vātes (vātis , Cic. Div. 2, 5, 12 Christ.), is (gen. plur. vatium, id. Leg. 2, 8, 20 al.) [perh. kindr. with Sanscr. vad, dicere, loqui; cf.: vas, vadis, and old Irish, fáith]

• a foreteller, seer, soothsayer, prophet.
  • I. Lit.:
    • bonus vates poteras esse, nam quae sunt futura, dicis, Plaut.Mil.3,3,37;
    • falsus utinam vates sim, Liv.21,10,10 ; Liv.4,46,5; Liv.36,15,2; Enn ap.Cic.Div.1,58,132 (Trag.v.356 Vahl.); Lucr.1,102; Cic.Leg.2,8,20;Cic.nat.1,20,55; Liv.25,1,8;39, Liv.8,3;39, Liv.8,16,8; Sall.H.1,48,3 Dietsch; Verg.georg.3,491; Verg.georg.4,387; Verg.georg.4,392; Verg.Aen.3,246; 5, 524; Hor.sat.2,5,6 al. -
    • Fem.:
      • tuque, o sanctissima vates, Praescia venturi, Verg.Aen.6,65;
      • vatis sub tecta Sibyllae,Verg.Aen.6,211; Verg.Aen.3,187; Verg.Aen.6, 636; Sen.Troad.37. -
  • II. Transf.
    • A. A poet; a poetess (the oldest name for a poet; but it fell into contempt, and was discarded for poëta, until restored to honor by Vergil; v. Munro ad Lucr.1,102:
      • versibu' quos olim Fauni vatesque canebant, Enn.ap.Cic.Brut.19,76 (Ann. v. 222 Vahl.); Verg.ecl.7,27; Verg.ecl.9,34; Hor. c.1,1,35; Hor.c.2,20,3; Hor.c.4,6,44; Hor.c.4,9,28; Tac.Or.9; Quint.10,1,48; Quint.12,10,24; Plin.14,4,6, § 56; cf. Varr.L.L.7, § 36 Müll. -
      • Fem.:
        • sola tuum vates Lesbia vincit opus, i.e. Sappho, Ov.trist.3,7,20. -
    • B. An oracle, i. e. a teacher, master, authority in any art or profession (post-Aug. and rare):
      • Herophilus medicinae vates mirandā arte, Plin. 11, 37, 88, §

vātĭcĭnor , ātus, 1, [vates]

• to foretell, predict, prophesy, forebode, vaticinate (syn.: ominor, divino).
  • I. Lit.: furor vera vaticinatur, Cic.Div.1,31,67;
    • quod et somniantibus saepe contingit et vaticinantibus per furorem, Cic.Div.1,18,34;
    • haec duce praedico vaticinorque deo, Ov.Pont.3,4,94 ; cf. Liv.2,41,5; Liv.5,15,4; Quint.4,2,3; Ov.her.16,278; Ov.her.268 al. -
  • With object-clause:
    • saevam laesi fore numinis iram Vaticinatus erat, Ov.met.4,9 ; Ov.met.8,773. -
  • Poet.:
    • parcite, vaticinor, cognatas caede nefandā Exturbare animas, i.e. I warn you as a prophet, Ov.met.15,174 ; cf.:
    • venturi praescia Manto Per medias fuerat ... Vaticinata vias, Ov.met.6, 159;
    • vaticinor moneoque, id. Ov.Pont.1,1,47. -
  • II. Transf.
    • A. To sing or celebrate as a poet:
      • Agrigentinum quidem doctum quendam virum carminibus Graecis vaticinatum ferunt, quae in rerum naturā totoque mundo constarent quaeque moverentur, ea contrahere amicitiam, dissipare discordiam, Cic.Lael.7,24;
      • Ps. Parricida ... Sacrilege ... Perjure. Ba. Vetera vaticinamini, you're singing the old song, Plaut.Ps.1,3,129. -
    • B. To rave, rant, talk foolish stuff:
      • vaticinari atque insanire, Cic.Sest.10,23;
      • sed ego fortasse vaticinor, et haec omnia meliores habebunt exitus, Cic.Fam.2,16,6 .