Animals in Motion

SUBJECT AREA: Photography, film and optics

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He was born Edward Muggeridge, but later changed his name, taking the Saxon spelling of his first name and altering his surname, first to Muygridge and then to Muybridge. He emigrated to America in 1851, working in New York in bookbinding and selling as a commission agent for the London Printing and Publishing Company. Through contact with a New York daguerreotypist, Silas T.Selleck, he acquired an interest in photography that developed after his move to California in 1855. On a visit to England in 1860 he learned the wet-collodion process from a friend, Arthur Brown, and acquired the best photographic equipment available in London before returning to America. In 1867, under his trade pseudonym "Helios", he set out to record the scenery of the Far West with his mobile dark-room, christened "The Flying Studio".

His reputation as a photographer of the first rank spread, and he was commissioned to record the survey visit of Major-General Henry W.Halleck to Alaska and also to record the territory through which the Central Pacific Railroad was being constructed. Perhaps because of this latter project, he was approached by the President of the Central Pacific, Leland Stanford, to attempt to photograph a horse trotting at speed. There was a long-standing controversy among racing men as to whether a trotting horse had all four hooves off the ground at any point; Stanford felt that it did, and hoped than an "instantaneous" photograph would settle the matter once and for all. In May 1872 Muybridge photographed the horse "Occident", but without any great success because the current wet-collodion process normally required many seconds, even in a good light, for a good result. In April 1873 he managed to produce some better negatives, in which a recognizable silhouette of the horse showed all four feet above the ground at the same time.

Soon after, Muybridge left his young wife, Flora, in San Francisco to go with the army sent to put down the revolt of the Modoc Indians. While he was busy photographing the scenery and the combatants, his wife had an affair with a Major Harry Larkyns. On his return, finding his wife pregnant, he had several confrontations with Larkyns, which culminated in his shooting him dead. At his trial for murder, in February 1875, Muybridge was acquitted by the jury on the grounds of justifiable homicide; he left soon after on a long trip to South America.

He again took up his photographic work when he returned to North America and Stanford asked him to take up the action-photography project once more. Using a new shutter design he had developed while on his trip south, and which would operate in as little as 1/1,000 of a second, he obtained more detailed pictures of "Occident" in July 1877. He then devised a new scheme, which Stanford sponsored at his farm at Palo Alto. A 50 ft (15 m) long shed was constructed, containing twelve cameras side by side, and a white background marked off with vertical, numbered lines was set up. Each camera was fitted with Muybridge's highspeed shutter, which was released by an electromagnetic catch. Thin threads stretched across the track were broken by the horse as it moved along, closing spring electrical contacts which released each shutter in turn. Thus, in about half a second, twelve photographs were obtained that showed all the phases of the movement.

Although the pictures were still little more than silhouettes, they were very sharp, and sequences published in scientific and photographic journals throughout the world excited considerable attention. By replacing the threads with an electrical commutator device, which allowed the release of the shutters at precise intervals, Muybridge was able to take series of actions by other animals and humans. From 1880 he lectured in America and Europe, projecting his results in motion on the screen with his Zoopraxiscope projector. In August 1883 he received a grant of $40,000 from the University of Pennsylvania to carry on his work there. Using the vastly improved gelatine dry-plate process and new, improved multiple-camera apparatus, during 1884 and 1885 he produced over 100,000 photographs, of which 20,000 were reproduced in Animal Locomotion in 1887. The subjects were animals of all kinds, and human figures, mostly nude, in a wide range of activities. The quality of the photographs was extremely good, and the publication attracted considerable attention and praise.

Muybridge returned to England in 1894; his last publications were Animals in Motion (1899) and The Human Figure in Motion (1901). His influence on the world of art was enormous, over-turning the conventional representations of action hitherto used by artists. His work in pioneering the use of sequence photography led to the science of chronophotography developed by Marey and others, and stimulated many inventors, notably Thomas Edison to work which led to the introduction of cinematography in the 1890s.

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SUBJECT AREA: Photography, film and optics

