vĭgil, ĭlis (gen. plur. vigilium, Liv. 10, 33, 6), adj. [vigeo], awake, on the watch, alert (class.; cf.: insomnis, exsomnis).
I Lit.
A Adj. : prius orto Sole vigil calamum et chartas et scrinia posco, Hor. Ep. 2, 1, 113; 1, 2, 37: vigilum canum excubiae, id. C. 3, 16, 2: ales, i. e. the cock , Ov. M. 11, 597: Aurora, id. ib. 2, 112: custodia, id. ib. 12, 148 et saep.—Transf., of things, wakeful , watchful , etc.: oculi, Verg. A. 4, 182: ignis, i. e. always burning , id. ib. 4, 200: lucernae, night-lamps , Hor. C. 3, 8, 14: auri vigili bibere, wakeful , listening , Stat. Ach. 2, 119: nox, Tac. A. 4, 48.—
B Subst.: vĭgil , ĭlis, m., a watchman , sentinel : clamor a vigilibus fanique custodibus tollitur, Cic. Verr. 2, 4, 43, § 94; Liv. 44, 33, 8; Ov. M. 13, 370: nocturni, Plaut. Am. 1, 1, 195.— Of such vigiles there were in Rome, from the time of Augustus, seven divisions, with their prefects and sub-prefects, constituting a regularly organized night-police, Suet. Aug. 30; Dig. 1, 15, 3; 47, 2, 56.—Transf., a sentinel : mundi (sol et luna), Lucr. 5, 1436 (1434).—Of cocks: nocturni, Plin. 10, 21, 24, § 46.—
II Trop.: cura, wakeful , active , Ov. M. 3, 396; 15, 65: questus, uttered by night , Stat. S. 1, 2, 196.