blanditiæ, or fair-speaking, in the endeavor to be amiable, and, at worst, in self-interest; adulatio, or flattery, and servility, κολακεία, in a degrading, slavish, spaniel-like spirit. Sen. Ir. iii. 8. Magis adhuc proderunt submissi et humani et dulces, non tamen usque in adulationem; nam iracundos nimia assentatio offendit. Erit certe amicus.. cui non magis tutum erat blandiri quam maledicere. And ii. 28. Sæpe adulatio, dum blanditur, offendit. (ii. 174.)
Asseverare, see Dicere.
Asses, see Axes.
Assiduitas, see Opera.
Assequi, see Invenire.
“Astrum” printed before “Assequi”.
Astrum, see Sidus.
Astutus; Callidus; Vafer; Versutus. Astutus or in old Latin astus (from ἀκή, acuere), and callidus, denote cunning, more in an intellectual sense, as a mark of cleverness; astutus, indeed, acuteness in the invention and execution of a secret project, synonymous with solers; but callidus (from κάλλος), sharp-sightedness in judging of a complicated question of conduct, or worldly wisdom, as the consequence of a knowledge of mankind, and of intercourse with the world, synonymous with rerum peritus, as judicious, and, in its degenerate signification, crafty, like κερδαλέος; on the other hand, vafer and versutus denote cunning in a moral sense, as a mark of dishonesty, and, indeed, vafer (ὑφή), adroitness in introducing tricks, particularly in judicial affairs, as the tricks of a lawyer, like πανοῦργος; versutus (ἀρτυτός), versatility in dissimulation, and in the art of getting out of a scrape by some means or other; in opp. to simplex, Cic. Fin. iv. 25, like στροφαῖος. Plin. Ep. vii. 6. Juvenis ingeniosus, sed parum callidus. Cic. Brut. 48. Callidus, et in capiendo adversario versutus. (iii. 220.)
Ater; Niger; Pullus. 1. Ater (αἰθός) denotes black, as a negation of color, in opp. to albus; whereas niger (πνιγόεις) denotes black, as being itself a color, and indeed the darkest, in opp. to candidus. The atrum makes only a dismal and dark impression; but the nigrum, a positive, and imposing and beautiful impression, as Hor. Carm. i. 32, 11. Lycum nigris oculis, nigroque crine decorum. Tac. G. 43. Nigra scuta, tincta corpora; atras ad prœlia noctes legunt. (iii. 194.) 2. Ater and niger denote a deep dark black; whereas pullus only swarthy, with reference to the affinity of the dark color to dirt. (iii. 207.)
Atque, see Et.
Atrox; Trux; Truculentus; Dirus; Sævus; Torvus. 1. Atrox, trux, and truculentus, (from τρηχύς, ταράξαι), denote that which has an exterior exciting fear; that which makes an impression of terror on the fancy, and eye, and ear; atrox, indeed, as a property of things, but trux and truculentus as properties of persons; whereas dirus and sævus mean that which is really an object of fear, and threatens danger; dirus, indeed (from δέος), according to its own nature, as a property of things, means dreadful, δεινός; but sævus (from αἶ, heu!) according to the character of the person, as a property of living beings, means blood-thirsty, cruel, αἰνός. Plin. Pan. 53. Atrocissima effigies sævissimi domini. Mela ii. 7. Ionium pelagus.. atrox, sævum; that is, looking dangerous, and often enough also bringing misfortune. 2. Trux denotes dreadfulness of look, of the voice, and so forth, in the tragic or heroic sense, as a mark of a wild disposition or of a cruel purpose; but truculentus, in the ordinary and comic sense, as a mark of ill-humor or trivial passion; the slave in Plautus is truculentus; the wrathful Achilles is trux. Sometimes, however, truculentior and truculentissimus serve as the comparative and superlative of trux. 3. Trux and truculentus vultus is a terrific, angry look, like τραχύς; torvus, merely a stern, sharp, and wild look, as τορόν, or ταυρηδὸν βλέπειν. Plin. H. N. xi. 54. Contuitu quoque multiformes; truces, torvi, flagrantes. Quintil. vi. 1. 43. (i. 40.)
Attonitus; Stupens. Attonitus, thunderstruck, denotes a momentary, stupens (ταφεῖν) a petrified, a lasting condition. Curt. viii. 2, 3. Attoniti, et stupentibus similes. Flor. ii. 12. (vi. 31.)
Audere; Conari; Moliri. Audere denotes an enterprise with reference to its danger, and the courage of him who undertakes it, whereas conari (from incohare), with reference to the importance of the enterprise, and the energy of him who undertakes it; lastly, moliri, with reference to the difficulty of the enterprise, and the exertion required of him who undertakes it. (iii. 295.)
Audentia, Audacia, see Fides.
Audire; Auscultare. Audire (from ausis, auris, οὖας) means to hear, ἀκούειν, as a mere passive sensation, like olfacere; on the other hand, auscultare (from auricula), to hearken, ἀκροᾶσθαι, that is, to wish to hear, and to hear attentively, whether secretly or openly, by an act of the will, like odorari. Ter. And. iv. 5, 45. Æsch. Pater, obsecro, ausculta. Mic. Æschine, audivi omnia. Cato ap. Gell. i. 15. Pacuv. ap. Cic. Div. i. 57. (iii. 293.)
Auferre, see Demere.
Auguria; Auspicia; Prodigia; Ostenta; Portenta; Monstra; Omina. Auguria and auspicia are appearances in the ordinary course of nature, which for the most part possess a meaning for those only who are skilful in the interpretation of signs; auguria (from augur, αὐγάζειν) for the members of the college of augurs, who are skilled in such things; auspicia, for the magistrates, who have the right to take auspices: whereas prodigia, ostenta, portenta, monstra, are appearances out of the ordinary course of nature, which strike the common people, and only receive a more exact interpretation from the soothsayer: lastly, omina (ὄθματα, ὄσσαι) are signs which any person, to whom they occur, can interpret for himself, without assistance. The primary notion in prodigium is, that the appearance is replete with meaning, and pregnant with consequences; in ostentum, that it excites wonder, and is great in its nature: in portentum, that it excites terror, and threatens danger; in monstrum, that it is unnatural and ugly. (v. 178.)
Aura, see Anima.
Auscultare, see Audire.
Auspicia, see Auguria.
Austerus; Severus; Difficilis; Morosus; Tetricus. 1. Austerus (αὐστηρός, from αὔω) denotes gravity as an intellectual, severus (αὐηρός) as a moral quality. The austerus in opp. to jucundus, Plin. H. N. xxxiv. 8. xxxv. 11, is an enemy to jocularity and frivolity, and seeks in science, learning, and social intercourse, always that which is serious and real, at the risk of passing for dull; the severus, in opp. to luxuriosus, Quintil. xi. 3, 74, is rigid, hates all dissoluteness and laxity of principle, and exacts from himself and others self-control and energy of character, at the risk of passing for harsh. The stoic, as a philosopher, is austerus, as a man, severus. 2. Austerus and severus involve no blame; whereas difficilis, morosus, and tetricus, denote an excess or degeneracy of rigor. The difficilis understands not the art of easy and agreeable converse, from hypochondria and temperament; the morosus (from mos) is scrupulous, and wishes everything to be done according to rule, from scrupulosity and want of tolerance; the tetricus (redupl. of trux, τραχύς) is stiff and constrained, from pedantry and want of temper. (iii. 232.)
Autumare,
