petulantia
φιλοσοφώτερον καὶ σπουδαιότερον ποίησις ἱστορίας ἐστίν: ἡ μὲν γὰρ ποίησις μᾶλλον τὰ καθόλου, ἡ δ' ἱστορία τὰ καθ' ἕκαστον λέγει → poetry is something more scientific and serious than history, because poetry tends to give general truths while history gives particular facts
Latin > English (Lewis & Short)
pĕtŭlantĭa: ae, f. petulans.
I Lit., sauciness, freakishness, impudence, wantonness, petulance (class.; syn. lascivia): itaque a petendo petulantia, a procando, id est poscendo, procacitas nominata est, Cic. Fragm. ap. Non. 23, 18: petulantia et libido magis est adulescentium quam senum, id. Sen. 11, 36: petulantia et audacia, id. Caecin. 35, 103; cf.: te non ulla meae laesit petulantia linguae, Prop. 1, 16, 37.—In <number opt="n">plur.</number>: Naevius ... cum ob assiduam maledicentiam et probra in principes civitatis ... in vincula conjectus esset ... in his fabulis, delicta sua et petulantias dictorum, quibus multos ante laeserat, diluisset, insolent language, libels, Gell. 3, 3, 15.—
B In a milder sense, carelessness, heedlessness (ante-class.): linguae, Suet. Tib. 61; Plaut. Cist. 4, 2, 3.—
II Transf.
A Of animals, viciousness: cornuti fere perniciosi sunt propter petulantiam, Col. 7, 6, 4.—
B Of things, exuberance, luxuriance: ramorum, Plin. 16, 30, 53, § 124: morbi, violence, Gell. 12, 5, 9.
