impietas Latin · revision 33919

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=c. 250–184 BC, Plautus|origins=ine-pro *puH-io-}}

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''impietās''' ''f'' (genitive impietātis); third declension^(Wiktionary)

+ It is also spelled ''inpietās''.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[af|la|impius|-tās|t1=undutiful, irreverent]].^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)^(de Vaan 2008) Priscian already asked whether it should rather be derived from [[m|la|in-]] and [[m|la|pietās|t=dutiful respect]].^(TLL) [[m|la|impius]] is the negative of [[m|la|pius|t=dutiful]], which de Vaan traces to [[itc-pro|*pwījo-]] and [[ine-pro|*puH-io-|t=purifying]]; how ⟨*puH-io-⟩ became ⟨pius⟩ is disputed.^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ De Vaan and Köbler date it from Plautus;^(de Vaan 2008)^(Köbler 2010) the OLD cites the ''Rudens'' for impiety towards the gods.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It is a failure in the sense of duty and respect that ''pietās'' names:^(OLD 2012) in family relations, as in Accius, who asks who would think sons-in-law capable of such impiety, and the ''Culex'', of the mad mother from Colchis;^(OLD 2012) towards the gods, the state or the emperor, as in Cicero, who says there is no atonement for crimes against men and impieties against the gods;^(OLD 2012) and in general, as when Cicero says nothing makes men so wretched as impiety and crime.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879) Cicero speaks of leaders of disloyalty to the country, Quintilian of a law punishing undutifulness to parents, and Tacitus of a woman accused of impiety towards the emperor, that is, treason.^(Lewis & Short 1879) In Christian Latin it is ungodliness, wickedness and sin,^(Stelten 1995) and in Medieval Latin also heresy and unbelief.^(Niermeyer 1976)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 250–184 BC – Plautus of impiety towards the gods.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 170–c. 90 BC – Accius of impiety within a family.^(OLD 2012)

+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero of impiety and crime, and of disloyalty to the country.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+ * 98–115 AD – Tacitus of impiety towards the emperor.^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # Failure in duty or respect, undutifulness (towards family).^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+ # [[m|en|impiety|alt=Impiety]], [[m|en|irreverence]] towards the gods; disloyalty to the state;^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Wiktionary) ''(of the emperor)'' [[m|en|treason]].^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Wickedness, impiety in general.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+ # ''(Ecclesiastical Latin)'' Ungodliness, [[m|en|sin]], transgression.^(Stelten 1995)^(Niermeyer 1976)

+ # ''(Medieval Latin)'' [[m|en|heresy|alt=Heresy]]; unbelief.^(Niermeyer 1976)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[impius]]

+ * [[pietās]]

+ * [[pius]]

+ * [[en|impiety]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}