I. In gen., apparatus, accoutrement, equipment, furniture, trappings, etc. (class.): “sine ornamentis,” i. e. naked, Plaut. Ps. 1, 3, 109: “ceterae copiae, ornamenta, praesidia,” Cic. Cat. 2, 11, 24; Cic. Verr. 2, 5, 32, § 83: “ornamenta bubus, ornamenta asinis instrata tria (collar, saddle, etc.),” Cato, R. R. 11, 4: “per ornamenta percussus,” i. e. arms, Sen. Ep. 14, 14.—Esp of a player's wardrobe, Plaut. Trin. 4, 2, 16 sq.; id. Pers. 1, 3, 19; Plin. 2, 3, 4, § 8, as translation of κόσμος.—
II. In partic., an ornamental equipment, ornament, mark of honor, decoration, embellishment, jewel, trinket.
A. Lit.: “pecuniam, omniaque ornamenta ex fano Herculis in oppidum contulit,” jewels, Caes. B. C. 2, 18; so Plaut. Most. 1, 3, 90; Ter. Heaut. 4, 7, 9: “quae (urbs) praesidio et ornamento est civitati,” Caes. B. G. 7, 15: “ipse ornamenta a chorago haec sumpsit,” i. e. a dress, costume, attire, Plaut. Trin. 4, 2, 16: “AB ORNAMEN TIS,” one who has charge of the imperial ornaments, Inscr. Grut. 578, 9: ornamenta triumphalia, consularia, etc., the insignia of triumphing generals, consuls, etc. (The emperors distributed, honoris causā, such ornaments to men who had distinguished themselves): “pluribus triumphalia ornamenta decernenda curavit,” Suet. Aug. 38: “decem praetoriis viris consularia ornamenta tribuit,” id. Caes. 76: “ornamenta uxoria,” title, rank, id. Ner. 35.—
B. Trop., an ornament, a distinction: “decus atque ornamentum senectutis,” Cic. de Or. 1, 45, 199: “Q. Hortensius, lumen atque ornamentum rei publicae,” ornament, pride, id. Mil. 14, 37: “vir optimus, et inter praecipua saeculi ornamenta numerandus,” Plin. Ep. 8, 12, 1: “ornamentis afficere aliquem,” Cic. Balb. 19, 43: “quaecumque a me ornamenta ad te proficiscentur,” id. Fam. 2, 19, 2: “honoris,” id. Cat. 3, 11, 26: “ornamenta atque insignia honoris,” id. Sull. 31, 88.—
2. Esp., rhetorical ornament: “oratoria ornamenta dicendi,” Cic. Brut. 75, 261; 37, 140: so, “dicendi,” id. de Or. 2, 28, 22: “sententiarum,” id. Brut. 37, 140.