Lewis & Short

in-cĭto, āvi, ātum, 1, v. a., to set in rapid motion, to hasten, urge forwards; and with se, to put one’s self in rapid motion, to hasten, rush (freq. and class.).

  1. I. Lit.
    1. A. In gen.: vehementius equos incitare, Caes. B. C. 2, 41, 4: saxa per pronum, Sall. H. 3, 22 Dietsch: hastas, Val. Fl. 1, 409: stellarum motus tum incitantur, tum retardantur, Cic. N. D. 2, 40, 103: naves longas remis, Caes. B. G. 4, 25, 1; cf.: lintres magno sonitu remorum incitatae, id. ib. 7, 60, 4: navigio remis incitato, id. ib. 3, 14, 6: alii ex castris sese incitant, sally out, id. B. C. 2, 14, 3; cf.: cum ex alto se aestus incitavisset, had rushed in, id. B. G. 3, 12, 1; and: quo major vis aquae se incitavisset, id. ib. 4, 17, 7: duabus ex partibus sese (naves) in eam (navem) incitaverant, id. B. C. 2, 6, 4; cf. id. ib. 3, 24, 3.
      Prov.: incitare currentem, to spur a willing horse, i. e. to urge a person who does not need urging, Cic. Phil. 3, 8, 19; cf. id. Q. Fr. 1, 1, 16; v. curro.
    2. B. In partic., to cause to grow larger, i. e. to augment, increase, to promote the growth of (not ante-Aug.; cf. excito, I. B.): hibernis (Enipeus amnis) incitatus pluviis, swollen, Liv. 44, 8, 6: frequentibus fossuris terra permiscetur, ut incitari vitis possit, Col. 4, 22, 3; 4, 33. fin.; 3, 21, 7.
  2. II. Trop., to incite, encourage, stimulate, rouse, excite, spur on.
    1. A. In gen.: aliquem imitandi cupiditate, Cic. Brut. 92, 317: quibus (causis) mentes aut incitantur aut reflectuntur, id. de Or. 1, 32, 53: animos, opp. sedare, id. Or. 19, 63: ipsum ingenium diligentia etiam ex tarditate incitat, id. ib. 2, 35, 147: quorum studio legendi meum scribendi studium in dies incitatur, id. Div. 2, 2, 5: quamquam ea incitatur in civitate ratio vivendi, id. de Or. 3, 60, 226: stultas cogitationes, Hirt. B. G. 8, 10, 4: quoniam ad hanc voluntatem ipsius naturae stimulis incitamur, Cic. Rep. 1, 2 fin.; cf.: juvenes ad studium et ad laborem, id. de Or. 1, 61, 262: aliquem ad servandum genus hominum, id. Fin. 3, 20, 66: multa Caesarem ad id bellum incitabant, Caes. B. G. 3, 10, 1: aliquem ad bellum atque arma, Liv. 1, 27, 3: aliquem ad amplissimam spem, Suet. Caes. 7: cujus voluptatis avidae libidines temere et effrenate ad potiundum incitarentur, Cic. de Sen. 12, 39: incitabant (animum ferocem) praeterea conrupti civitatis mores, Sall. C. 5, 8: cum tibia lumbos incitat, Juv. 6, 315.
    2. B. In partic.
      1. 1. To inspire. nam terrae vis Pythiam Delphis incitabat, naturae Sibyllam, Cic. Div. 1, 36, 79: mente incitati, id. Ac. 2, 5, 14; id. Cat. 63, 93.
      2. 2. In a bad sense, to excite, arouse, stir up: neque enim desunt, qui istos in me atque in optimum quemque incitent, Cic. Fl. 28, 66; cf. id. Fam. 12, 2, 1: et consules senatum in tribunum et tribunus populum in consules incitabat, Liv. 4, 2, 1: his vocibus cum in se magis incitarent dictatorem, id. 8, 33, 1: opifices facile contra vos incitabuntur, Cic. Ac. 2, 47, 144 (shortly before, concitentur); Hirt. B. G. 8, 35 fin.: milites nostri pristini diei perfidiā incitati, Caes. B. G. 4, 14, 3: civitas ob eam rem incitata, id. ib. 1, 4: judices, Quint. 6, 4, 10.
      3. 3. (Acc. to I. B.) To augment, increase, enhance: consuetudo exercitatioque et intellegendi prudentiam acuit et eloquendi celeritatem incitat, Cic. de Or. 1, 20, 90; so, caelibum poenas, Tac. A. 3, 25.
        Hence, incĭtātus, a, um, P. a. (set in rapid motion; hence), swiftly running, flowing, sailing, flying, etc.; in gen., rapid, swift.
    1. A. Lit.: imperator equo incitato se in hostes immittens, at full speed, Cic. N. D. 3, 6, 15: equo incitato, Caes. B. G. 4, 12 fin. (for which: citato equo; v. cito): milites cursu incitato in summo colle ab hostibus conspiciebantur, advancing rapidly, id. ib. 2, 26, 3; cf. in the foll. B.: mundi incitatissima conversio, Cic. Rep. 6, 18 (shortly before: conversio concitatior).
    2. B. Trop.: cursus in oratione incitatior, Cic. Or. 59, 201; cf. so of speech: Herodotus sine ullis salebris quasi sedatus amnis fluit: Thucydides incitatior fertur, id. ib. 12, 39.
      Adv.: incĭtātē (acc. to B.), of speech, quickly, rapidly, violently: fluit incitatius, Cic. Or. 63, 212: quod incitatius feratur (locutio), id. ib. 20, 67.