saevĭtĭa, ae (collat. form acc. saevitiem, Ap. Met. 6, 19, 20), f. [saevus], a raging, rage, fierceness, ferocity.
I Lit., of animals: sicut aves ad volatum, equi ad cursum, ad saevitiam ferae gignuntur, Quint. 1, 1, 1: canum, Plin. 8, 40, 61, § 146. —
II Transf., for any violent, passionate excitement, fierceness , violence , harshness , savageness , cruelty , barbarity , severity , etc. (freq. and class.).
A Of persons: num meam saevitiam veritus? Ter. Eun. 854: in judicio aut saevitiam aut clementiam judicis (sibi proponet), Cic. Part. 4, 11; so (with immanitas) Plin. Ep. 2, 11, 2: feneratorum (shortly before: violentia atque crudelitas), Sall. C. 33, 1: Iasidos, Prop. 1, 1, 10; cf. creditorum, Tac. A. 11, 13: ingenii, Suet. Calig. 27: hostium, Sall. J. 7, 2; Tac. A. 1, 67; 2, 11; Liv. 2, 58: secandi urendique, Plin. 29, 1, 6, § 13; Cic. Off. 2, 7, 24: saevitiam reprimere, Suet. Calig. 6: quantum saevitia glisceret, Tac. A. 6, 19.—In plur.: quibus saevitiis et maxime faenoris onere oppressa plebs, Sall. H. 1, 9 Dietsch; cf. id. id. 2, 40 ib.—
B Of things: maris, Vell. 1, 2, 7; Plin. 9, 31, 51, § 100: Scyllae, id. 3, 8, 14, § 87: undae, Ov. H. 19, 23: hiemis, Col. 8, 17, 11; Plin. 19, 8, 51, § 166; for which, temporis, Sall. J. 37, 4: tempestatum, Plin. 2, 47, 47, § 125: caeli, Curt. 8, 4, 13: maris, id. 4, 3, 7: ignea (i. e. sacri ignis), Col. 7, 5, 16: amoris, id. 6, 37, 1: annonae, i. e. dearness , Tac. A. 2, 87.