I.gen. plur. dignitatum, Sen. Ben. 2, 17, 1; Plaut. Ep. 9, 5, 3; Vop. Florian. 6, 2: “-tatium,” Sen. Polyb. 17, 2), f. dignus.
I. Lit., a being worthy, worth, worthiness, merit, desert (so, rarely, and perh. only in Cic.): “Lamia petit praeturam: omnesque intelligunt nec dignitatem ei deesse nec gratiam,” Cic. Fam. 11, 17; id. Agr. 2, 2, 3: “dignitas consularis,” a being worthy of the office of consul, id. Mur. 13: “pro dignitate laudare,” id. Rosc. Am. 12, 33.
II. Meton. (the cause for the effect), dignity, greatness, grandeur, authority, rank (cf. honos, honestas, laus, existimatio, gloria, fama, nomen).
A. In gen.: mihi gratulabere, quod audisses me pristinam meam dignitatem obtinere. Ego autem, si dignitas est bene de re publica sentire, obtineo dignitatem meam; “sin autem in eo dignitas est, si, quod sentias, re efficere possis, ne vestigium quidem ullum est reliquum nobis dignitatis,” Cic. Fam. 4, 14, 1; “dignitas (est) alicujus honesta et cultu et honore et verecundia digna auctoritas,” id. Inv. 2, 55, 156: cum pulchritudinis duo genera sint, quorum in altero venustas est, in altero dignitas; “venustatem muliebrem ducere debemus, dignitatem virilem,” id. Off. 1, 36, 130: “formae,” id. ib.; Suet. Claud. 30: corporis, Laber. ap. Macr. S. 2, 7; Nep. Dion. 1, 2; cf. also Cic. Inv. 2, 1; Vell. 2, 29; Plin. Pan. 4, 5: “agere cum dignitate ac venustate,” Cic. de Or. 1, 31, 142: “personarum dignitas,” id. ib. § “141: retinere in rebus asperis dignitatem,” id. ib. 2, 85, 346: “in senatu conservanda auctoritas, apud populum dignitas,” Quint. 11, 3, 153 et saep.: “celsissima sedes dignitatis atque honoris,” Cic. Sull. 2, 5: “ex tam alto dignitatis gradu,” id. Lael. 3 fin.; cf. id. Rep. 1, 27 (twice): “est in ipsis (liberis populis) magnus delectus hominum et dignitatum,” id. ib. 1, 34: “aliquem ex humili loco ad summam dignitatem perducere,” Caes. B. G. 7, 39, 1: “aliquem dignitate exaequare,” Caes. B. C. 1, 4, 4: “ut secundum locum dignitatis Remi obtinerent,” id. B. G. 6, 12 fin.; 4, 17, 1; cf. id. ib. 6, 8, 1; 7, 66, 5; 7, 77, 6; id. B. C. 1, 9, 2 et saep.—
B. In partic.
(α).
Official dignity, honorable employment, office: “gratulor laetorque tum praesenti tum etiam sperata tua dignitate,” Cic. Fam. 2, 9; id. ap. Quint. 7, 3, 35; cf. in plur., Plin. 21, 7, 21, § 44; id. Pan. 61, 2 al.—
(β).
Men holding high office, men in honorable employment: “cum dignitates abessent,” Liv. 22, 40, 4; cf. Quint. 11, 1, 67.—
C. Transf., of inanimate things, worth, value, excellence: “opsonii,” Plaut. Bacch. 1, 2, 23: “praeclara et plena dignitatis domus,” Cic. Off. 1, 39; cf. “porticus,” id. Q. Fr. 3, 1, 1; id. de Or. 3, 46, 180: “portus, urbis,” Nep. Them. 6: “loci,” Suet. Calig. 41 al.: “dignitas, quae est in latitudine pectoris,” Quint. 11, 3, 141: “verborum,” Cic. Prov. Cons. 11, 27; Quint. 11, 3, 46; cf. id. 8, 3, 24: “debita rerum,” id. 12, 1, 8; cf. id. 8, 3, 38: “subsequendi,” id. 12, 11, 28: “cum dignitate actionis,” id. 5, 10, 54 al.
