servĭtĭum, ii, n. [servus].
I In abstr., the condition of a slave or servant , slavery , servitude (not so in Cic., who has servitus).
A Lit.: hoc tibi pro servitio debeo, as your servant , * Ter. And. 676: cum secum ipse reputaret, quam gravis casus in servitium ex regno foret, Sall. J. 62, 9: neque desistam abstrahere a servitio civitatem nostram, Brut. ap. Cic. Ep. ad Brut. 1, 16, 9: militibus nostris Jugurthae servitium minari, Sall. J. 94, 4: genus servitii insolitum, id. H. 2, 81 Dietsch: servitii pretium, id. ib. 3, 61, 20; 3, 61, 1; 4, 61, 11: ductus ab creditore in servitium, Liv. 2, 23, 6: justum pati servitium (just before: regia servitus), id. 41, 6, 9: cum domus Assaraci Phthiam Servitio premet, Verg. A. 1, 285: aliquem servitio levare, to free from slavery , Hor. S. 2, 5, 99: servitio exire, Verg. E. 1, 41: servitium subire, Ov. Tr. 4, 6, 8.—
B Transf., in gen., servitude or subjection of any kind: animi imperio, corporis servitio magis utimur, Sall. C. 1, 2: illi etiam tauros primi docuisse feruntur Servitium, Tib. 2, 1, 41; 2, 4, 1; Ov. A. A. 3, 488; cf. Verg. G. 3, 168; Col. 8, 8, 4: qui servitium (amoris) ferre fatentur, Ov. Am. 1, 2, 18: tanto infensius servitium, Tac. A. 1, 81 fin. —
II In concr., a body of servants , the class of slaves (collect.; class. in sing. and plur.).
α Sing. : ita nunc servitium'st, such are servants nowadays , Plaut. Curc. 2, 3, 21: Lycurgus agros locupletium plebi, ut servitio, colendos dedit, Cic. Rep. 3, 9, 16: ut a servitio caveremus (cf. just before: examina tanta servorum immissa in populum Romanum), id. Har. Resp. 12, 25: nulline motus in Siciliā servorum Verre praetore ... facti esse dicuntur? ... coeptum esse in Siciliā moveri aliquot locis servitium suspicor, id. Verr. 2, 5, 4, § 9: ex omni faece urbis ac servitio, id. Pis. 4, 9: calonum servitiique tertia (pars), Vell. 2, 82, 3; cf.: servitii decem milia offerebat, Tac. A. 12, 17: qui (gladiatores) e servitio Blaesi erant, id. ib. 1, 23 et saep.—
β Plur. : servitia ad caedem et inflammandam urbem incitavit, Cic. Cael. 32, 78: vincula soluta sunt et servitia incitata, id. Leg. 3, 11, 25: opera facessant, servitia sileant, id. Fl. 38, 97; Sall. C. 24, 4; 46, 3; 50, 1; 56, 5; id. J. 66, 1; Liv. 2, 10; 6, 12; 28, 11; Col. 11, 1, 3 et al.—
B Transf., of drones among bees: sunt autem fuci ... quasi servitia verarum apium, Plin. 11, 11, 11, § 27.—
2 = servi, servants as individuals: servitia regum superborum, Liv. 2, 10, 8: inopia servitiorum, id. 28, 11, 9: dilapsis etiam infimis servitiorum, Tac. H. 3, 84.