Lewis & Short

Parsing inflected forms may not always work as expected. If the following does not give the correct word, try Latin Words or Perseus.

Lēthē, ēs, f., = Λήθη (forgetfulness),

  1. I. the river Lethe, in the infernal regions, from which the Shades drank and obtained forgetfulness of the past: pocula Lethes, Ov. P. 2, 4, 23: da mihi hebetantem pectora Lethen, id. ib. 4, 1, 17: soporifera, id. Tr. 4, 1, 47: immittere Lethen Stygiam alicui in viscera, i. e. forgetfulness, Luc. 5, 221: aqua Lethes, i. q. soporifera, Ov. M. 11, 603.
    Hence,
  2. II. Lēthaeus, a, um, adj., of or belonging to Lethe, Lethean.
    1. A. Lit.: ratis, Tib. 3, 5, 24: amnis, Verg. A. 6, 705: stagna, Prop. 4 (5), 7, 91.
    2. B. Transf.
      1. 1. Of or belonging to the infernal regions: Lethaei dii, Luc. 6, 685: tyrannus, i. e. Pluto, Col. 10, 271: Lethaea vincula abrumpere alicui, to bring one from the Lower World back to life, Hor. C. 4, 7, 27: janitor, i. e. Anubis, Stat. S. 3, 2, 112.
      2. 2. That produces sleepiness or forgetfulness, Lethean: Lethaeo perfusa papavera somno, Verg. G. 1, 78: ros, id. A. 5, 854: papavera, id. G. 4, 545: sucus, Ov. M. 7, 152: amor, faithless love, id. R. Am. 551: nox, id. A. A. 3, 648.

lētum (sometimes written lēthum, from a supposed connection with λήθη), i, n. [acc. to Varr. L. L. 7, § 42 Müll., and Paul. ex Fest. p. 115 Müll., from λήθη; more prob. acc. to Prisc. p. 665 and 898 P., from leo, whence also deleo; root lī-; cf. Sanscr. vi-lī, to dissolve; Gr. λίμνη, λιμήν, λοιμός].

  1. I. death (ante-class., and in the class. period mostly poet.): ollus apparet in funeribus indictivis, cum dicitur: ollus leto datus est (qs. was given up to oblivion), Varr. L. L. 7, § 42 Müll.
    The phrase leto datus, dead: leto dare, to kill, often occurs: sos leto datos divos habento, Cic. Leg. 2, 9, 22: quorum liberi leto dati sunt in bello, Enn. ap. Non. 15, 13 (Trag. v. 378 Vahl.): qui te leto dabit, Pac. ib. 355, 18 (Trag. Rel. p. 79 Rib.); Verg. A. 5, 806; 11, 172; 12, 328; Ov. H. 2, 147: utrumque largus leto dedit ingenii fons, Juv. 10, 119; Phaedr. 1, 21, 9; 3, 16, 18: letum inimico deprecer, Enn. ap. Gell. 6, 16, 10 (Trag. v. 162 Vahl.): emortuus leto malo, Plaut. Aul. 4, 5, 1: letum sibi consciscere, id. Mil. 4, 6, 26: responde, quo leto censes ut peream, id. Merc. 2, 4, 15: leto offerre caput, Lucr. 3, 1041: mortis letique potitus, id. 4, 766: eodem sibi leto, quo ipse interisset, esse pereundum, Cic. Div. 1, 26, 56: turpi leto perire, id. Att. 10, 10, 5: ferre (alicui), Verg. A. 11, 872: leto sternendus, id. ib. 8, 566: sibi parere manu, id. ib. 6, 434: ostentant omnia letum, Cat. 64, 187: leto jam mala finissem, Tib. 2, 6, 19: leto adimere aliquem, to save from death, Hor. C. 3, 22, 3: leto se eripere, Verg. A. 2, 134: pari leto affici, Nep. Reg. 3, 2: me pessimo leto adficere, Liv. 22, 53, 11: novo genere leti mergi, id. 1, 51, 9; 2, 40, 10: oppetere, id. 45, 26.
    1. B. Personified: consanguineus Leti Sopor, Verg. A. 6, 278.
  2. II. Transf., of inanim, subjects, ruin, destruction (poet. for interitus): tenues Teucrum res eripe leto, Verg. A. 5, 690; cf.: tum me, Juppiter Optime Maxime, domum, familiam remque meam pessimo leto afficias, Liv. 12, 53, 11.