I.of or belonging to the night, nocturnal (class.): “labores diurnos nocturnosque suscipere,” Cic. Sen. 23, 82; “opp. diurnus,” id. Mil. 3, 9: “nocturnum praesidium Palatii,” id. Cat. 1, 1, 1: “sacra,” id. Leg. 2, 15, 37: “horae,” id. Rosc. Am. 7, 19: “nocturno certare mero, putere diurno,” Hor. Ep. 1, 19, 11: “bella,” Verg. A. 11, 736: “ora,” i. e. dark, black faces, Plaut. Poen. 1, 2, 107.—Poet. and in post-Aug. prose, of living beings that do any thing at night: “fur nocturnus, Mos. et Rom. Leg. Coll. 7, 2, 1: adulter,” Juv. 8, 144: “lupus gregibus nocturnus obambulat,” by night, Verg. G. 3, 538: “qui nocturnus sacra divūm legerit,” Hor. S. 1, 3, 117; 2, 6, 100: advocati jam paene nocturni, summoned almost in the night-time, i. e. very early, Petr. 15.—
II. Subst.: Nocturnus , i, m., the god of Night, Plaut. Am. 1, 1, 116.
