fāma, ae, f. [for, fa-ri], = φήμη, the talk of the multitude, like rumor, either as relating or as judging (v. rumor; cf. also: nomen, gloria, laudatio; clamor, plausus; honos, dignitas, honestas, laus, etc.).
I That which people say or tell , the common talk , a report , rumor , saying , tradition (freq. and class.; plur. very rare); absol. , or with a statement of the subject-matter annexed with de , or as an object-clause; rarely with gen.
a Absol. : hascine propter res maledicas famas ferunt? Plaut. Trin. 1, 2, 149: a Brundisio nulla adhuc fama venerat, Cic. Att. 9, 3, 2: cum tristis a Mutina fama manaret, id. Phil. 14, 6, 15: at fuit fama. Quotusquisque est, qui istam effugere potest in tam maledica civitate? id. Cael. 16, 38: magna illico fama surrexit, Cael. ap. Cic. Fam. 8, 8, 2: aliquod fama ac nuntiis afferre, Caes. B. G. 6, 30, 2: hac fama ad Treviros perlata, id. ib. 5, 53, 2: reliquos (deos) ne famā quidem acceperunt, id. ib. 6, 21, 2; cf.: quam Eratostheni et quibusdam Graecis famā notam esse video, id. ib. 6, 24, 2: concedamus famae hominum, Cic. Rep. 2, 2: Daedalus, ut fama est, fugiens, etc., Verg. A. 6, 14; cf.: pulsis (vetus est ut fama) Sabellis, Hor. S. 2, 1, 36: ita fama ferebat, Ov. M. 12, 197: duplex inde fama est, a twofold tradition , Liv. 1, 1, 6.— In plur.: inhonestas famas adjungere diis, Arn. 7, 219: per omnem provinciam magnae atrocesque famae ibant, Sall. H. 1, 67 Dietsch, ex conj.—
b Stating the subject-matter or contents.
α With de : si quis quid de republica a finitimis rumore aut fama acceperit, Caes. B. G. 6, 20, 1: si quid ipsi audistis communi fama atque sermone de vi, de manu, de armis, etc., Cic. Fl. 6, 13: de interitu P. Clodii, id. Mil. 35, 98: de Afranio fama est, id. Att. 7, 26, 1: de Titurii morte, Caes. B. G. 5, 39, 1; cf.: de victoria Caesaris, id. ib. 5, 53, 1; 5, 51, 1: de proelio Dyrrhachino, id. B. C. 3, 80.— Plur. : ingentes esse famas de Regulo, Arrunt. ap. Sen. Ep. 114, 19 fin. —
β With an appos. clause : ne mihi hanc famam differant, Me ... dedisse, etc., Plaut. Trin. 3, 2, 63; v. differo, B. 2.: accipere fama et auditione, esse quoddam numen et vim deorum, Cic. N. D. 2, 37, 95: quod tibi esse antiquissimum constante famā atque omnium sermone celebratum est, id. Q. Fr. 1, 1, 8, § 24; so, constans fama, Liv. 6, 25, 4: cum esse praestantem Numam Pompilium fama ferret, Cic. Rep. 2, 13: cum fama per orbem terrarum percrebuisset, illum, etc., Caes. B. C. 3, 43 fin. : fama nuntiabat, te esse in Syria, Cic. Fam. 12, 4, 2: fama incerta duos equites venisse, a vague rumor , Liv. 27, 50, 6: capsis quem (Cassium) fama est esse librisque Ambustum propriis, Hor. S. 1, 10, 63 al.—
γ With gen.: vix ad aures meas istius suspicionis fama pervenit, Cic. Sull. 4, 12: propter incertam famam aeris alieni, an unsupported rumor , Liv. 6, 27, 3.—
B Personified: Fama, a goddess , daughter of Terra, swiftfooted , all-seeing , growing as she runs : Fama, malum qua non aliud velocius ullum, Verg. A. 4, 173 sq.; Ov. M. 12, 43 sq.; Val. Fl. 2, 116 sq.; Stat. Th. 3, 426 sq.; Ov. M. 8, 267; 9, 137; 14, 726; 15, 4; 853 al.
II The voice or judgment of the many , public opinion; more freq. objectively, the fame , character , reputation which a man has, either in general or in particular, as a good or bad reputation , etc. (very freq. and class.).