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Dickson was born in France of English and Scottish parents. As a young man of almost 19 years, he wrote in 1879 to Thomas Edison in America, asking for a job. Edison replied that he was not taking on new staff at that time, but Dickson, with his mother and sisters, decided to emigrate anyway. In 1883 he contacted Edison again, and was given a job at the Goerk Street laboratory of the Edison Electric Works in New York. He soon assumed a position of responsibility as Superintendent, working on the development of electric light and power systems, and also carried out most of the photography Edison required. In 1888 he moved to the Edison West Orange laboratory, becoming Head of the ore-milling department. When Edison, inspired by Muybridge's sequence photographs of humans and animals in motion, decided to develop a motion picture apparatus, he gave the task to Dickson, whose considerable skills in mechanics, photography and electrical work made him the obvious choice. The first experiments, in 1888, were on a cylinder machine like the phonograph, in which the sequence pictures were to be taken in a spiral. This soon proved to be impractical, and work was delayed for a time while Dickson developed a new ore-milling machine. Little progress with the movie project was made until George Eastman's introduction in July 1889 of celluloid roll film, which was thin, tough, transparent and very flexible. Dickson returned to his experiments in the spring of 1891 and soon had working models of a film camera and viewer, the latter being demonstrated at the West Orange laboratory on 20 May 1891. By the early summer of 1892 the project had advanced sufficiently for commercial exploitation to begin. The Kinetograph camera used perforated 35 mm film (essentially the same as that still in use in the late twentieth century), and the kinetoscope, a peep-show viewer, took fifty feet of film running in an endless loop. Full-scale manufacture of the viewers started in 1893, and they were demonstrated on a number of occasions during that year. On 14 April 1894 the first kinetoscope parlour, with ten viewers, was opened to the public in New York. By the end of that year, the kinetoscope was seen by the public all over America and in Europe. Dickson had created the first commercially successful cinematograph system. Dickson left Edison's employment on 2 April 1895, and for a time worked with Woodville Latham on the development of his Panoptikon projector, a projection version of the kinetoscope. In December 1895 he joined with Herman Casier, Henry N.Marvin and Elias Koopman to form the American Mutoscope Company. Casier had designed the Mutoscope, an animated-picture viewer in which the sequences of pictures were printed on cards fixed radially to a drum and were flipped past the eye as the drum rotated. Dickson designed the Biograph wide-film camera to produce the picture sequences, and also a projector to show the films directly onto a screen. The large-format images gave pictures of high quality for the period; the Biograph went on public show in America in September 1896, and subsequently throughout the world, operating until around 1905. In May 1897 Dickson returned to England and set up as a producer of Biograph films, recording, among other subjects, Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee celebrations in 1897, Pope Leo XIII in 1898, and scenes of the Boer War in 1899 and 1900. Many of the Biograph subjects were printed as reels for the Mutoscope to produce the "what the butler saw" machines which were a feature of fairgrounds and seaside arcades until modern times. Dickson's contact with the Biograph Company, and with it his involvement in cinematography, ceased in 1911.

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contrā, adv. and prep. [stem con, i. e. cum, through a comparative form conter; cf.: alter, uter, inter, praeter, etc.; in abl. fem. form like the locative adverbs ea, qua, etc.; cf.: ultra, intra, extra, citra], orig., in comparison with; hence, over against, fronting, in front, opposite, in opposition to, against, contrary to, opposed to, etc.

Adv. (referring to an opposed object often with the force of a preposition with ellipsis of a pronoun, = against it, against him, etc.).

Local.

Lit., of position in front of a person, place, or thing.

With verb of being or position expressed or understood.

Referring to living beings, opposite, in face of, face to face, facing, in front of, fronting, confronting (not in Cic., Caes., or Sall.):

feminam scelestam te, adstans contra, contuor,

Plaut. Pers. 2, 2, 26:

ut confidenter mihi contra adstitit,

id. Capt. 3, 5, 6; Lucr. 4, 223; 6, 929:

signum contra, quoad longissume oculi ferebant, animo finivit,

Liv. 1, 18, 8:

stat contra starique jubet,

Juv. 3, 290:

stat contra dicitque tibi tua pagina Fures!

Mart. 1, 55, 12:

ulmus erat contra,

in front of her, Ov. M. 14, 661:

templa vides contra,

in front (of us), id. ib. 7, 587.—Of position in front of the enemy:

contra conserta manu,

Plaut. Mil. 1, 1, 3: contra consistere, to make front against them, Caes. B. G. 2, 17.—

Referring to things and places, over against (it), opposite (to it), on the opposite side (mostly post-Aug.):

contra jacet Cancer patulam distentus in alvum,

Manil. 2, 253:

posita contra Hispania,

Tac. Agr. 11:

promuntorium quod contra procedit,

Plin. 4, 2, 3, § 6: relinquendae autem contra erunt vacuae tabellae, on the opposite side, i. e. of the leaf, Quint. 10, 3, 32: illo quaerente cur non decidant contra siti, the antipodes (cf. Cic. Ac. 2, 39, 123; v. II. A. 1. c. a), Plin. 2, 65, 65, § 161.—With the governing verb understood:

arguam hanc vidisse apud te contra conservum meum,

face to face, Plaut. Mil. 2, 2, 91:

jam omnia contra circaque hostium plena erant, Liv 5, 37, 8: eadem verba contra (i. e. ponuntur),

side by side, Quint. 9, 3, 36; Verg. A. 6, 23.—

With verbs of motion, so as to be opposite to an object or face to face with a person, variously rendered.

