bacchor, ātus (part. pres. gen. plur. bacchantum; v. I. fin. infra), 1, v. dep. [Bacchus].
I Lit., to celebrate the festival of Bacchus : Baccha bacchans, Plaut. Am. 2, 2, 71: saxea ut effigies bacchantis prospicit Evoe, i. e. which cries Evoe in the orgies , Cat. 64, 61; 64, 255: cum aliquo, Plin. 3, 1, 3, § 8.—Hence, P. a. as subst.: bacchan-tes , um, f., Bacchae, the Bacchantes : passis Medea capillis Bacchantum ritu, Ov.M. 7, 258; 3, 703; Curt. 8, 10, 15; gen. Bacchantium, id. 9, 10, 24.—
B Pass. (as in later Gr. βακχεύεσθαι, βακχευθῆναι) of the place in which the orgies of Bacchus were celebrated: virginibus bacchata Lacaenis Taygeta, Verg. G. 2, 487 Heyn.: bacchata jugis Naxos, id. A. 3, 125: Dindyma sanguineis famulum bacchata lacertis, Val. Fl. 3, 20: ita obsoletum sono furenter ab omni parti bacchatur nemus, Santra ap. Non. p. 78, 28: ululatibus Ide bacchatur, Claud. Rapt. Pros. 1, 206.—
II Transf., in gen., to revel , rave , rant , like the Bacchae (of every species of mental excitement, love, hatred, joy, etc.; mostly poet. and in more elevated prose): quibus gaudiis exsultabis? quantā in voluptate bacchabere? Cic. Cat. 1, 10, 26: furor in vestrā caede bacchantis, id. ib. 4, 6, 11; id. Har. Resp. 18, 39: non ego sanius Bacchabor Edonis, Hor. C. 2, 7, 26; Col. poët. 10, 198; * Suet. Calig. 56; Claud. Laud. Stil. 2, 213; id. VI. Cons. Hon. 192.—Of murderous fury: tantā in illos caede bacchati sunt, Vulg. Judic. 20, 25.—So of poet. inspiration, Stat. S. 1, 2, 258; and with carmen as object: grande Sophocleo carmen bacchamur hiatu, Juv. 6, 636; cf.: furebant Euhoe bacchantes, raving to the cry of Euhoe , Cat. 64, 255; 64, 61.—Also, to go or run about in a wanton , wild , raving , or furious manner : animans Omne, quod in magnis bacchatur montibu' passim, * Lucr. 5, 822: saevit inops animi, totamque incensa per urbem Bacchatur, Verg. A. 4, 301 ( = discursitat, Heyne): immanis in antro Bacchatur vates, raves , is inspired , id. ib. 6, 78; 7, 385: infelix virgo totā bacchatur in urbe, id. Cir. 166.—Hence,
B Transf. to inanimate things, to be furious , rage with fury , etc., to be impetuous , etc.
1 So of a vessel of wine that is filled very often: ubi bacchabatur aula, casabant cadi, Plaut. Mil. 3, 2, 41 Lorenz ad loc.—
2 Of winds: Thracio bacchante magis sub interlunia vento, Hor. C. 1, 25, 11; Ov. Tr. 1, 2, 29.—Of violent rain, Val. Fl. 6, 632.—
3 Of a rumor: concussam bacchatur fama per urbem, spreads rapidly , Verg. A. 4, 666.—
4 Of enthusiastic, raging discourse: quod eos, quorum altior oratio actioque esset ardentior furere et bacchari arbitraretur, Cic. Brut. 80, 276: vitiosum dicendi genus, quod inanibus locis bacchatur, etc., Quint. 12, 10, 73.