marc. 4, 32; ib. Luc. 13, 34 et saep.—In Varr. once of bees:

de incredibili earum avium naturā audi,

Varr. R. R. 3, 16, 3.—A description of birds is found ap. Plin. lib. 10; of their habits, ap. Varr. R. R. 3, 3 sq. and ap. Col. 8, 1 sq.—

Transf.

Esp., in reference to auguries, since the Romans took their omens or auguries from birds (v. augurium and auspicium): post quam avem aspexit templo Anchises, Naev. ap. Prob. ad Verg. E. 6, 31.—Hence, avis, meton., = omen a sign, omen, portent, freq. with the epithets bona, mala, sinistra ( = bona;

v. sinister), adversa, etc.: liquido exeo foras Auspicio avi sinistrā,

Plaut. Ep. 2, 2, 2:

ducam legiones meas Avi sinistrā, auspicio liquido atque ex sententiā,

id. Ps. 2, 4, 72: solvere secundo rumore aversāque avi, poët. ap. Cic. Div. 1, 16, 29, where B. and K. read adversā:

malā ducis avi domum,

with a bad omen, Hor. C. 1, 15, 5:

este bonis avibus visi natoque mihique,

Ov. F. 1, 513; so id. M. 15, 640:

di, qui secundis avibus in proelium miserint,

Liv. 6, 12, 9:

Quā ego hunc amorem mihi esse avi dicam datum?

Plaut. Cas. 3, 4, 26:

Hac veniat natalis avi,

Tib. 2, 2, 21.—In abl., form ave:

tunc ave deceptus falsā,

Ov. M. 5, 147.—

Comically, for a man in the garb of a bird:

Sed quae nam illaec est avis, quae huc cum tunicis advenit?

Plaut. Poen. 5, 2, 15.—

Avis alba, v. albus, I. B. 3. e.

monstrum, i, n. [moneo].

Orig. belonging to relig. lang., a divine omen indicating misfortune, an evil omen, portent (syn.:

ostentum, prodigium, portentum): quia ostendunt, portendunt, monstrant, praedicunt, ostenta, portenta, monstra, prodigia dicuntur,

Cic. Div. 1, 42, 93; cf.: monstrum dictum velut monestrum, quod moneat aliquid futurum; prodigium velut praedicium, quod praedicat; portentum quod portendat; ostentum, quod ostendat, Paul. ex Fest. p. 140 and 138 Müll.; cf. id. ib. p. 157: hic est nullum (dubium) quin monstrum siet, Enn. ap. Non. 469, 6 (Trag. v. 326 Vahl.):

monstra deūm,

Verg. A. 3, 59; cf. Ov. M. 15, 571.—

Transf., a monster, monstrosity (whether a living being or an inanimate thing).

Ofliving beings:

monstrum hominis,

you monster of a man, Ter. Eun. 4, 4, 29:

monstrum advenit,

id. ib. 5, 2, 21:

horrendum, of Polyphemus,

Verg. A. 3, 658.—Also with respect to character:

en monstrum mulieris,

that monster of a woman, Plaut. Poen. 1, 2, 64:

nulla jam pernicies a monstro illo atque prodigio comparabitur,

Cic. Cat. 2, 1, 1:

fatale, of Cleopatra,

Hor. C. 1, 37, 21:

tune etiam, immanissimum ac foedissimum monstrum ausus es?

Cic. Pis. 14, 31:

hominum,

monsters of men, Gell. 17, 1, 1.—Of beasts:

succinctam latrantibus inguina monstris, i. e. canibus,

Verg. E. 6, 75:

quae plurima terrae monstra ferunt,

id. G. 1, 185.—

Of inanim. things, of the sea, Verg. A. 5, 849:

infelix, of the Trojan horse,

id. ib. 2, 245.—Of the ship Argo, Cat. 64, 15:

non mihi jam furtum, sed monstrum ac prodigium videbatur,

Cic. Verr. 2, 3, 73, § 171: monstra narrare, dicere, to relate wonders, prodigies, marvels:

mera monstra narrabat,

Cic. Att. 4, 7, 1:

dicere,

id. Tusc. 4, 24, 54:

ac portenta loqui,

Lucr. 590:

totaque jam sparsis exarserat insula monstris,

Val. Fl. 2, 248:

in vitā suā fecit monstra,

he did wonderful things, Vulg. Eccl. 48, 15; Sap. 19, 8.

ostendo, di, sum, and tum (ostensus, Varr. ap. Prisc. p. 892 P.; Luc. 2, 192: ostentus, Att. ap. Cic. Div. 1, 22, 45; Pac. and Varr. ap. Prisc. l. l.; Tac. H. 1, 78:

ostensurus,

Suet. Ner. 13; App. ap. Prisc. p. 892 P.:

ostenturus,

Cato, Or. 52, 2; v. also the apoc. form: ostende ostendam, ut permultis aliis exemplis ejus generis manifestum est, Paul. ex Fest. p. 201 Müll.; perh. used by Cato, v. Müll. ad loc., and cf. the letter E), v. a. [obs-tendo], to stretch out or spread before one; hence, to expose to view, to show, exhibit, display (syn.: monstro, exhibeo).

