āmentĭa, ae, f. [amens], the being out of one's senses, beside one's self, madness, insanity.
I Lit.: animi adfectionem lumine mentis carentem nominaverunt amentiam eandemque dementiam, Cic. Tusc. 3, 5, 10: Di monerint meliora atque amentiam averruncassint tuam, Pac. ap. Varr. L. L. 7, § 102 Müll., and in Paul. ex Fest. p. 373 Müll. (Trag. Rel. p. 90 Rib.): heu cor ira fervit caecum, amentiā rapior ferorque, Att. ap. Non. 503, 7 (Trag. Rel. p. 194 Rib.): Quor meam senectutem hujus sollicito amentiā, Ter. And. 887: Quae istast pravitas, Quaeve amentiast ...? id. Heaut. 974; id. Hec. 672 (not elsewhere in Ter.): flagrare cupiditate atque amentiā, Cic. Verr. 2, 4, 34: amentiā atque audaciā praeditus, id. ib. 2, 2, 42; Ov. M. 5, 511: tanta vis amentiae verius quam amoris mentem turbaverat, Liv. 3, 47; 23, 9: Percutiat te Dominus amentiā, Vulg. Deut. 28, 28; ib. Zach. 12, 4.—
II Meton.
A Folly , stupidity (cf. amens, II.): si quem amentia verset, Hor. S. 2, 3, 249.—
B Malice , malignity (eccl. Lat.): propter multitudinem amentiae (tuae), Vulg. Os. 9, 7.