1. lābes, is (abl. labi for labe, Lucr. 5, 930), f. [1. lābor], a fall, falling down, sinking in.
- I. 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.
- II. Transf.
- A. 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.
- B. 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.
- 2. In partic., the falling sickness, epilepsy, Ser. Samm. 57, 1018.
Hence, in gen., disease, sickness, Grat. Cyneg. 468.
2. lābes, is, f. [Gr. λώβη, λωβεύω; cf. Curt. Griech. Etym. p. 372]. a spot, blot, stain, blemish, defect.
- I. 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.
- II. Trop., a stain, blot, stigma, disgrace, discredit: labes macula in vestimento dicitur, et deinde μεταφορικῶς 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.
- b. 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.