congĕrĭes, ēi (congĕrĭa, ae, Front. Colon. p. 11, 119 and 125 Goes.; Innoc. Cas. Litt. p. 224 ib.), f. [congero], that which is brought together; hence, a heap, pile, mass (not ante-Aug.; while the syn. acervus is prevalent through all periods).
I Lit.
α With gen.: lapidum, Liv. 31, 39, 8: summa silvae, Ov. M. 9, 235; cf. struis, Plin. 16, 11, 22, § 53; and: ramorum et fruticum, id. 8, 36, 54, § 127: cadaverum, Val. Fl. 6, 511; Plin. 18, 31, 74, § 318: densa grani, id. 13, 15, 30, § 97: armorum, Tac. A. 2, 22: vasta metalli, Claud. in Rufin. 2, 135: alta sordium, Gell. 2, 6 fin. : pulveris exigui, Luc. 8, 866 sq.—
β Absol. : dispositam Congeriem secuit, i. e. chaos , Ov. M. 1, 33; cf. Claud. Laud. Stil. 2, 10.—So of a heap of wood, wood-pile, funeral-pile , Ov. M. 14, 576; Quint. 5, 13, 13; Claud. Idyll. 1, 93.—
II Trop.
A In gen.: venit aetas omnis in unam congeriem, Luc. 5, 178: sincera bonorum, Claud. Cons. Mall. Theod. 136. —
B In rhet., a figure of speech, accumulation; Gr. συναθροισμός, Quint. 8, 4, 3; 8, 4, 26 sq.