saevĭo, ii, ītum, 4 (old form of the imperf. saevibat, Lucr. 5, 1003; fut. saevibo, Mar. Vict. from Macr. 20, p. 443), v. n. [saevus], to be fierce or furious, to rage, to vent one's rage (very freq. since the Aug. per.; once in Caes.; not in Cic.; but saevus and saevitia several times in Cic.).
I Lit., of animals: ubi equus saevit, Lucr. 5, 1075: (lupus) rabieque fameque, Ov. M. 11, 369: anguis, Verg. G. 3, 434: panthera, Phaedr. 3, 2, 14: leo, Val. Fl. 6, 613 al.: aper in pecudes, Ov. M. 8, 296: accipiter in omnes aves, id. ib. 11, 345: canes in alios saevientes, Gell. 7, 1, 6.—
B Esp., of the cries of enraged animals: hinc exaudiri gemitus iraeque leonum, ... atque in praesepibus ursi Saevire, Verg. A. 7, 17 Forbig. ad loc. (cf. Rib. ad loc., who conjectures mugire): agni balant, porcelli gruniunt, ursi saeviunt, Spart. Get. 5.—
II Transf., of any strong, passionate excitement, to rage , rave; to be furious , mad , violent , angry , etc. (cf.: furo, bacchor).
A Of persons: here mi, nimium saevis, Plaut. Cas. 3, 5, 20; id. Truc. 5, 4; cf. id. Ps. 5, 1, 4: ah, ne saevi tantopere, Ter. And. 868: ne saevi, magna sacerdos, Verg. A. 6, 544: si quid saeviunt senes, Plaut. Ep. 5, 1, 51: leniter qui saeviunt sapiunt magis, who control their anger , id. Bacch. 3, 3, 4: saevire Fortuna ac miscere omnia coepit, Sall. C. 10, 1: saeviens turba, Liv. 8, 24: seditionibus saevire, id. 2, 44: in delectibus saevire solitos, id. 2, 44 Drak.: (paedagogi) imperiosi atque interim saevientes, Quint. 1, 1, 8: saevire securibus, Plin. Pan. 52, 4: saevit animis ignobile vulgus, Verg. A. 1, 149: animis acerbis (with procedere longius iras), id. ib. 5, 462: pater ardens Saevit, quod, etc., Hor. S. 1, 4, 49: saeviat atque novos moveat Fortuna tumultus, id. ib. 2, 2, 126: saevire in tergum et in cervices, Liv. 3, 45: in obsides innoxios, id. 28, 34: in delubra, id. 31, 30: in se ipsum, id. 1, 53: in conjuges ac liberos, Tac. Agr. 38; id. A. 3, 31 fin. ; Suet. Aug. 13; Ov. M. 4, 712 al.; cf.: flagellis in aliquem, Juv. 10, 180; and: in se (corresp. to manus sibi inferre), Dig. 29, 5, 1, § 22.— Poet., with dat.: qui mihi nunc saevit, Ov. H. 4, 148; Tib. 1, 2, 88.—Poet., with inf. (cf. saevus, II. A.): cum manus impia saevit Sanguine Caesareo Romanum exstinguere nomen, Ov. M. 1, 200.— Impers. pass. : clade saevitum est, Suet. Ner. 38: constat Trojā captā in ceteros saevitum esse Trojanos, Liv. 1, 1: in aliquid (aliquem), id. 34, 14; 41, 6; Vell. 2, 74, 44; Tac. Agr. 2; id. A. 1, 49; 4, 20; id. H. 2, 62 al.—
B Of things: saevit minaci murmure ventus, Lucr. 1, 276; cf.: frustra mare saepe coortum Saevibat, id. 5, 1003: dum longus inter saeviat Ilion Romamque pontus, Hor. C. 3, 3, 37: pelagus, Tac. A. 15, 46: mare ventis, Sall. J. 78, 3: ventus, * Caes. B. G. 3, 13 fin. ; cf. Aufidus, Hor. C. 4, 14, 27: medius dies solstitio, Sen. Hippol. 766: venenum in praecordiis, Hor. Epod. 3, 5: gula, Juv. 5, 94; cf. venter (sc. fame), Ap. Met. 4, 7, 10; arbor stridoribus, Sil. 13, 600: cum tibi flagrans amor ... Saeviet circa jecur ulcerosum, Hor. C. 1, 25, 15: saevit amor ferri, Verg. A. 7, 461; 4, 532: dolor in erepto amore, Prop. 2, 8, 36 (8 b, 20): dolor in praecordiis, Petr. 17, 8: ira in aliquem, Ov. M. 14, 193: quo fortuna magis saevit, id. P. 2, 3, 51: fames, Val. Fl. 4, 499: morbus, Gell. 12, 5, 4: acerbus odor. Val. Fl. 4, 493: acer hinnitus equorum, Sil. 4, 97: oratio ferociens saeviensque (opp. demissa jacensque), Gell. 1, 11, 15.