mĭsĕrĭcordĭa, ae, f. [misericors], tender-heartedness, pity, compassion, mercy.
I Lit. (class.): misericordia est aegritudo ex miseriā alterius injuriā laborantis, Cic. Tusc. 4, 8, 18: (Stoici) misericordiam, cupiditatem, metum, morbos animi appellant, Lact. 6, 14: misericordiam aliis commovere ... misericordiā capi, Cic. de Or. 2, 47, 195: misericordiā commotus, id. Mur. 31, 65: mentes hominum ad lenitatem misericordiamque revocare, id. de Or. 1, 12, 53: misericordiam implorare et exposcere, id. Mil. 34, 92: vestram misericordiam implorat, id. Mur. 40, 86: captare, id. Phil. 2, 34: populi concitare, id. de Or. 1, 53, 227: tribuere alicui, to give, bestow , id. Planc. 1, 3: adhibere, to show , id. Rab. Perd. 2, 5: praebere, Aug. Civ. Dei, 9, 5: exercere, to exercise , Dig. 16, 3, 7: misericordiam facere (eccl. Lat.), Vulg. Gen. 20, 13 al.: alienā misericordiā vivo, on the compassion of others , Cic. Rosc. Am. 50, 145: cum ipse patitur, miseria, cum aliis compatitur, misericordia dici solet, Aug. Conf. 3, 2, 1: ad misericordiam inducere, to move , Cic. Brut. 50, 188: ad misericordiam vocare, id. Mur. 3: misericordiam magnam habere, to have, entertain , id. ib. 40, 86.— Plur. : misericordias habere, Plaut. Most. 2, 3, 115.—With gen.: puerorum, for the children , Cic. Att. 7, 12: haec magnā cum misericordiā fletuque pronuntiantur, with great pathos , Caes. B. C. 2, 12 fin. : remotā misericordiā discutere, without compassion , Aug. Conf. 9, 13, 1.— Esp., plur.: misericordiae, works of charity , Salv. adv. Avar. 2, 1.—*
B Transf., a condition to excite compassion, wretchedness, misery : quantum misericordiae nobis tuae preces et tua salus allatura sit, Cic. Q. Fr. 1, 3, 8.—
II Personified: Mĭ-sĕrĭcordĭa , the goddess Mercy or Compassion , Ap. Met. 11, 15, 3; cf. Quint. 5, 11, 38; Claud. B. Gild. 404.