insānia, ae, f. insanus, unsoundness of mind. As a disease, madness, insanity, Cels. 3, 18, 2 sqq.

— As a personal quality, madness, frenzy, folly, senselessness: nomen insaniae significat mentis aegrotationem et morbum, Cic. Tusc. 3, 4, 8: sanitatem animorum positam in tranquillitate quadam constantiaque censebant: his rebus mentem vacuam appellarunt insaniam, id. ib. 3, 4, 9: furorem esse rati sunt, mentis ad omnia caecitatem: quod cum majus esse videatur, quam insania, tamen ejusmodi est, ut furor in sapientem cadere possit, non possit insania, id. ib. 3, 4, 11: concupiscere aliquid ad insaniam, to madness, Cic. Verr. 2, 2, 35, § 87: favere alicui ad insaniam, Suet. Cal. 55: adigere ad insaniam, Ter. Ad. 1, 2, 31: scelerata belli, Verg. A. 7, 461: quae tanta insania, cives? id. ib. 2, 42: nudus agas, minus est insania turpis, Juv. 2, 71 al.

— Plur.: hunc intem periae insaniaeque agitant senem, Plaut. Aul. 4, 4, 15: incideram in hominum pugnandi cupidorum insanias, Cic. Fam. 4, 1, 1.

— Trop. Madness, i. e. excess, extravagance in any thing: villarum, Cic. Q. Fr. 3, 1, 2, § 5: libidinum, id. Sull. 25, 70: ut appareret, quam ab sano initio res in hanc insaniam venerit, Liv 7, 2, 13: mensarum, Plin. 13, 15, 29, § 91.

— Of speech: orationis, Cic. Brut. 82, 284.

— Poetic enthusiasm, rapture, inspiration: auditis? an me ludit amabilis Insania? Hor. C. 3, 4, 6.