nēnĭa — Lewis & Short
nēnĭa (naenĭa), ae (f.,
abl. neniā, dissyl., Ov. F. 6, 142),I a funeral song, song of lamentation, dirge: naenia est carmen quod in funere laudandi gratiā cantatur ad tibiam, Paul. ex Fest. p. 161 Müll.; cf. Macr. Somn. Scip. 2, 3; Diom. p. 482 P.:
honoratorum virorum laudes cantu ad tibicinem prosequantur, cui nomen nenia,Cic. Leg. 2, 24, 62:
absint inani funere neniae,Hor. C. 2, 20, 21; Suet. Aug. 100.—
II Transf.
1 A mournful song or ditty of any kind:
Ceae retractes munera neniae,Hor. C. 2, 1, 38: huic homini amanti mea era dixit neniam de bonis, has sung the death-dirge over his property, i. e. has buried, has consumed it, Plaut. Truc. 2, 1, 3.—Prov.:
nenia ludo id fuit,my joy was turned to grief, Plaut. Ps. 5, 1, 32.—
2 A magic song, incantation:
Marsa,Hor. Epod. 17, 29.—
3 A common, trifling song, popular song; a nursery song, lullaby; a song in gen.:
puerorum Nenia, quae regnum recte facientibus offert,Hor. Ep. 1, 1, 62:
dicetur meritā Nox quoque neniā,id. C. 3, 28, 16:
legesne potius viles nenias?mere songs, Phaedr. 3 prol. 10:
lenes neniae,lullabies, Arn. 7, 237:
histrionis,id. 6, 197.—
4 Nenia soricina, the cry of the shrewmouse when caught and pierced through, Plaut. Bacch. 4, 8, 48.—
5 Personified: Nēnia, the goddess of funeral songs, the dirge-goddess, to whom a chapel was dedicated before the Viminal gate, Arn. 4, 131; Aug. Civ. Dei, 6, 9.