sŏdālĭtas, ātis, f. [sodalis].
- I. Lit., fellowship, companionship, brotherhood, friendship, intimacy; abstr. and concr. (class.; cf. societas): sodalitas familiaritasque, Cic. Verr. 2, 1, 37, § 94: summā nobilitate homo, cognatione, sodalitate, collegio, id. Brut. 45, 166: intima sodalitas, Tac. A. 15, 68.
Concr.: nunc ego de sodalitate solus sum orator datus, Plaut. Most. 5, 2, 5.
Plur.: aliquem a sodalitatibus abducere, Gell. 20, 4, 3.
- II. Transf.
- A. A society, association of any kind, esp. for religious purposes (syn. sodalicium): fera quaedam sodalitas et plane pastoricia germanorum Lupercorum, Cic. Cael. 11, 26: SODALITAS PVDICITIAE SERVANDAE, Inscr. Orell. 2401.
- B. A company assembled for feasting, a banqueting-club: sodalitates autem me quaestore constitutae sunt sacris Idaeis … epulabar igitur cum sodalibus modice, etc., Cic. Sen. 13, 45.
- C. In a bad sense, an unlawful secret society: eodem die senatus consultum factum est, ut sodalitates decuriatique discederent, etc., Cic. Q. Fr. 2, 3, 5; id. Planc. 15, 37.