A In gen.: famam atque rumores pars altera consensum civitatis et velut publicum testimonium vocat: altera sermonem sine ullo certo auctore dispersum, cui malignitas initium dederit, incrementum credulitas, Quint. 5, 3; cf.: adversus famam rumoresque hominum si satis firmus steteris, Liv. 22, 39, 18: contra opinionem militum famamque omnium videri proelium defugisse, magnum detrimentum afferebat, Caes. B. C. 1, 82, 2; cf. id. ib. 3, 56 fin. : fama popularis, popular fame or favor , Cic. Tusc. 3, 2, 4; 5, 16, 46: forensis, Q. Cic. Petit. Cons. 5, 17: de bona fama (quam enim appellant εὐδοξίαν, aptius est hoc loco bonam famam appellare quam gloriam), Cic. Fin. 3, 17, 57: bona de Domitio, praeclara de Afranio fama est, id. Att. 7, 26, 1; cf.: qui bonam famam bonorum, quae sola vere gloria nominari potest, expetunt, id. Sest. 66, 139; Sall. C. 7, 6: si bonam famam mihi servasso, sat ero dives, Plaut. Most. 1, 3, 70 sq.: bona, Cat. 61, 62: bene loquendi fama, Cic. Brut. 74, 259: eloquentiae, Quint. 7, 1, 41: sapientiae, Cic. Lael. 4, 15: pudica, Prop. 2, 32 (3, 30), 21: alium mala fama et timor impediebat, Sall. J. 35, 4: inconstantiae, Cic. Fam. 1, 9, 11: vappae ac nebulonis, Hor. S. 1, 2, 12.—In plur.: inter arma civilia aequi boni famas petit, Sall. Fragm. ap. Sen. Ep. 114, 19 (Hist. inc. l ib. 76 Dietsch).—
B In partic.
1 In a good sense, fair fame , reputation , renown , = existumatio, fama bona: ut vos mihi domi eritis, proinde ego ero famā foris, Ter. Hec. 218: fundamentum est perpetuae commendationis et famae justitia, Cic. Off. 2, 20, 71: fama et existimatio, id. Quint. 15, 50; cf.: ut ante collectam famam conservet (for which, shortly after: habet existimationem multo sudore collectam), id. Div. in Caecil. 22, 71: sic ejus (Archiae) adventus celebrabantur, ut famam ingenii exspectatio hominis superaret ... hac tanta celebritate famae cum esset jam absentibus notus, etc. (shortly before: celeriter antecellere omnibus ingenii gloriā contigit), id. Arch. 3, 5; so corresp. to gloria, id. Tusc. 1, 46, 110: fama ingeni abicienda, id. Fam. 9, 16, 3; with the latter cf.: anxius de fama ingenii, Quint. 11, 1, 50; 74: de alicujus fama detrahere, Cic. Fam. 3, 8, 5: famam in tuto collocare, Quint. 12, 11, 7: ejus scripta tantum intra famam sunt, id. 11, 3, 8: ad famam populi Romani pertinere, eos consules esse, etc., Liv. 10, 24, 17: (ut amicorum) aut caput agatur aut fama, Cic. Lael. 17, 61: loco, fortuna, fama superiores, id. ib. 25, 94: virtus, fama, decus divitiis parent, Hor. S. 2, 3, 95: cui gratia, fama, valetudo, contingat abunde, id. Ep. 1, 4, 10: famam dicendi fortius quaerunt, Quint. 2, 12, 9: Evadne ... Occidit Argivae fama pudicitiae, the glory or pride of Argive chastity , i. e. of the chaste women of Argos , Prop. 1, 15, 22.—Esp.: magna fama, great reputation , fame , glory : magnam famam attulisse Fabio Tarentum rebatur, Liv. 27, 25, 11: magnam famam sui relinquere, Nep. Lys. 1, 1: habere, Plin. 36, 21, 39, § 149.—
2 In a bad sense, illfame , infamy , scandal , = infamia, fama mala (rare): opplere (aliquem) famā ac flagitiis, Turp. ap. Non. 306, 2; Ter. Ad. 263: neque specie famāve movetur, Nec jam furtivum Dido meditatur amorem, Verg. A. 4, 172; Sall. C. 3, 5; Tac. A. 12, 49; Plin. Pan. 28, 1; cf.: laeta apud plerosque, apud quosdam sinistra fama, Tac. A. 11, 19.