Referring to persons:

accede ad me atque adi contra,

come right up to me, Plaut. Rud. 1, 4, 23; id. Bacch. 3, 6, 6: hostes crebri cadunt; nostri contra ingruunt, advance to their front (in Plaut. hostility is not implied in contra), id. Am. 1, 1, 84: quis nos pater aut cognatu' volet contra tueri, face to face, eye to eye, Enn. ap. Varr. L. L. 7, § 12 Mull. (Trag. Rel. v. 444 Rib.); Att. ap. Macr. S. 6, 1, 55 (Trag. Rel. v. 538 ib.):

adspicedum contra me = contra adspice me,

Plaut. Most. 5, 1, 56 Lorenz ad lec.:

contra adspicere,

id. Mil. 2, 1, 45:

contra intueri,

Liv. 1, 16, 6; 9, 6, 8; Sen. Q. N. 1, 3, 6:

cum veniret contra Marcianus,

Quint. 6, 3, 95; Plin. 9, 46, 70, § 152.—

Of things:

hic ubi sol radiis... Adversa fulsit nimborum aspergine contra,

Lucr. 6, 525; Cels. 8, 8, 1:

quam (turrim) promoti contra validi asseres... perfregere,

Tac. H. 4, 30.—Reciprocally: oscula non pervenientia contra, not coming through (the wall) so as to meet, Ov. M. 4, 80.—

Transf. to equivalents of weight, value, and price; so,

In Plaut. only in the colloq. phrases auro contra, aurichalco contra, and contra auro (sc. posito); lit., for gold placed against; cf.:

aes contrarium, s. v. contrarius: (servus) non carus'st auro contra,

at his weight in gold, Plaut. Ep. 3, 3, 30: jam auro contra constat filius, id. Truc. 2, 6, 57 (Speng. aurichalco): auro contra cedo modestum amatorem! A me aurum accipe. Pa. Cedo mihi contra aurichalco quoi ego sano serviam, id. Curc. 1, 3, 45 sq.; id. Mil. 3, 1, 63; 4, 2, 85; id. Ps. 2, 3, 23.—

In post-Aug. prose (very rare):

at si aquae et ejus rei quam contra pensabis par pondus erit, nec pessum ibit, nec exstabit, etc.,

Sen. Q. N. 3, 25, 5.—

Of reciprocal actions, = vicissim, in turn, in return, back, on my, his, etc., part, likewise, counter-.

In gen.:

te ut deludam contra, lusorem meum,

Plaut. Am. 2, 2, 71:

quae me amat, quam ego contra amo,

id. Merc. 5. 2, 77; id. Cist. 1, 1, 96; id. Trin. 4, 2, 55; id. As. 2, 2, 110:

qui arguat se, eum contra vincat jurejurando suo,

make a victorious counter-charge, id. Mil. 2, 2, 37:

si laudabit haec Illius formam, tu hujus contra (i. e. lauda),

Ter. Eun. 3, 1, 54:

audi nunc contra jam,

listen in turn, id. Phorm. 4, 4, 18; id. Ad. 5, 4, 23:

at tu mihi contra nunc videre fortunatus, Phaedria, Cui, etc.,

you likewise seem fortunate to me, id. Phorm. 1, 3, 21:

Mettius Tullo gratulatur, contra Tullus Mettium benigne alloquitur,

Liv. 1, 28, 1:

contra ut me diligat illa,

Cat. 76. 23; Hor. S. 1, 3, 27 Orell. ad loc.—Hence, with ellipsis of inquit, = respondit:

cui latrans contra senex,

Phaedr. 5, 10, 7:

scietis, inquam, etc., contra Nigrinus: ad quem missi sunt? ego, etc.,

Plin. Ep. 7, 6, 4.—

Rarely with inquit, etc., expressed: at ille contra, renidens, Audi, inquit, discipule, etc.,

Gell. 15, 9, 9; cf.:

contra talia reddit,

Claud. B. Gild. 379.—

With dat. pers.:

consulo quem dolum doloso contra conservo parem,

Plaut. Mil. 2, 2, 45:

facere contra huic aegre,

Ter. Eun. 4, 1, 10:

hiscine contra insidiabere?

id. Hec. 1. 1, 13:

tibi contra gratiam Referre,

id. ib. 4, 2, 7.—

With item:

item a me contra factum est,

Plaut. Aul. prol. 20:

puellam senex Amat et item contra filius,

id. Cas. prol. 49; id. Pers. 5, 2, 36; id. Am. 1, 1, 67; Ter. Ad. 1, 1, 25.—

Combining a reciprocal with a local relation (A. 1. a. a, and b. a): contra carinantes verba, exchanging abusive words ( face to face), Enn. ap. Serv. ad Verg. A. 8, 361 (Ann. v. 181 Vahl.): tubae utrimque contra canunt;

Consonat terra,

Plaut. Am. 1, 1, 73; 1, 1, 86:

confer gradum Contra pariter,

id. Ps. 2, 4, 18; id. Truc. 1, 2, 28:

video amicam... Ubi contra adspexit me, etc.,

id. Mil. 2, 1, 45; Verg. E. 7, 8; cf. Lucr. 4, 243:

vesper adest, juvenes consurgite!... Cernitis, innuptae, juvenes? consurgite contra!

