balnĕum, i. n. (in plur. usu. heterocl. balnĕae, ārum. f.; cf. Varr. L. L. 8, § 48 Müll.; since the Aug. per. sometimes bal-nĕa, ōrum, n.; cf. Dör. ad Plin. Ep. 2, 8, 2) [contr. from bălĭnĕum, also in use, and in Plaut. and post-Aug. prose predominant, = βαλανεῖον; plur. bălĭnĕae; the Lat. bal-neum stands for bad-neum, kindr. with Sanscr. root bād, lavare, se lavare; Germ. Bad; Engl. bath].
I A bath , a place for bathing (the public bath, as consisting of several apartments, only in plur., Varr. L. L. 9, § 68 Müll.; cf. aedes and aqua. Varro 1. 1. seems to assert that only the sing. was used for private baths, but this was not without exception, at least in a subsequent age; cf. Lorenz ad Plaut. Most. 3, 2, 69; Plin. 13, 3, 4, § 22; 33, 12, 54, § 153; Mart. 12, 15, 2 al.).
A Balneum, plur. balneae, Plaut. Trin. 2, 4, 5; id. Pers. 1, 3, 10; Ter. Phorm. 339: balneae Seniae, Cic. Cael. 25, 62: balneae Palatinae, id. Rosc. Am. 7, 18; id. Clu. 51, 141; id. de Or. 2, 55, 223; Caecil. ap. Non. p. 196, 12; Vitr. 6, 8; Plin. 13, 3, 4, § 22; Tac. H. 3, 11; id. A. 15, 52: (Caesar) ambulavit in litore: post horam octavam in balneum, Cic. Att. 13, 52. 1: de structurā balnei cogitare, Pall. 1, 40, 1.—
B Balineum, plur. balineae: balineum calfieri jubebo, Cic. Att. 2, 3 fin. ; 15, 13, 5 (with the var. lect. balneo): in balineas ire, Plaut. As. 2, 2, 90; id. Rud. 2, 3, 52; id. Most. 3, 2, 69; id. Merc. 1, 2, 17: pensiles balineae, Plin. 9, 54, 79, § 168; 22, 22, 43, § 87; 32, 10, 38, § 115; 33, 12, 54, § 153; Plin. Ep. 2, 17, 11; 3, 14, 8; 8, 8, 6; 10, 75, 1; Suet. Aug. 76 Oud.; 85; 94; id. Ner. 20; 31; 35; id. Vesp. 21; id. Calig. 37; id. Galb. 10; Tac. H. 2, 16; 3, 32 al.—
C Plur. balnea, ōrum, n., Hor. Ep. 1, 1, 92; 1, 11, 13; 1, 14, 15; id. A. P. 298; Ov. A. A. 3, 640; Liv. 23, 18, 12; Val. Max. 9, 1, 1; Sen. Ep. 86, 6; 90, 25; Cels. 1, 6; Plin. 28, 19, 77, § 248; 36, 15, 24, § 121; Juv. 1, 143; 6, 375; 6, 419; 7, 131; 7, 178; 7, 233 al.; Mart. 9, 19, 1; 10, 70, 13; 12, 50, 2; Inscr. Orell. 3324; 4816; Plin. Ep. 2, 8, 2; 7, 26, 2.—
II In Pliny, a bath (in abstracto); esp. in the connec. a balineis, after the bath , after bathing , Plin. 28, 19 77, § 248; 13, 15, 30, § 99; 20, 14, 57, § 160; 24, 19, 118, § 181.