contĭnentĭa, ae, f. [contineo].
I A holding back, repressing . *
A Lit.: (crepitūs ventris), Suet. Claud. 32 fin. —
B Trop. (acc. to contineo, I. B. 2. b., and continens, B.), a briding, restraining of one's passions and desires, abstemiousness, continence, temperance, moderation , ἐγκράτεια (the common signif.; most freq. in Cic.; it is diff. from abstinentia, v. in h. v.; opp. libido): continentia est, per quam cupiditas consilii gubernatione regitur, Cic. Inv. 2, 54, 164; id. Off. 2, 24, 86; cf. Quint. 5, 10, 121: conferte hujus libidines cum illius continentiā, Cic. Verr. 2, 4, 52, § 115; cf.: ubi pro continentiā et aequitate libido atque superbia invasere, Sall. C. 2, 5; connected with modestia, Caes. B. G. 7, 52; cf. Quint. 2, 21, 3; 3, 7, 15 al.—
II (Acc. to contineo, I. B. 3., and continens, C.) The contents of a work (only late Lat.): operis, Macr. Somn. Scip. 2, 12, § 2; Hier. in Isa. 5, 20 init. ; 5, 23, 11; so the title of the work of Fulgentius: De Expositione Vergilianae Continentiae, etc.— *
III (Acc. to contineo, II., and continens, A. 1.) Contiguity, proximity : regionum (just before: cohaerentia regionum), Macr. S. 5, 15, 5.