fulmen, ĭnis, n. [contr. from fulgimen, v. fulgeo], lightning that strikes or sets on fire, a thunderbolt (opp. fulgur, lightning).
I Lit.: placet Stoicis, eos anhelitus terrae cum se in nubem induerint ejusque tenuissimam quamque partem coeperint dividere atque dirumpere, tum et fulgores et tonitrua exsistere: si autem nubium conflictu ardor expressus se emiserit, id esse fulmen, Cic. Div. 2, 19, 44; cf. Sen. Q. N. 2, 16: non enim te puto esse eum, qui Jovi fulmen fabricatos esse Cyclopas in Aetna putes, Cic. Div. 2, 19, 43: inter fulmina et tonitrua, id. Phil. 5, 6, 15; cf. under II.: Phaëthon ictu fulminis deflagravit, id. Off. 3, 25, 94; cf.: Romulus lactens fulmine ictus, id. ib. 2, 21, 47 (for which more usually: e caelo ictus, Cic. Div. 1, 10, 16): fulmine tactus, Ov. Tr. 2, 144: fulminis ictu concidere, id. ib. 2, 20, 45: fulmine percussus, Cic. N. D. 3, 22, 57; cf. id. ib. 3, 35, 84: fulmina emittere ... fulmen jacere, id. ib. 2, 19, 44 sq.: fulminis ictus evadere, Juv. 12, 17: fulmine justo ruere, id. 8, 92: ideo plurima aestate fiunt fulmina, qua plurimum calidi est, Sen. Q. N. 2, 57, 2: validum, Lucr. 6, 228: igniferum, id. 6, 379: caducum, Hor. C. 3, 4, 44: qualem ministrum fulminis alitem, etc., id. ib. 4, 4, 1: quem (Periclem) fulminibus et caelesti fragori comparant comici, Quint. 12, 10, 24; cf. fulgeo, I. B.: ipse Pater corusca fulmina molitur dextra, Verg. G. 1, 330: fulmen erat, Genitor quae plurima caelo deicit, id. A. 8, 427: fulmina pauper creditur atque deos, Juv. 3, 145.—Respecting the nature of lightnings, and their religious interpretation among the Etruscans and Romans, cf. Sen. Q. N. 2, 12 sq.; Plin. 2, 51, 52, § 137; Serv. Verg. A. 1, 43; 230.—
II Trop., a thunderbolt , i. q. destructive power , crushing calamity : non dubitaverim me gravissimis tempestatibus ac paene fulminibus ipsis obvium ferre conservandorum civium causa, Cic. Rep. 1, 4 (so we should read, and not fluminibus; cf. the passage quoted above from Cic. Div. 2, 19, 43; besides, if the figure were that of waves, it would be expressed not by fluminibus, but by fluctibus; v. fluctus, II. B.); cf.: fulmina fortunae contemnere, id. Tusc. 2, 27, 66: juro per mea mala, has me in illo (puero) vidisse virtutes ingenii, ut prorsus posset hinc esse tanti fulminis (i. e. mortis pueri) metus, quod observatum fere est, celerius occidere festinatam maturitatem, Quint. 6 praef. § 10; cf. Liv. 45, 41, 1: quam fulmine justo Et Capito et Numitor ruerint, damnante senatu, Juv. 8, 92; cf. Liv. 6, 39, 7.—Of oratory: ain' tandem? insanire tibi videris (Paetus), quod imitere verborum meorum, ut scribis, fulmina? etc., Cic. Fam. 9, 21, 1: (stilus) nec acumine posteriorum nec fulmine utens superiorum (al. flumine), id. Or. 6, 21.—Poet.: fulmen habent acres in aduncis dentibus apri, i. e. destructive power , Ov. M. 10, 550; cf. id. ib. 1, 305: (aper) Erectus setis et aduncae fulmine malae, Stat. Th. 2, 470; see fulmineus, II.: tune illum (Hannibalem), cum frons propior lumenque corusco Igne micat, tune illa viri, quae vertice fundit, Fulmina pertuleris, fiery flashings (of the eye), Sil. 11, 342.—Applied to the Scipios, as heroes and conquerors of the Carthaginians: Scipiades, belli fulmen, Carthaginis horror, Lucr. 3, 1034; imitated: duo fulmina belli Scipiadae, Verg. A. 6, 843: ubi nunc sunt fulmina gentis Scipiadae? Sil. 7, 106: duo fulmina nostri imperii, Cn. et P. Scipiones, these two thunderbolts of our empire , Cic. Balb. 15, 34.—Prov.: Fulmen est, ubi cum potestate habitat iracundia, Pub. Syr. 184 Rib.