somnĭum, ii, n. [somnus].
I Lit., a dream , Cic. Div. 1, 20, 39; 2, 58, 119; Plin. 10, 75, 98, § 211; Macr. Somn. Scip. 1, 3; Lact. Opif. Dei, 18: rex Priamus somnio perculsus, Enn. ap. Cic. Div. 1, 21, 42 (Trag. v. 59 Vahl.): dum huic conicio somnium, interpret , Plaut. Curc. 2, 2, 3; cf. id. Rud. 3, 1, 19: interpretes somniorum, Cic. Div. 1, 58, 132: jucundissima somnia, id. Fin. 5, 20, 55: per somnia loquentes, talking in their sleep , Lucr. 5, 1158; cf.: quae somnio visa fuerant, Liv. 8, 6, 11 Weissenb.—
B Personified: Somnia, dreams , as divinities, Cic. N. D. 3, 17, 44; Ov. M. 11, 588; 11, 614 sq—
II Transf.
A For any thing idle, silly, or without foundation (cf. somnio, II.), a dream , an idle whim or fancy , stuff , nonsense : tu, quantus quantus, nihil nisi sapientia es: Ille somnium, Ter. Ad. 395: de argento, somnium, id. ib. 204; id. Phorm. 874.— Plur. : fabulae! ... logi! ... somnia! Ter. Phorm. 493: et vigilans stertis nec somnia cernere cessas, visions , Lucr. 3, 1048; cf. id. 1, 105: spes inanes et velut somnia quaedam vigilantium, Quint. 6, 2, 30: exposui fere non philosophorum judicia, sed delirantium somnia, Cic. N. D. 1, 16, 42: Chrysippus Stoicorum somniorum vaferrimus interpres, id. ib. 1, 15, 39: leviter curare videtur, Quo promissa cadant et somnia Pythagorea, Hor. Ep. 2, 1, 52.—
B Poet.: Somnus, tibi somnia tristia portans, i. e. fatal sleep , Verg. A. 5, 840.