verb transitive

portendo

2nd PP portendere · 3rd PP portendi · 4th PP tum · conj. 3rd

to point out; indicate; to foretell ••

inf. pres. portendier, Plaut. Poen. 3, 5, 4), v. a. an archaic collat. form in relig. lang. of protendo, to stretch forth, to point out, indicate (future events, misfortunes, etc.), to foretell, predict, presage, portend (cf.: ostendo, monstro): ea (auspicia) illis exeuntibus in aciem portendisse deos, Liv. 30, 32, 9; cf.: di immortales mihi sacrificanti ... laeta omnia prosperaque portendere, id. 31, 7 fin.: magnitudinem imperii portendens prodigium, id. 1, 55: populo commutationem rerum portendit fore, Att. ap. Cic. Div. 1, 22, 45: triginta annos Cyrum regnaturum esse portendi, Cic. Div. 1, 23, 46: quod portentum regni ruinam portendebat, of an earthquake, Just. 17, 1, 3.—Pass., to be indicated (by a sign), to threaten, impend.

Usually of bad fortune, loss, injury, etc.: nobis periculum magnum portenditur,… ••

Usually of bad fortune, loss, injury, etc.: nobis periculum magnum portenditur, Plaut. As. 3, 1, 27: haruspices dudum dicebant mihi, malum damnumque maximum portendier, id. Poen. 3, 5, 4; cf.: malum quod in quiete tibi portentum est, id. Curc. 2, 2, 22: quod in extis nostris portentum est, id. Poen. 5, 4, 35.—

a sign; token; omen •

Of good fortune, etc.: salvos sum: libertas portenditur, Plaut. Rud. 5, 3, 38: quid spei Latinis portendi? Liv. 1, 50. —Hence, portentum, i, n., a sign, token, omen, portent (syn.: ostentum, prodigium).

••

Lit.: ex quo illa ostenta, monstra, portenta, prodigia dicuntur, Cic. N. D. 2, 3, 7; cf. Fest. p. 245 Müll.; and Paul. ex Fest. p. 244 Müll.: nam si quod raro fit, id portentum putandum est, sapientem esse portentum est, Cic. Div. 2, 28, 61: portentum inusitatum conflatum est recens, Poët. ap. Gell. 15, 4: alii portenta atque prodigia nunciabant, Sall. C. 30, 2: ne quaere profecto, Quem casum portenta ferant, Verg. A. 8, 533.—Of miracles, Vulg. Heb. 2, 4; id. Deut. 34, 11; cf. id. Marc. 13, 22.—

by extension

A monster; monstrosity; a monster of depravity figuratively ••

A monster, monstrosity: cetera de genere hoc quae sunt portenta perempta, Lucr. 5, 37; Hor. Ep. 2, 1, 11: quale portentum neque militaris Daunias latis alit aesculetis Nec, etc., id. C. 1, 22, 13: quae virgineo portenta sub inguine latrant, i. e. the dogs of Scylla, Ov. Am. 2, 16, 23: praeter naturam hominum pecudumque portentis, monstrous births, monsters, Cic. N. D. 2, 5, 14; cf.: bovem quendam putari deum, multaque alia portenta apud eosdem, id. Rep. 3, 9, 14.—Trop., in a moral sense, a monster of depravity: P. Clodius, fatale portentum prodigiumque rei publicae, Cic. Pis. 4, 9: Gabinius et Piso, duo rei publicae portenta ac paene funera, id. Prov. Cons. 1, 2: qualia demens Aegyptus portenta colat, Juv. 15, 2.—

A marvellous; extravagant fiction; a strange tale ••

A marvellous or extravagant fiction, a strange tale, a wonderful story: cetera de genere hoc monstra et portenta locuntur, Lucr. 4, 590: poëtarum et pictorum portenta, Cic. Tusc. 1, 6, 11: portentum atque monstrum certissimum est, esse aliquem humanā specie et figurā, qui tantum immanitate bestias vicerit, id. Rosc. Am. 22, 63: portenta atque praestigias scribere, Gell. 10, 12, 6.

Perseus ID: n37131 Key: portendo