Cat. 62, 6.—

Implying also opposition: Pe. Conpellabo. Ph. Orationis aciem contra conferam, Plaut. Ep. 4, 1, 20:

si scias quod donum huic dono contra comparet,

what counter gift, Ter. Eun. 2, 3, 63: quod Scipio postulavit... ut, etc. Et quod contra collega postulavit ne, etc., Annal. Trib. Pleb. ap. Gell. 7 (6), 19, 5:

si vobis aequa et honesta postulatio videtur, ego contra brevem postulationem adfero,

Cic. Rosc. Am. 2, 7; Nep. Epam. 6, 1;

Auct. B. Alex. 24: illo licente contra liceri audeat nemo,

to bid in opposition, Caes. B. G. 1, 18; Liv. 4, 53, 6:

agedum pauca accipe contra,

Hor. S. 1, 4, 38.—So in battle:

Numidae... Romanorum ordines conturbare... neque contra feriundi copia erat,

Sall. J. 50, 4; and in law: et ab eo is qui adoptat vindicat... et illo contra non vindicante, etc., Gai Inst. 1, 134; 2, 24.—Esp. in replies:

oratio contra a Demosthene pro Ctesiphonte edita,

Cic. de Or. 3, 56, 213:

dicit accusator haec: primum, etc.... quid contra reus?

id. Clu. 30, 81; id. Fin. 5, 22, 63; Curt. 4, 1, 10; 7, 9, 1.

Of opposition, strife, etc., against; constr. absol., with dat., and ne, quominus or quin.

Of physical exertion.

Lit.:

concurrunt... aetheriae nubes contra pugnantibu' ventis,

struggling against each other, Lucr. 6. 98:

nec nos obniti contra... Sufficimus,

bear up, battle against, Verg. A. 5, 21; Ov. M. 9, 50; 2, 434:

at ille contra nititur,

resists, Plin. 2, 38, 38, § 103; 7, 20, 19, § 82:

pars remigum, tamquam imperitia... officia nautarum impediebant. Mox contra tendere,

rowed in an opposite direction, Tac. H. 4, 16.—

Trop.:

te rogo ne contrahas ac demittas animum, neque te obrui tamquam fluctu... sinas, contraque erigas ac resistas,

Cic. Q. Fr. 1, 1, 1, § 4:

et torrens judicem vel nitentem contra feret, cogatque ire qua rapiet,

Quint. 12, 10, 61.— With ne: vi contra niti, ne advorsus eum fiat, Cato ap. Gell. 7 (6), 3, 16.—With quominus, Lucr. 1, 780.—

Of mental exertion:

si tibi vera videntur, Dede manus, aut, si falsum est, accingere contra,

arm yourself against them, Lucr. 2, 1043; 2, 280. —With dat.:

siti contra... pugnandum,

Cels. 4, 2 fin. —

Of hostile opposition in gen.

Lit.:

quod animadversum est in eo qui contra omni ratione pugnarunt, non debeo reprehendere,

who made opposition in every way, Cic. Rosc. Am. 47, 137; id. Verr. 2, 2, 43, § 107:

contra etiam aliquid abs te profectum ex multis audivi,

something inimical, id. Fam. 5, 5, 2.—

Trop.:

aut alio quovis (sc. colore) qui contra pugnet et obstet,

Lucr. 2, 794; 2, 868.—

Of warfare.

Lit.:

ut eos adversarios existimemus qui arma contra ferant,

Cic. Off. 1, 25, 87; 1, 12, 37; Vell. 2, 28, 4; cf.:

quid quod exercitum contra duxit?

Auct. Her. 4, 16, 23:

ut si qua ex parte obviam contra veniretur, acie instructa depugnarent,

if they should be attacked by an open charge, Caes. B. G. 7, 28:

issentque confestim ad urbem ni venire contra exercitum... audissent,

Liv. 7, 39, 17:

cum Romanae legiones contra direxerint,

would oppose their march, Tac. H. 4, 58; id. A. 6, 44.—With dat.:

et huic contra itum ad amnem Erinden,

Tac. A. 11, 10.—

Trop.:

quod ubi viderunt corvi, contra auxiliantur, velut adversus communem hostem,

Plin. 10, 74, 95, § 205.—

Of legal contests.

With verbs of saying; v. 9. a.—

Venire contra, of any legal act with the intention to hurt the adversary:

quid? si omnium mortalium Sthenio nemo inimicior quam hic C. Claudius... fuit? si de litteris corruptis contra venit, etc.?

if he made a charge of forgery against him? Cic. Verr. 2, 2, 43, § 107; cf. II. B. c. b.—

On the part of the adversary:

inveniendum contra est, quo distet haec causa a ceteris,

Quint. 5, 10, 114; 9, 2, 35; 12, 8, 10.—

Of judgments against the parties or against opinions:

ne spoliaret fama probatum hominem si contra judicasset,

given an adverse decision, Cic. Off. 3, 19, 77; cf. Val. Max. 7, 2, 4; Cic. Caecin. 24, 69.—

Of literary opposition.

Mostly with verbs of saying; v. 9. a. g.—

With other verbs:

astrologorum artem contra convincere tendit,

Lucr. 5, 728:

contra nunc illud pone, etc.,

Sen. Ben. 7, 14, 6:

habeat (liber meus) etiam quosdam qui contra sentiant et adversentur,

some dissentients and opponents, Quint. 3, 1, 5; 2, 17, 40; 3, 8, 69.—

Of public and political opposition.

