subsidences of the earth

lābes, is (abl. labi for labe, Lucr. 5, 930), f. [1. lābor], a fall, falling down, sinking in.

Lit. (rare but class.):

dare labem,

Lucr. 2, 1145:

motus terrae Rhodum... gravi ruinarum labe concussit,

Just. 30, 4, 3:

tantos terrae motus in Italia factos esse, ut multis locis labes factae sint terraeque desederint,

subsidences of the earth, Cic. Div. 1, 35, 78; cf.:

labes agri,

id. ib. 1, 43, 97:

terrae,

Liv. 42, 15; so absol.:

si labes facta sit, omnemque fructum tulerit,

Dig. 19, 2, 15, § 2:

labes imbris e caelo,

Arn. 5, 185.—

Transf.

A fall, stroke, ruin, destruction:

hinc mihi prima mali labes,

the first blow of misfortune, Verg. A. 2, 97:

haec prima mali labes, hoc initium impendentis ruinae fuit,

Just. 17, 1, 5: metuo legionibu' labem, Enn. ap. Diom. p. 378 P. (Ann. v. 283 Vahl.):

quanta pernis pestis veniet, quanta labes larido,

Plaut. Capt. 4, 3, 3:

innocentiae labes ac ruina,

Cic. Fl. 10, 24:

labes in tabella,

id. Lael. 12, 41:

regnorum labes,

Val. Fl. 5, 237.—

Meton., ruin, destruction; of a dangerous person, one who causes ruin:

(Verres) labes atque pernicies provinciae Siciliae,

Cic. Verr. 1, 1, 2: labes popli, Plant. Pers. 3, 3, 4.—Of a bad law:

labes atque eluvies civitatis,

Cic. Dom. 20, 53.—

In partic., the falling sickness, epilepsy, Ser. Samm. 57, 1018.—

Hence, in gen.,

disease, sickness, Grat. Cyneg. 468.

lābes, is, f. [Gr. lôbê, lôbeuô; cf. Curt. Griech. Etym. p. 372]. a spot, blot, stain, blemish, defect.

Lit. ( poet. and in post-Aug. prose):

tractata notam labemque remittunt Atramenta,

Hor. Ep. 2, 1, 235:

sine labe toga,

Ov. A. A. 1, 514:

purum et sine labe salinum,

Pers. 3, 25:

victima labe carens,

Ov. M. 15, 130:

aliqua corporis labe insignis,

Suet. Aug. 38: item quae (virgo) lingua debili sensuve aurium deminuta, aliave qua corporis labe insignita sit, Gell. 1, 12, 3.—

Trop., a stain, blot, stigma, disgrace, discredit: labes macula in vestimento dicitur, et deinde metaphorikôs transfertur in homines vituperatione dignos, Paul. ex Fest. p. 121 Müll. (freq. and class.):

animi labes nec diuturnitate evanescere, nec amnibus ullis elui potest,

Cic. Leg. 2, 10, 24:

saeculi labes atque macula,

id. Balb. 6, 15:

labem alicujus dignitati aspergere,

a stain, disgrace, id. Vatin. 6, 15:

labem alicui inferre,

id. Cael. 18, 42:

famae non sine labe meae,

Prop. 4 (5), 8, 20:

domus sine labe,

Juv. 14, 69:

vita sine labe peracta,

Ov. P. 2, 7, 49:

abolere labem prioris ignominiae,

Tac. H. 3, 24:

donec longa dies... concretam eximit labem, purumque relinquit sensum,

Verg. A. 6, 746. —Of an immoral custom:

dedit hanc contagio labem,

Juv. 2, 78.— Plur.:

conscientiae labes habere,

Cic. Off. 3, 21, 85:

peccatorum labibus inquinati,

Lact. 4, 26; id. Ira Dei, 19.—

Meton. (abstr. pro concreto), a disgrace, i. e. a good-for-nothing fellow, a wretch:

habeo quem opponam labi illi atque caeno,

Cic. Sest. 8, 20:

caenum illud ac labes,

id. ib. 11, 26.