vĭgĭlĭa | vĭgĭ-lĭum (noun F) : (
* Neutr. collat. form , Varr. ap. Non. p. 232, 4) [vigil].
* Lit.
* In gen., wakefulness, sleeplessness, a lying awake: ut neque vigilia praecesserit neque ventris resolutio,Cels. 2, 6: corporum robora nocturnā vigiliā minuere,id. 1 init.: cui non sunt auditae Demosthenis vigiliae?Cic. Tusc. 4, 19, 44; id. Par. prooem. § 5.
* Trop., watchfulness, vigilance (the figure taken from military sentinels; perh. only in the foll. passages; whereas vigilantia is far more freq.): ut vacuum metu populum Romanum nostrā vigiliā et prospicientiā redderemus,Cic. Phil. 7, 7, 19; cf.: quasi in vigiliā quādam consulari ac senatoriā,id. ib. 1, 1, 1: cupio jam vigiliam meam, Brute, tibi tradere: sed ita, ut ne desim constantiae meae, my post, i. e. my office, duty, id. Fam. 11, 24, 1.—Plur.: cum summis vigiliis aliquid perficere, Just. Inst. prooem. § 1.
* Lit., a keeping awake for the security of a place, esp. of a city or camp, a watching, watch, guard (cf.: excubiae, statio): noctu vigilias agere ad aedes sacras,Cic. Verr. 2, 4, 43, § 93: vestra tecta custodiis vigiliisque defendite,id. Cat. 2, 12, 26: exercitus stationibus vigiliisque fessus,Liv. 5, 48, 6: vigiles scutum in vigiliam ferre vetuit,to take on guard,id. 44, 33, 8: vigiliarum nocturnarum curam per urbem magistratibus mandavimus,id. 39, 16, 12.
* Transf.
* A watching at religious festivals, nightly vigils: Cereris vigiliae,Plaut. Aul. prol. 36; 4, 10, 65.
* The watch, i. e. those standing on guard, watchmen, sentinels: milites disponit, non certis spatiis intermissis sed perpetuis vigiliis stationibusque,Caes. B. C. 1, 21; 2, 19; Cic. Mil. 25, 67; Sall. C. 32, 1; id. J. 45, 2; 100, 4; Liv. 39, 14, 10.