I. Lit., an eager or furious demand, importunity, urgency (post-Aug. and rare; cf. “flagitatio): Lentulus credebatur illa militiae flagitia primus aspernari,” Tac. A. 1, 27: “pro Plancina cum pudore et flagitio disseruit, matris preces obtendens,” id. ib. 3, 17.—
II. Transf.
A. Esp., a shameful or disgraceful act done in the heat of passion; a burning shame, disgraceful thing (class.; “syn.: scelus, nefas, facinus, maleficium, peccatum, delictum, crimen): quae (convivia) domesticis stupris flagitiisque flagrabunt,” Cic. Verr. 2, 4, 32, § 71; so, “flagrantissima (with adulteria),” Tac. A. 14, 51; cf.: “stupra et adulteria et omne tale flagitium,” Cic. de Sen. 12, 40; Cic. Verr. 2, 5, 10, § 26: “domesticis vitiis atque flagitiis se inquinare,” id. Tusc. 1, 30, 72; cf.: “homo sceleribus flagitiisque contaminatissimus,” id. Prov. Cons. 6, 14; and id. Rosc. Am. 9, 25: “tantum sceleris et tantum flagitii admittere,” id. Att. 10, 3: “quae libido ab oculis, quod facinus a manibus umquam tuis, quod flagitium a toto corpore abfuit? etc.,” id. Cat. 1, 6, 13; cf.: “Q. Curius, flagitiis atque facinoribus coopertus,” Sall. C. 23, 1; “so with facinora,” id. ib. 14, 2 Kritz. N. cr.: “nihil facinoris, nihil flagitii praetermittere,” Liv. 39, 13, 10; 39, 16, 1: “tanta flagitia facere et dicere,” Cic. Tusc. 4, 34, 73: “in hoc flagitio versari ipsum videmus Jovem (corresp. to stuprum),” id. ib. 4, 33, 70: “in tot flagitia se ingurgitare,” id. Pis. 18, 42.—
B. In gen., any shameful or disgraceful act or thing (without the accessory idea of passion): “petere honorem pro flagitio more fit,” Plaut. Trin. 4, 3, 28: “flagitium fiet, nisi dos dabitur virgini,” id. ib. 3, 1, 11: “cum loquimur terni, nihil flagitii dicimus: at cum bini, obscoenum est,” Cic. Fam. 9, 22, 3: “flagitium rei militaris admittere,” id. Clu. 46, 128: flagiti principium est, nudare inter cives corpora, Enn. ap. Cic. Tusc. 4, 33, 70 (Trag. v. 426 ed. Vahl.): “nonne id flagitium est, te aliis consilium dare, foris sapere, tibi non posse auxiliarier?” is it not a shame? Ter. Heaut. 5, 1, 49: “praeesse agro colendo flagitium putes,” Cic. Rosc. Am. 18, 50: “quantum flagitii commisisset (for which, shortly before: nihil turpius, quam, etc.),” id. Brut. 61, 219; cf.: “ita necesse fuit aut haec flagitia concipere animo aut susceptae philosophiae nomen amittere,” disgraceful assertions, absurdities, id. N. D. 1, 24, 66.—Comically: Co. Fores hae fecerunt magnum flagitium modo. Ad. Quid id est flagitii? Crepuerunt clare, Plaut. Poen. 3, 2, 32.— Leg. t. t.: perfectum flagitium, a completed crime (opp. imperfectum), Paul. Sent. 5, 4, 14.—
C. In vulg. lang., concr. like scelus, shame, disgrace, as a term of reproach, i. q. rascal, scoundrel: “flagitium illud hominis!” Plaut. Cas. 2, 1, 8; id. As. 2, 4, 67; id. Cas. 3, 2, 22; id. Men. 3, 2, 24; 5, 1, 9: “ipsa quae sis stabulum flagitii,” id. Truc. 2, 7, 31: etiam opprobras vim, flagiti flagrantia, burning shame, i. e. outrageous villain, id. Rud. 3, 4, 28: “omnium flagitiorum atque facinorum circum se tamquam stipatorum catervas habebat,” Sall. C. 14, 1.—
D. (Causa pro effectu.) Shame, disgrace (rare but class.): “id erat meum factum flagiti plenum et dedecoris,” Cic. Att. 16, 7, 4; cf.: “magnum dedecus et flagitium,” id. Off. 3, 22, 86: qui non gloria movemini neque flagitio, Sall. Or. Licin. fin. (p. 236 ed. Gerl.): “beatus qui pejus leto flagitium timet,” Hor. C. 4, 9, 50: “flagitio additis damnum,” id. ib. 3, 5, 26: “quia illa forma matrem familias flagitium sit si sequatur,” Plaut. Merc. 2, 3, 71: “facere damni mavolo, Quam obprobramentum aut flagitium muliebre inferri domo,” id. ib. 2, 3, 85; id. Ep. 3, 4, 79: “flagitium imperio demere,” Liv. 25, 15, 19: “consul moveri flagitio timoris fatendi,” id. 42, 60, 4.
