scĕlĕro, no perf., ātum, 1, v. a. [scelus],
I to pollute , defile , contaminate , desecrate (in the verb. finit. rare, and only poet.; syn.: temero, polluo): impia non verita est divos scelerare parentes, Cat. 64, 405; cf. Stat. Th. 2, 663: sanguine fauces, id. ib. 8, 761: parce pias scelerare manus, Verg. A. 3, 42: Cererem, Juv. 9, 25: animum, Sil. 16, 122; cf.: dextram sanguine, Stat. Th. 9, 666.
II —Hence, scĕlĕrātus , a, um, P. a., polluted , profaned by crime.
A Lit. (appellatively; only in the poets): terra, Verg. A. 3, 60: terrae, Ov. P. 1, 6, 29: limina Thracum, id. M. 13, 628.—
2 In partic., as an adj. prop. , denoting places where crimes had been committed or criminals punished. So,
a Sceleratus Vicus, that part of the Vicus Cyprius , on the Esquiline , in which Tullia , daughter of Servius Tullius , drove over her father’s corpse , Liv. 1, 48; Varr. L. L. 5, § 159 Müll.; Ov. F. 6, 609; Fest. pp. 332 and 333 Müll.—
b Sceleratus Campus, under the city will hard by the porta Collina , where unchaste Vestals were buried alive , Liv. 8, 15; Fest. l. l.; Serv. Verg. A. 11, 206.—
c Scelerata sedes, the place of punishment for the wicked in Tartarus , Tib. 1, 3, 67; Ov. M. 4, 455; also called Sceleratum limen, Verg. A. 6, 563.—For Scelerata Porta and Castra, v. infra, B. 2. b.—
B Transf.
1 Subjectively, bad , impious , wicked , accursed , infamous , vicious , flagitious; in the masc. subst. , a bad , impious , or vicious person; a wretch , miscreant (the predom. signif.; freq. with nefarius, impious, etc.; cf. consceleratus); of persons: virum sceleratum, facinorosum, nefarium, Cic. Rep. 3, 17, 27: deliberantium genus totum sceleratum et impium, id. Off. 3, 8, 37; id. Mur. 30, 62 (with nefarius); id. Att. 9, 15, 5 (with impurus); Caes. B. G. 6, 13 (with impius); Plaut. Pers. 2, 4, 4; Ter. And. 159; id. Ad. 553; Cic. Cat. 1, 9, 23; Caes. B. G. 6, 34; Sall. C. 52, 36: facto plus et sceleratus eodem, Ov. M. 3, 5: puella, id. R. Am. 299; Liv. 1, 59; 31, 31; Suet. Ner. 46; Hor. S. 2, 3, 71; 2, 3, 221 al.— Comp. : homo sceleratior, Ov. M. 11, 781.— Sup. : refertam esse Graeciam sceleratissimorum hominum, Cic. Planc. 41, 98; Sall. J. 14, 2; 31, 12; Liv. 4, 32 et saep.—Of things: sceleratas ejus preces et nefaria vota cognovimus, Cic. Clu. 68, 194: contra patriam scelerata arma capere, id. Phil. 11, 1, 1; Ov. M. 5, 102: conjuratio, Liv. 2, 6: insania belli, Verg. A. 7, 461: caput, Plaut. Ep. 3, 2, 33: vox (with inhumana), Cic. Fin. 3, 19, 64: consilia, Vell. 2, 130, 3: amor habendi, Ov. M. 1, 131: munera, id. ib. 8, 94: ignes, id. F. 6, 439.— Comp. : a sceleratiore hastā, Cic. Off. 2, 8, 29: causa parricidii, Just. 10, 2, 1. — Sup. : res, Quint. 3, 8, 45: fraus humani ingenii, Plin. 34, 14, 39, § 138.—Poet.: subit ira sceleratas sumere poenas, i.e. to take satisfaction for her crimes , Verg. A. 2, 576. —
2 (As a result of viciousness or criminality; cf. scelus, II. C.) Hurtful , harmful , noxious , pernicious , unhappy , unfortunate , calamitous , etc. (only poet. and in postAug. prose): teritur sinapis scelerata: qui terunt, oculi ut exstillent, facit, Plaut. Ps. 3, 2, 28: herba, App. Herb. 8.— Sup. : sceleratissimis serpentium haemorrhoidi et presteri, Plin. 24, 13, 73, § 117: frigus, Verg. G. 2, 256: lues, Mart. 1, 102, 6: poëmata, id. 3, 50, 9 et saep.: MATER, Inscr. Rein. cl. 12, 122; so Inscr. Fabr. p. 237, 631: PARENTES, Inscr. Murat. 1187, 2.—
b Made hurtful , i. e. poisoned : scelerata sucis spicula, Sil. 3, 272.—
c As an adj. prop.
α Scelerata Porta, the gate (also called Porta Carmentalis) through which the three hundred Fabii marched on their fatal expedition , Fest. pp. 334 and 335 Müll.; Serv. Verg. A. 8, 337; Flor. 1, 12, 2.—
β Scelerata Castra, the camp in which D. Drusus died , Suet. Claud. 1.—Hence, adv.: scĕlĕrātē (acc. to B. 1.), impiously , wickedly , nefariously (Ciceronian): peccavi scelerateque feci, Cic. Q. Fr. 1, 3, 2: facere (with audacter), id. Sull. 24, 67: dicere (opp. pie), id. Mil. 38, 103: susceptum bellum, id. Cat. 1, 10, 27.— Comp. : sceleratius, Vulg. Ezech. 16, 52. — Sup. : sceleratissime machinatus omnes insidias, Cic. Sest. 64, 133.