With verbs of saying; v. 9. a. d.—

With petere, to be a candidate for office in opposition to another:

nihil enim supererat de quo certarent, nihil quod contra peterent,

no office was left for which to canvass against each other, Cic. Agr. 2, 33, 91:

honores contra petere,

Quint. 6, 1, 17.—With ire, with dat., of an opposing vote in the senate (cf.:

pedibus ire): sententia Cassii ut nemo unus contra ire ausus est, ita dissonae voces respondebant,

Tac. A. 14, 45.—

Of violation of law, contracts, etc.: contra facere, or contra committere, to violate, transgress a law, etc.: leges esse non ex ejus qui contra commiserit utilitate, spectari oportere, not in the interest of the transgressor, Cic. Inv. 2, 48, 153:

si quis sub hoc pacto vendiderit ancillam ne prostitueretur, et si contra factum esset,

and if the contract was violated, Dig. 18, 1, 56.—

With verbs of saying, etc., contra dicere; less freq. disputare, disserere, pugnare, in the sense of dicere, and contra scribere (often contradico, in one word, in post-Aug. writers; esp. with dat.).

Contra dicere, to speak as counsel of the adversary, to plead his cause, in legal proceedings:

cum contra dicturus Hortensius esset,

would speak on the other side, Cic. Quint. 24, 77:

hoc... contra dicente Cotta judicatum est,

id. Caecin. 33, 97:

dixisse ut contra nemo videretur,

id. Brut. 53, 198: ut contra Crassus... exorsus est, began on the other side, id. ib. § 197.—Hence: qui contra dicit, the adversary or counsel of the adversary:

contra autem qui dicet, similitudinem infirmare debebit,

Cic. Inv. 2, 50, 151; id. Part. Or. 21, 108.—In the same sense: agens contra: si nos... impares agentium contra ingeniis dixerimus, that we are unequal to the talents of our adversary's counsel, [p. 453] Quint. 4, 1, 8.—

To make charges against (rare):

si qui contra vellet dicere, usurum esse eum suo testimonio,

Cic. Clu. 48, 134:

qua ratione nemo neque tum item fecerit, neque nunc contra dicat,

id. Quint. 29, 88; so,

contra disputare, of objections to or against a witness: nihil contra disputabo priusquam dixerit,

id. Fl. 21, 51.—

In gen., to speak on the other side of a question:

fiebat autem ita, ut cum is qui audire vellet dixisset quid sibi videretur, tum ego contra dicerem,

Cic. Tusc. 1, 4, 8; id. Fin. 2, 1, 2; so,

contra disputare and contra scribere,

id. Or. 1, 19, 85; Vitr. 3, 1, 6; Quint. 2, 17, 13; Dig. 9, 2, 21, § 1.—Hence: qui contra dicunt or disputant, the opponents:

nec qui contra dicunt causam difficilem repellunt,

Cic. Fin. 3, 1, 2:

ad coarguendos qui contra disputant,

to refule his opponents, Quint. 2, 15, 26.—

To oppose or object to a proposition, motion, or petition:

quam palam principes dixerunt contra!

protested against it, Cic. Verr. 2, 5, 16, § 41; Caes. B. C. 1, 32; Cic. Clu. 47, 130.—With pugnare:

cum decerneretur frequenti senatu, contra pugnante Pisone, etc.,

Cic. Att. 1, 14, 5:

filius ejus incolumitatem optat: contradicit pater,

the father objects, Quint. 9, 2, 85; 9, 2, 83; Plin. ap. Gell. 9, 16, 5; Cic. Dom. 33, 87:

contradicente nullo,

Suet. Caes. 20; Dig. 3, 3, 15.—

To reply:

contradixit edicto,

answered by an edict, Suet. Aug. 56. —

Abl. absol. impers.:

explorandum videtur an etiam contradicto aliquando judicio consuetudo firmata sit,

whether the custom has been confirmed by judgment upon a judicial contest, Dig. 1, 3, 34.—

With acc. neutr. pron., to object, to make or raise an objection, to reply; esp. in legal proceedings:

ego enim, te disputante, quid contra dicerem meditabar,

Cic. N. D. 3, 1, 1:

ut contra si quid dicere velit non audiatur,

id. Fin. 5, 10, 27:

aiebat illum primo sane diu multa contra (i. e. dixisse), ad extremum autem, etc.,

id. Att. 2, 22, 2.— Hence: quod contra dicitur, or quae contra dicuntur, the objections:

ut et id quod intenderemus confirmare, et id quod contra diceretur refellere (possemus),

refute the objections, Cic. de Or. 1, 20, 90:

quia neque reprehendi quae contra dicuntur possunt, etc.,

id. ib. 2, 81, 331; id. Inv. 2, 44, 127; Quint. 1, 2, 17.—In the same sense, as subst.: contrā dicta, orum, n. plur.:

seu proposita confirmamus, sive contra dicta dissolvimus,

or refute the objections, Quint. 4, prooem. 6.—With acc. and inf.:

dicitur contra, nullum esse testamentum,

the objection is made that there is no testament, Cic. Agr. 2, 6, 42.—

With dat., written in one word (post-Aug.).

