dēsidia¹

1. Ignavia denotes the love of idleness, in an ideal sense, inasmuch as the impulse to action distinguishes the more noble from the ordinary man, and gives him an absolute value; in opp. to industria, Tac. Ann. xii. 12. xvi. 18; whereas inertia denotes the love of idleness in a real tangible sense, inasmuch as activity makes a man a useful member of society, and gives him a relative value. Ignavia is inherent in the temperament, and has no inclination for action; inertia lies in the character and habits, and has no desire to work. A lazy slave is called inors; a person of rank, that passes his time in doing nothing, is ignavus. 2. Segnitia, desidia, socordia, and pigritia, are the faults of a too easy temperament. Segnitia (from sequi, ὄκνος,) wants rousing, or compulsion, and must be conquered, before it resigns its ease, in opp. to promptus. Tac. Agr. 21. Desidia (from sedere) lays its hands on its lap, and expects that things will happen of themselves; socordia is susceptible of no lively interest, and neglects its duties from want of thought, like phlegm; pigritia has an antipathy to all motion, and always feels best in a state of absolute bodily rest, like slothfulness. (iv. 212.)