sŭperbĭa, ae, f. [superbus].
- I. In a bad sense, loftiness, haughtiness, pride, arrogance (syn.: arrogantia, insolentia, fastidium, fastus): num sibi aut stultitia accessit aut superat superbia? Plaut. Am. 2, 2, 77: magnitudinem animi superbia (imitatur) in animis extollendis, Cic. Part. Or. 23, 81: divitiae dedecoris plenae sunt et insolentis superbiae, id. Rep. 1, 34, 51: abicio superbiam, Plaut. Merc. 5, 2, 10: in rebus prosperis superbiam magno opere, fastidium arrogantiamque fugiamus, id. Off. 1, 26, 90; so (with fastidium) id. Rep. 1, 32, 48; (with arrogantia) id. Inv. 1, 54, 105; Caes. Fragm. ap. Gell. 4, 16, 8; (with avaritia) Liv. 43, 2, 2; (with insolentia, contumacia) Cic. Verr. 2, 4, 41, § 89; (with importunitas), id. Rep. 1, 40, 62; id. Lael. 15, 54; (with inhumanitas) id. de Or. 1, 22, 99; (with crudelitas) Liv. 8, 33, 11; (opp. moderatio) id. 8, 33, 13: domicilium superbiae, id. Agr. 2, 35, 97: pone superbiam, Hor. C. 3, 10, 9: superbiam alicujus retundere, Phaedr. 4, 23, 21: in vultu damnosa superbia vestro, Ov A. A. 3, 509: silentium ipsius in superbiam accipiebatur, was interpreted as pride, Tac. A. 6, 19 (13) fin.: absit superbia, asperitas, Plin. Ep. 8, 24, 5: nec tanta superbia victis, Verg. A. 1, 529.
Plur.: secundas fortunas decent superbiae, Plaut. Stich. 2, 1, 28.
- 2. Conceit, vanity: legatos, velut ad ludibrium stolidae superbiae in senatum vocatos esse, Liv. 45, 3, 3.
- 3. Rudeness, discourtesy: superbiam tuam accusant, quod negent te percontantibus respondere, Cic. Fam. 7, 16, 3.
- * B. Transf., of things: album opus propter superbiam candoris concipit fumum, the delicacy of white (as a color), Vitr. 7, 3, 4.
- II. In a good sense, lofty spirit, honorable pride (poet. and in post-Aug. prose): sume superbiam Quaesitam meritis, Hor. C. 3, 30, 14: nec tantam Vespesiano superbiam, Tac. H. 3, 66.
- B. Transf., of things: eadem causa in piris taxatur superbiae cognomine, Plin. 15, 15, 16, § 53; cf. superbus, II. B. 1.