I.a hired servant, hireling, mercenary, satellite, bodyguard, etc. (only ante-class.): haec effatus ibi, latrones dicta facessunt, Enn. ap. Non. 306, 23 (Ann. v. 60 Vahl.).—Of mercenary soldiers: “latrones, quos conduxi,” Plaut. Mil. 4, 1, 3: “nam hic latro in Sparta fuit,” id. Poen. 3, 3, 50: “latronem suam qui auro vitam venditat,” id. Bacch. 1, 1, 20 Fleck.; cf.: fortunas suas coepere latrones Inter se memorare, Enn. ap. Non. 134, 29 (Ann. v. 528 Vahl.); cf. Varr. L. L. 7, p. 141 Müll., and the passage from Paul. ex Fest. infra.—
II. Transf.
A. A freebooter, highwayman, robber, bandit, irregular soldier, brigand (opp. justi hostes). Liv. 40, 27, 10: latrones eos antiqui dicebant, qui conducti militabant. ἀπὸ τῆς λατρείας. At nunc viarum obsessores dicuntur, Paul. ex Fest. p. 118 Müll.: “hostes hi sunt, qui nobis, aut quibus nos publice bellum decrevimus: ceteri latrones aut praedones sunt,” Dig. 50, 16, 118: “vos latrones et mendicos homines magni penditis?” Plaut. Stich. 1, 2, 75: “collecti ex praedonibus latronibusque Syriae,” Caes. B. C. 3, 110; 3, 109 fin.; id. B. G. 3, 17: “erat ei vivendum latronum ritu, ut tantum haberet, quantum rapere potuisset,” Cic. Phil. 2, 25, 62: “non semper viator a latrone, non numquam etiam latro a viatore occiditur,” Cic. Mil. 21, 55; cf.: “cantabit vacuus coram latrone viator,” Juv. 10, 22; 13, 145: “ne quis fur esset, neu latro,” Hor. S. 1, 3, 106: “quin etiam leges latronum esse dicuntur, etc.,” Cic. Off. 2, 11, 40: “quaestio latronum,” Paul. Sent. 5, 16, 13: “qui latronem caedem sibi inferentem, occiderit,” id. ib. 5, 23, 8.—Of an assassin, Val. Max. 5, 9, 4.—Poet. of a hunter, Verg. A. 12, 7.—Of a wolf, Phaedr. 1, 1, 4.—
B. For latrunculus, a chessman, a piece in the game of draughts or chess which represents a soldier; a man, pawn (poet.): “latronum proelia,” Ov. A. A. 3, 357: “ludere bella latronum,” Mart. 14, 20, 1; cf. “vitreo latrone,” id. 7, 72, 8.
