I. Lit., out of one's senses, beside one's self, senseless, mad, insane, frantic, distracted (of every kind of passionate excitement; while insanus designates one diseased in mind; and excors or vecors, one that is without mind; “among the poets a favorite word with Verg. and Ov.): inceptio est amentium, haud amantium,” Ter. And. 1, 3, 13: “homo amentissimus atque in omnibus consiliis praeceps,” Cic. Phil. 5, 13: “o vecors et amens,” id. Pis. 9: “arma amens capio,” Verg. A. 2, 314: “in dies amentior,” Suet. Aug. 65: “Ne trepides caeli divisis partibus amens,” that thou tremble not senselessly at the divided heavens, Lucr. 6, 86: “lugubris et amens,” Ov. M. 2, 334: “cursuque amens,” Verg. A. 2, 321: “adspectu amens,” id. ib. 4, 279; so id. ib. 12, 776; and with gen.: “amens animi,” id. ib. 4, 203 (cf. Rudd. II. p. 73): “dolore amens,” Ov. Tr. 1, 3, 92: “terrore amens,” Liv. 32, 12: “amens invidiā,” id. 8, 31: “amens metu,” id. 23, 9; 1, 48: “periculi magnitudine amens et attonitus,” Curt. 6, 9.—
II. Meton., foolish, stupid: “homo audacissimus atque amentissimus,” Cic. Verr. 1, 3, 7 (cf. a little before: “quod cum incredibili ejus audaciā singularis stultitia conjuncta est).—Of things: amentissimum consilium,” Cic. Att. 7, 10: “cogor amenti caeca furore,” Cat. 64, 197: “impetus amens,” Luc. 4, 279 al.—Adv. not used.