Lit.

In gen.

Ostendo manus, Plaut. Ep. 5, 2, 17:

os suum populo Romano ostendere audet,

Cic. Verr. 2, 1, 1, § 1:

pectora,

Sil. 2, 669:

umeros,

Verg. A. 5, 376:

dentem,

Suet. Vesp. 5:

se,

to show one's self, appear, Ter. Hec. 4, 4, 5:

aciem,

to display, Liv. 29, 7:

equites sese ostendunt,

show themselves, appear, Caes. B. C. 1, 63. —

Transf.:

vocem,

to make heard, Phaedr. 1, 13, 9.—

In partic., to lay open, expose ( poet.):

Aquiloni glaebas,

Verg. G. 2, 261:

lucos Phoebo,

Stat. Th. 6, 90:

ager qui soli ostentus erit,

Cato, R. R. 6, 2. —

Trop.

In gen., to show, disclose, exhibit, manifest: ille dies cum gloriā maximā sese nobis ostendat, Enn. ap. Prisc. p. 880 P. (Ann. v. 384 Vahl.):

non ego illi extemplo ita meum ostendam sensum,

Plaut. Most. 5, 1, 21:

verum hoc facto sese ostendit,

he has exposed himself, id. As. 5, 2, 12:

sententiam,

Ter. Heaut. 2, 1, 7:

potestatem,

id. Eun. 5, 8, 3:

spem, metum,

i. e. to promise, threaten, Cic. Verr. 2, 4, 34, § 75 et saep.—With two acc.:

aliquem nocentem,

Plin. Ep. 3, 9, 2; cf. Tit. ap. Gell. 2, 27, 5.—Mid., to show itself, appear:

nisi cum major spes ostenderetur,

Suet. Aug. 25.—

In partic.

To show, express, indicate by speech or signs; to give to understand, to declare, say, tell, make known, etc. (syn.: indico, declaro, significo).—With acc.:

illud ostendit,

Cic. Att. 1, 1, 4.—With obj. - or rel.-clause:

ostendit se cum rege colloqui velle,

Nep. Con. 3, 2:

quid sui consilii sit, ostendit,

Caes. B. G. 1, 21; cf. id. ib. 5, 2, 3.— Absol.:

ut ostendimus supra,

as we showed above, Nep. Ages. 1, 5:

sed aliter, atque ostenderam, facio,

Cic. Fam. 2, 3, 2:

signum est per quod ostenditur idonea perficiendi facultas esse quaesita,

Auct. Her. 2, 4, 6:

primum ostendendum est,

id. ib. 2, 16, 23.—

To hold up conspicuously, flourish (ironically):

sed quaedam mihi magnifica et praeclara ejus defensio ostenditur,

Cic. Verr. 2, 5, 1, § 1.—Hence, osten-tus, a, um, P. a.

Exposed (ante-class.):

ager soli ostentus,

Cato, R. R. 6, 2; so id. ib. 6, 4; Varr. R. R. 1, 24, 1; 1, 25.—

Subst.: ostentum, i, n.

Lit., a prodigy, wonder, that announces something about to happen, a portent (class.;

syn.: monstrum, portentum): praedictiones vero et praesensiones rerum futurarum quid aliud declarant, nisi hominibus ea, quae futura sunt, ostendi, monstrari, portendi, praedici? ex quo illa ostenta, monstra, portenta, prodigia dicuntur,

Cic. N. D. 2, 3, 7; cf. id. Div. 1, 42, 93; id. Verr. 2, 4, 49, § 108; Suet. Caes. 32.—

Transf., a wondrous thing, prodigy: scis Appium ostenta facere, Cael. ap. Cic. Fam. 8, 14, 4:

ostenti prorsus genus,

Just. 10, 1, 6.

portendo, di, tum, 3 ( inf. pres. portendier, Plaut. Poen. 3, 5, 4), v. a. [an archaic collat. form in relig. lang. of protendo, to stretch forth], to point out, indicate (future events, misfortunes, etc.), to foretell, predict, presage, portend (cf.:

ostendo, monstro): ea (auspicia) illis exeuntibus in aciem portendisse deos,

Liv. 30, 32, 9; cf.:

di immortales mihi sacrificanti... laeta omnia prosperaque portendere,

id. 31, 7 fin.:

magnitudinem imperii portendens prodigium,

id. 1, 55: populo commutationem rerum portendit fore, Att. ap. Cic. Div. 1, 22, 45:

triginta annos Cyrum regnaturum esse portendi,

Cic. Div. 1, 23, 46:

quod portentum regni ruinam portendebat, of an earthquake,

Just. 17, 1, 3.— Pass., to be indicated (by a sign), to threaten, impend.