To oppose a person by speaking against his views:

solitum se etiam Thraseae contradicere,

to oppose even Thrasea, Tac. H. 2, 91:

tibi,

Suet. Aug. 54:

Curioni...,

id. Rhet. 1. —Hence of answers and replies in law: quid si filium testatoris heres ejus prohibuit? Huic contradici potest: ergo pietatis, etc., he may be answered by this plea, etc., Dig. 11, 7, 14, § 13.—And of advisory answers opposed to one's legal views:

volenti mihi ream adulterii postulare eam, etc., contradictum est,

my views were disapproved, rejected, Dig. 48, 5, 11, § 10.—

To oppose an opinion, with dat. of the thing:

cum plures tantum sententiis aliorum contradicerent,

opposed the opinions, Tac. H. 1, 39.—

To object to a motion or petition, with dat. of the petitioner:

patrem qui damnavit optat ne is torqueatur: pater ei contradicit,

the father objects, Quint. 9, 2, 81:

cum ambienti ut legibus solveretur multi contradicerent,

Suet. Caes. 18; Dig. 40, 5, 14; 40, 12, 33.—

With dat. of the petition:

preces erant, sed quibus contradici non posset,

which could not be denied, Tac. H. 4, 46 fin.; Dig. 3, 1, 1, § 2.—

To contest the validity of a law (rare):

quibus (legibus) contradici potest,

Quint. 7, 7, 4.—

To contradict an assertion (very rare):

pro certis autem habemus... cuicunque adversarius non contradicit,

Quint. 5, 10, 13.—

With quin, to object:

praetor Samnitibus respondit... nec contra dici quin amicitia de integro reconcilietur,

there was no objection to a reconciliation, Liv. 8, 2, 2.

To one's disadvantage; mostly predic. with esse, unfavorable, adverse, damaging (post-Aug.;

but cf. II. B. 2.): ut eum qui responsurus est vel tacere, vel etiam invitum id quod sit contra cogat fateri,

Quint. 7, 3, 14:

cum verba (legis) contra sint,

id. 7, 1, 49:

sed experimentum contra fuit,

unsuccessful, Tac. H. 2, 97 fin.:

ubi fortuna contra fuit,

id. ib. 3, 18:

si fortuna contra daret,

should be unfavorable, id. ib. 1, 65 fin.; id. A. 15, 13.

Of logical opposition, with negative force.

Of a direct contrast.

Predicatively, with esse, fieri, etc., the contrary, the opposite:

quod fieri totum contra manifesta docet res,

but experience teaches that just the contrary is true, Lucr. 3, 686; 4, 1088:

in stultitia contra est,

with fools the reverse is true, Cic. Clu. 31, 84:

in hac quidem re vereor ne etiam contra (i. e. sit),

id. Att. 12, 46; id. Off. 1, 15, 49:

quod contra est,

Sall. J. 85, 21:

quis non credat, etc.? Contra autem est,

Sen. Q. N. 3, 25, 12; id. Ep. 7, 3; Dig. 37, 4, 4:

contra fore si, etc.,

ib. 34, 2, 39, § 2:

immo forsitan et contra (i. e. erit),

ib. 41, 3, 49:

ego contra puto (i. e. esse),

Plin. Ep. 1, 20, 7; Lampr. Alex. Sev. 25.—

With evenire, accidere, sentire, scribere, habere, etc.:

utrumque contra accidit: istic enim bellum est exortum, hic pax consecuta,

of both the contrary has happened, Cic. Fam. 12, 18, 2; so Dig. 38, 2, 51:

id ego contra puto (sc.: faciendum esse),

id. Att. 10, 8, 2:

contra evenit in iis morbis,

Sen. Ep. 52, 7; Plin. 2, 65, 65, § 163:

ego contra sentio,

Sen. Clem. 1, 15, 5; Sedig. ap. Gell. 15, 24, 4; Dig. 40, 2, 25:

Proculus contra (sc. sentit),

ib. 35, 2, 1, § 14; 33, 7, 25:

licet Celsus contra scribat,

ib. 9, 2, 21, § 1: contra probatur, Gai Inst. 2, 78; Dig. 33, 7, 12, § 34.—Very rarely referring to a term in the same clause:

cujus disparem mitioremque naturam contra interpretabatur,

interpreted in an opposite sense, misinterpreted, misunderstood, Tac. H. 4, 86 fin. —

Referring to a word or phrase in the same predicate.

