2. auctus, ūs, m. [augeo], an increasing, augmenting; increase, growth, abundance (esp. freq. after the Aug. per.; not in Cic.; syn. incrementum; post-class. augmentum).
- I. Lit.: corporis auctus, Lucr. 2, 482; 5, 1171: Hic natura suis refrenat viribus auctum, id. 2, 1121; 5, 846; 6, 327: auxilium appellatum ab auctu, Varr. L. L. 5, § 90 Müll.: vos (Divi Divaeque) bonis auctibus auxitis, Liv. 29, 27; 4, 2: aquarum, Plin. 4, 12, 24, § 79; Tac. A. 1, 56: diei, Plin. 2, 19, 17, § 81.
Poet.: caedere arboris auctum, the abundance of a tree, for a large tree, Lucr. 6, 168; so, nec lorica tenet distenti corporis auctum, Luc. 9, 797.
- II. Trop.: auctus imperii, Tac. A. 2, 33; so id. H. 4, 63: hujus viri fastigium tantis auctibus fortuna extulit ut, etc., Vell. 2, 40, 4: bellum cotidiano auctu majus, id. 2, 129 fin.: immensis auctibus aliquem extollere, Tac. H. 4, 28: augusta dicantur ab auctu, etc., from the increase, enhancement of a prosperous condition, Suet. Aug. 7 fin.