Lewis & Short

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

  1. 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.
  2. II. Transf.
    1. 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.
    2. 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.
      1. 2. In partic., the falling sickness, epilepsy, Ser. Samm. 57, 1018.
        Hence, in gen., disease, sickness, Grat. Cyneg. 468.