To an adverb, in an opposite manner, otherwise, differently, not, etc.:

nam ad summam totius rei pertinet, caute an contra demonstrata res sit,

Cic. de Or. 2, 81, 330: quod viriliter animoque fit, id, etc.;

quod contra, id turpe,

id. Off. 1, 27, 94:

sit sapienter usus aut contra,

Quint. 2, 5, 15:

lactuca locis apricis optume autumno ponitur, mediterraneis aut frigidis contra ( = pessime),

Col. 11, 3, 25.—

To a predicative adjective, not, the opposite, the reverse, etc.:

ut aliae (res) probabiles videantur aliae contra,

improbable, Cic. Ac. 2, 32, 103; id. Off. 2, 2, 7:

quid est quod me impediat ea quae probabilia mihi videantur sequi, quae contra, improbare,

id. ib. 2, 2, 8; id. Or. 2, 31, 135; Quint. 4, 2, 52.—

To a verbal predicate:

an frater fratri exsistat heres, an contra ( = annon),

Dig. 34, 5, 19.—

To a subject infinitive:

laudare testem vel contra pertinet ad momentum judiciorum,

praising or censuring a witness, Quint. 3, 7, 2.—

To a clause, translated by not or by a repetition of the clause with a negative:

quae secundum naturam essent, ea sumenda et quadam aestimatione dignanda docebat, contraque contraria,

those that were not, not, Cic. Ac. 1, 10, 36: quod cuidam aut sapiens videor quod una non jerim, aut felix fuisse;

mihi contra,

id. Att. 9, 12, 4: an credibile est, incestum cum filia commissum? Et contra, veneficum in noverca, adulterum in luxurioso? and incredible, etc., Quint. 5, 10, 19; so Dig. 9, 1, 2, § 1.—

To an attributive genitive:

Marius cognoscere quid boni utrisque or contra esset (i. e. mali),

Sall. J. 88, 2:

verum de origine laudis contraque perspiciemus suo tempore (i. e. vituperationis),

Quint. 2, 4, 21:

alii a propositione accusatoris contraque loci oriuntur,

the accuser and the accused, id. 7, 2, 31;

so in several titles of the Digests, as Depositi vel contra, = actio depositi, vel contraria actio depositarii,

Dig. 16, 3 tit.; so ib. 16, 17, 1; 16, 13, 6; 16, 13, 7.—

Reversing the relation of terms in the preceding sentence, the reverse, conversely, vice versa, etc.

With its own predicate: saepe... corpus aegret, Cum tamen ex alia laetamur parte latenti;

Et retro fit uti contra sit saepe vicissim, Cum miser ex animo laetatur corpore toto,

Lucr. 3, 108: illa altera argumentatio, quasi retro et contra, prius sumit, etc., ( proceeding), so to speak, backward and in inverted order, Cic. Part. Or. 13, 46: neque illud ignoro, etc.; sed non idem accidit contra, but the converse is not true, Quint. 8, 6, 3; Gell. 4, 2, 5: ut vocabula verbis, verba rursus adverbiis, nomina appositis et pronominibus essent priora. Nam fit contra quoque frequenter non indecore. for often, not inelegantly, the order is reversed, Quint. 9, 4, 24:

quae etiam contra valent,

i. e. if the terms are reversed, id. 3, 7, 25; 9, 2, 49; 8, 6, 25; 9, 4, 72.—

Belonging to the same predicate:

ut quidque erit dicendum ita dicet, nec satura jejune, nec grandia minute, nec item contra,

Cic. Or. 36, 123:

cum emtor venditori, vel contra, heres exstitit,

Dig. 35, 2, 48:

in quibus patrium pro possessivo dicitur, vel contra,

Quint. 1, 5, 45; 5, 10, 71:

junguntur autem aut ex nostro et peregrino, ut biclinium, aut contra, ut epitogium et Anticato,

id. 1, 5, 68:

ut capras in montosis potius locis quam in herbidis (pascar), equas contra,

but with mares the reverse is the case, Varr. R. R. 2, 1, 16:

itaque ille dicere melius quam praecipere, nos contra fortasse possumus,

Cic. Or. 42, 143:

qua collegi solent ex his quae faciunt ea quae faciuntur, aut contra,

or vice versa, Quint. 5, 10, 80; Dig. 14, 1, 1, § 12; 48, 5, 23, § 4.

In logical antithesis of clauses with a merely rhet. force, on the contrary, on the other hand, vice versa; sometimes almost = sed or autem (freq.).

In independent clauses.

Opposing persons or parties: fortunam insanam esse... perhibent philosophi... Sunt autem alii philosophi qui contra Fortunam negant ullam exstare, Pac. ap. Auct. Her. 2, 23, 36 (Trag. Rel. v. 372 Rib.); Caecil. ap. Cic. Tusc. 4, 32, 68; Varr. R. R. 1, 8, 1:

ego etiam quae tu sine Verre commisisti Verri crimini daturus sum... Tu, contra, ne quae ille quidem fecit, obicies,

Cic. Div. in Caecil. 11, 35:

ego contra ostendo, non modo nihil fecisse Sex. Roscium, sed, etc.,

id. Rosc. Am. 29, 79; id. Phil. 8, 3, 8; id. Off. 1, 30, 108; id. Fin. 5, 22, 62:

in Italia bellum gerimus, in sede ac solo nostro... Hannibal contra in aliena, in hostili est terra,

Liv. 22, 39, 13; 21, 50, 2; 3, 15, 2; 6, 7, 4; 9, 35, 4 et saep.; Nep. Alcib. 8, 1; Vell. 2, 31, 4; Sen. Ep. 9, 14; id. Ira, 2, 33, 6; Plin. 35, 10, 37, § 113; Tac. H. 3, 84; 3, 57; Suet. Tib. 2; id. Vit. 2; Just. 2, 1, 10; 8, 4, 11:

contra mercator, navim jactantibus austris Militia est potior?

