lābes

I. a spot, blot, stain, blemish, defect.

I. Lit. (poet. and in post-Aug. prose): tractata notam labemque remittunt Atramenta, Hor. Ep. 2, 1, 235: sine labe toga, Ov. A. A. 1, 514: purum et sine labe salinum, Pers. 3, 25: victima labe carens, Ov. M. 15, 130: aliqua corporis labe insignis, Suet. Aug. 38: item quae (virgo) lingua debili sensuve aurium deminuta, aliave qua corporis labe insignita sit, Gell. 1, 12, 3.—

II. Trop., a stain, blot, stigma, disgrace, discredit: labes macula in vestimento dicitur, et deinde μεταφορικῶς transfertur in homines vituperatione dignos, Paul. ex Fest. p. 121 Müll. (freq. and class.): animi labes nec diuturnitate evanescere, nec amnibus ullis elui potest, Cic. Leg. 2, 10, 24: saeculi labes atque macula, id. Balb. 6, 15: labem alicujus dignitati aspergere, id. Vatin. 6, 15: labem alicui inferre, id. Cael. 18, 42: famae non sine labe meae, Prop. 4 (5), 8, 20. domus sine labe, Juv. 14, 69: vita sine labe peracta, Ov. P. 2, 7, 49: abolere labem prioris ignominiae, Tac. H. 3, 24: donec longa dies ... concretam eximit labem, purumque relinquit sensum, Verg. A. 6, 746. —Of an immoral custom: dedit hanc contagio labem, Juv. 2, 78.—Plur.: conscientiae labes habere, Cic. Off. 3, 21, 85: peccatorum labibus inquinati, Lact. 4, 26; id. Ira Dei, 19.—

b. Meton. (abstr. pro concreto), a disgrace, i. e. a good-for-nothing fellow, a wretch: habeo quem opponam labi illi atque caeno, Cic. Sest. 8, 20: caenum illud ac labes, id. ib. 11, 26.