Lewis & Short

săgīna, ae, f. [kindr. with σάττω, to stuff full, to cram; v. sagmen], a stuffing, cramming, fattening, feeding, feasting.

  1. I. Lit.
    1. A. In abstr. (class.): anserum, Varr. R. R. 3, 10, 1; Col. 6, 27, 9; 8, 14, 11: gallinarum, Plin. 10, 50, 71, § 140: cochlearum, id. 9, 56, 82, § 174: vaccarum. Vulg. Ecclus. 38, 27: dies noctesque estur, Bibitur, neque quisquam parsimoniam adhibet: sagina plane est, Plaut. Most. 1, 3, 79: in saginam se conicere, id. Trin. 3, 2, 96: qui multitudinem illam non auctoritate sed sagina tenebat, * Cic. Fl. 7, 17; cf. Tac. H. 2, 71.
    2. B. In concr.
      1. 1. Food, nourishment (postAug.).
        1. a. Lit.: gladiatoria sagina, Tac. H. 2, 88; cf., of gladiators’ food, Prop. 4 (5), 8, 25: temulentus et sagina gravis, Tac. H. 1, 62: stomachum laxare saginae, Juv. 4, 67: sagina viva, i. e. small fish with which larger ones were fed, Varr. R. R. 3, 17, 7; cf. Plin. 9, 6, 5, § 14: ad saginam idonea, Col. 8, 9, 4: ferarum, Suet. Calig. 27: minuere saginam, Nemes. Cyn. 166: ad saginam pristinam revocare, to natural food, Veg. 2, 45, 3: bestiarum, App. M. p. 148, 27.
        2. b. Transf.: herbae viridis coma dulciore saginā roris aut fluminis, rich nourishment, Pall. 7, 3 Mai: quemadmodum forensibus certaminibus exercitatos et quasi militantes reficit ac reparat haec velut sagina dicendi, nourishment of oratory, Quint. 10, 5, 17.
      2. * 2. A fatted animal: este, effercite vos, saginam caedite, kill the fatted beast, Plaut. Most. 1, 1, 62.
  2. II. Meton., fatness produced by much eating, corpulence (postAug.): saginam corporis ex nimiā luxuriā contraxit, Just. 21, 2, 1: sagina ventris non homini sed beluae similis, id. 38, 8, 9: qui colorem fuco et verum robur inani saginā mentiuntur, Quint. 2, 15, 25: nimio tendis mole saginam, Aus. Ephem. 1, 8: ursam quae ceteris saginā corporis praevalebat, App. M. 4, p. 149, 7.