Usually of bad fortune, loss, injury, etc.:

nobis periculum magnum portenditur,

Plaut. As. 3, 1, 27:

haruspices dudum dicebant mihi, malum damnumque maximum portendier,

id. Poen. 3, 5, 4; cf.:

malum quod in quiete tibi portentum est,

id. Curc. 2, 2, 22:

quod in extis nostris portentum est,

id. Poen. 5, 4, 35.—

Of good fortune, etc.:

salvos sum: libertas portenditur,

Plaut. Rud. 5, 3, 38:

quid spei Latinis portendi?

Liv. 1, 50. —Hence, portentum, i, n., a sign, token, omen, portent (syn.: ostentum, prodigium).

Lit.:

ex quo illa ostenta, monstra, portenta, prodigia dicuntur,

Cic. N. D. 2, 3, 7; cf. Fest. p. 245 Müll.; and Paul. ex Fest. p. 244 Müll.:

nam si quod raro fit, id portentum putandum est, sapientem esse portentum est,

Cic. Div. 2, 28, 61: portentum inusitatum conflatum est recens, Poët. ap. Gell. 15, 4:

alii portenta atque prodigia nunciabant,

Sall. C. 30, 2:

ne quaere profecto, Quem casum portenta ferant,

Verg. A. 8, 533.—Of miracles, Vulg. Heb. 2, 4; id. Deut. 34, 11; cf. id. Marc. 13, 22.—

Transf.

A monster, monstrosity:

cetera de genere hoc quae sunt portenta perempta,

Lucr. 5, 37; Hor. Ep. 2, 1, 11:

quale portentum neque militaris Daunias latis alit aesculetis Nec, etc.,

id. C. 1, 22, 13:

quae virgineo portenta sub inguine latrant,

i. e. the dogs of Scylla, Ov. Am. 2, 16, 23:

praeter naturam hominum pecudumque portentis,

monstrous births, monsters, Cic. N. D. 2, 5, 14; cf.: bovem quendam putari deum, multaque alia portenta apud eosdem, id. Rep. 3, 9, 14.— Trop., in a moral sense, a monster of depravity:

P. Clodius, fatale portentum prodigiumque rei publicae,

Cic. Pis. 4, 9:

Gabinius et Piso, duo rei publicae portenta ac paene funera,

id. Prov. Cons. 1, 2:

qualia demens Aegyptus portenta colat,

Juv. 15, 2.—

A marvellous or extravagant fiction, a strange tale, a wonderful story:

cetera de genere hoc monstra et portenta locuntur,

Lucr. 4, 590:

poëtarum et pictorum portenta,

Cic. Tusc. 1, 6, 11:

portentum atque monstrum certissimum est, esse aliquem humanā specie et figurā, qui tantum immanitate bestias vicerit,

id. Rosc. Am. 22, 63:

portenta atque praestigias scribere,

Gell. 10, 12, 6.

prōdĭgĭum, ii ( gen. plur. prodigiūm, Pac. ap. Cic. Or. 46, 155), n. [for prodicium, from prodico].

Lit., a prophetic sign, token, omen, portent, prodigy, in a good and (more freq.) in a bad sense (syn.: portentum, ostentum, monstrum): mittere, Att. ap. Cic. N. D. 3, 26, 68:

multa prodigia vim ejus numenque declarant,

Cic. Verr. 2, 4, 49, § 107:

(lunam deficientem) nullum esse prodigium,

id. Rep. 1, 15; Verg. A. 5, 639:

laetum,

Plin. 11, 37, 77, § 197:

P. Clodius fatale portentum prodigiumque rei publicae,

Cic. Pis. 4, 9:

(Catilina) monstrum atque prodigium,

id. Cat. 2, 1, 1:

non mihi jam furtum, sed monstrum ac prodigium videbatur,

i. e. a monstrous and unnatural crime, id. Verr. 2, 3, 73, § 171; cf. Juv. 6, 84:

piare prodigia,

Tac. H. 5, 13:

accipere aliquid in prodigium,

id. A. 12, 43:

prodigii loco habere,

id. ib. 13, 58:

Harpyia Prodigium canit,

Verg. A. 3, 366:

nuntiare,

Sall. C. 30, 2:

divinitus factum,

Quint. 1, 10, 47:

prodigiorum perita,

Liv. 1, 34:

prodigio par est cum nobilitate senectus,

Juv. 4, 97:

propter multa prodigia libros Sibyllinos adiisse,

Macr. S. 1, 6, 13.—Of miracles:

signa et prodigia,

Vulg. Psa. 134, 9 et saep. —

Transf., a monster, prodigy:

non ego sum prodigium,

Ov. M. 13, 917:

prodigium triplex,

id. H. 9, 91:

heu prodigia ventris!

Plin. 19, 4, 19, § 55.