mŏnŭmentum

I. that which preserves the remembrance of any thing, a memorial, a monument; esp. of buildings, statues, galleries, tombs erected to perpetuate the remembrance of a person or thing; cf. Paul. ex Fest. p. 139 Müll.

I. Lit. (class.): statuam dare auream Solidam faciundam, quae siet factis monumentum suis, Plaut. Curc. 3, 72: monimenti causā, Cic. Rosc. Am. 50, 146: monumento ut esset, Liv. 8, 11, 16: vitiorum, Cic. Verr. 1, 4, 12: Marcelli et Africani, id. ib. 2, 1, 4, § 11: in Mamertino solo foederato atque pacato monumentum istius, crudelitatis constitutum est, id. ib. 2, 4, 11, § 26: ego, quae monumenti ratio sit, nomine ipso admoneor, ad memoriam magis spectare debet posteritatis, quam ad praesentis temporis gratiam, Cic. Fragm. ap. Non. 32, 18: placet mihi, legionis Martiae militibus monumentum fieri quam amplissimum, id. Phil. 14, 12, 41; plur. excellent: quod in monumentis majorum suorum sit interfectus (Clodius), Cic. Mil. 7, 17; Tac. A. 4, 7: pecunias monumentaque, quae ex fano Herculis collata erant, Caes. B. C. 2, 21: monimenta, quae in sepulcris: et ideo secundum viam, quo praetereuntes admoneant, et se fuisse, et illos esse mortales, Varr. L. L. 6, § 45 Müll.: regis, Hor. C. 1, 2, 15: Marii, Cic. Div. 1, 28, 59; of the temple of Castor, Cic. Verr. 1, 50, 13: senatūs, id. Fam. 1, 9, 15.—

B. In partic.

1. A sepulchral monument, a sepulchre, tomb (syn.: sepulcrum, tumulus; class.): marmoreum, Serv. ap. Cic. Fam. 4, 12: sepulcri, Nep. Dion. 10; and without sepulcri: sepultus est in monumento avunculi sui, Nep. Att. 22, 4.—

2. Of written works, monuments, or records: exegi monumentum aere perennius, Hor. C. 3, 30, 1: monumenta rerum gestarum, books of history, chronicles, Cic. de Or. 1, 46, 201: annalium, id. Rab. Post. 16, 43: commendare aliquid monumentis, id. Fam. 5, 12, 1: liber monumenti, Vulg. Mal. 3, 16.—

C. Transf., a remembrancer, a mark, token, or means of recognition, Ter. Eun. 4, 6, 16: vos monimentis commonefaciam bubulis, Plaut. Stich. 1, 2, 6.—

II. Trop.: at illa laus est, magno in genere ... liberos hominem educare, generi monumentum et sibi, Plaut. Mil. 3, 1, 110: monumentum laudis, Cic. Cat. 3, 11, 26: clementiae, id. Deiot. 14, 40: furtorum, Cic. Verr. 2, 2, 72, § 177: amoris, Verg. A. 5, 538.