Monstrum, monstri, n. g. Cicer.A monster: that exceedeth, lacketh or is disordred in natural forme. Any thing done against the course of nature. A token or shewing: a thing that signifi-flieth. Biforme monstrum. Ouid.Detestabile monstrum.Iuuen. Fatale monstrum. Hor. Horrendum & dictu mirabile.Virg.Immane. Silius. Infame.Stat. Noua monstra. Hor. Infœlix.Virg. Sæuum monstrum. Catnl. Nouitate monstri mouentur. Oui. Monstra deûm refero.I make relation of those things that the gods haue reuealed to me. Virgil. Monstrum, pro Prodigio.A myracle. Vir. Nec dubijs ea figna dedit Tritonia monstris. Virg.Monstrum ac prodigium.Cic. Monstrum hominis.Terent.Thou mishapen knaue.Immanissimum & fœdissimum monstrÛ. C. An outragious and most filthy perfon monstrously giuen to all mischiefe.Dicere monstra.Cic.Monstra narrare, siue nuptiare.Cic.To tell matuailous and straunge things against the course of nature and reason.
Lewis and Short: Latin dictionary
monstrum, i, n. [moneo]. I. Orig. belonging to relig. lang., a divine omen indicating misfortune, an evil omen, portent (syn.: ostentum, prodigium, portentum): quia ostendunt, portendunt, monstrant, praedicunt, ostenta, portenta, monstra, prodigia dicuntur, Cic. Div. 1, 42, 93; cf.: monstrum dictum velut monestrum, quod moneat aliquid futurum; prodigium velut praedicium, quod praedicat; portentum quod portendat; ostentum, quod ostendat, Paul. ex Fest. p. 140 and 138 Müll.; cf. id. ib. p. 157: hic est nullum (dubium) quin monstrum siet, Enn. ap. Non. 469, 6 (Trag. v. 326 Vahl.): monstra deūm, Verg. A. 3, 59; cf. Ov. M. 15, 571.—II.Transf., a monster, monstrosity (whether a living being or an inanimate thing). A. Ofliving beings: monstrum hominis,
you monster of a man
, Ter. Eun. 4, 4, 29: monstrum advenit, id. ib. 5, 2, 21: horrendum, of Polyphemus, Verg. A. 3, 658.—Also with respect to character: en monstrum mulieris,
that monster of a woman
, Plaut. Poen. 1, 2, 64: nulla jam pernicies a monstro illo atque prodigio comparabitur, Cic. Cat. 2, 1, 1: fatale, of Cleopatra, Hor. C. 1, 37, 21: tune etiam, immanissimum ac foedissimum monstrum ausus es?Cic. Pis. 14, 31: hominum,
monsters of men
, Gell. 17, 1, 1.—Of beasts: succinctam latrantibus inguina monstris, i. e. canibus, Verg. E. 6, 75: quae plurima terrae monstra ferunt, id. G. 1, 185.—B. Of inanim. things, of the sea, Verg. A. 5, 849: infelix, of the Trojan horse, id. ib. 2, 245.—Of the ship Argo, Cat. 64, 15: non mihi jam furtum, sed monstrum ac prodigium videbatur, Cic. Verr. 2, 3, 73, 171: monstra narrare, dicere, to relate wonders, prodigies, marvels: mera monstra narrabat, Cic. Att. 4, 7, 1: dicere, id. Tusc. 4, 24, 54: ac portenta loqui, Lucr. 590: totaque jam sparsis exarserat insula monstris, Val. Fl. 2, 248: in vitā suā fecit monstra,