Hor. S. 1, 1, 6; 1, 2, 30; 1, 3, 27; Prop. 2, 1, 45; 2, 23, 13 (3, 17, 3); Sen. Hippol. 214;

so with versa vice: barbarae gentes (Alexandrum) non ut hostem, sed ut parentem luxerunt... Contra Macedones versa vice non ut civem, sed ut hostem amissum gaudebant,

Just. 13, 1, 7.—

Introducing a secondary or parallel opposition of thought: in loco umidiore far potius serunt quam triticum;

contra in aridiore hordeum potius quam far,

Varr. R. R. 1, 9, 4; 1, 1, 47: si nihil esset quod inane vocaret, Omne foret solidum;

nisi contra corpora certe Essent, etc., Omne quod est spatium vacuum constaret inane,

Lucr. 1, 521; 4, 348; cf.:

justa omnia decora sunt, injusta contra, ut turpia, sic indecora,

Cic. Off. 1, 27, 94; id. N. D. 2, 15, 41; id. de Or. 3, 33, 136; id. Quint. 30, 93: id. Off. 3, 21, 84; id. Leg. 2, 1, 2: facilem esse rem... si modo unum omnes sentiant; contra in dissensione nullam se salutem perspicere, Caes. B. G, 5, 31; Liv. 25, 30, 3; Sen. Ben. 1, 5, 2; Plin. 12, 19, 42, § 92; 11, 14, 14, § 35; Suet. Caes. 73; Gell. 1, 4, 5:

si male rem gerere insani est, contra bene, sani,

Hor. S. 2, 3, 74.—

In opposition to a dependent clause:

ut hi miseri, sic contra illi beati quos, etc.,

Cic. Tusc. 5, 6, 16; so id. de Or. 1, 45, 198; Quint. 9, 3, 39:

cui ego rei tantum abest ut impedimento sim, ut contra te M. Manli adhorter, etc.,

Liv. 6, 15, 5; 6, 31, 4:

cum virtus adeo neminem spe ac pollicitatione corrumpat, ut contra in se inpendere jubeat, ac, etc.,

Sen. Ben. 4, 1, 2: aut igitur negemus quidquam ratione confici, cum contra nihil sine ratione recte fieri possit, aut, etc., whereas on the contrary, etc., Cic. Tusc. 4, 38, 84; cf.:

at contra,

Lucr. 2, 392.—

With co-ordinate conjunctions.

Copulative, et contra or contraque (never with ac or atque); also nec contra (rare), and on the other hand.

With reference to a reason or conclusion, after nam, enim, cum, or itaque: nam et ratione uti... omnique in re quid sit veri videre et tueri decet, contraque falli [p. 454]... tam dedecet quam, etc., Cic. Off. 1, 27, 94:

malus est enim custos... metus, contraque benevolentia fidelis,

id. ib. 2, 7, 23:

cum reficiat animos varietas ipsa, contraque sit aliquanto difficilius in labore uno perseverare,

Quint. 1, 12, 4; 3, 8, 32; 8, 6, 20:

itaque in probris maxime in promptu est, si quid tale dici potest, etc. Contraque in laudibus, etc.,

Cic. Off. 1, 18, 61; cf. Suet. Calig. 51; so with nec:

nam nec comoedia cothurnis assurgit, nec contra tragoedia socculo ingreditur,

Quint. 10, 2, 22.—

With contrasted examples or illustrations, often after ut or sic:

audivi ex majoribus natu, hoc idem fuisse in P. Scipione Nasica, contraque patrem ejus... nullam comitatem habuisse sermonis,

Cic. Off. 1, 30, 109:

ut suspitionibus credi oportere, et contra suspitionibus credi non oportere,

id. Inv. 2, 15, 48; Quint. 8, 4, 1; 5, 10, 48; 9, 3, 7; 9, 4, 52; 11, 1, 14; Sen. Ep. 82, 14; Dig. 17, 1, 22, § 4.—

With contrasted actions, assumptions, etc.:

atque utinam qui ubique sunt propugnatores hujus imperii possent in hanc civitatem venire, et contra oppugnatores rei publicae de civitate exterminari!

Cic. Balb. 22, 51:

domo pignori data, et area ejus tenebitur... et contra jus soli sequitur aedificium,

Dig. 13, 7, 21:

equo et asina genitos mares, hinnos antiqui vocabant: contraque mulos quos asini et equae generassent,

Plin. 8, 44, 69, § 17: ceterum potest ex lege quidem esse judicium, sed legitimum non esse, et contra ex lege non esse, sed legitimum esse, Gai Inst. 4, 109; Plin. 2, 65, 65, § 161; 35, 15, 5, § 183.—

After a negative clause, affirming the opposite idea, et contra or contraque, but on the contrary:

in quo (consulatu) ego imperavi nihil, et contra patribus conscriptis et bonis omnibus parui,

Cic. Sull. 7, 21:

nunc vero cum ne pulsus quidem ita sim ut superare non possim, contraque a populo Romano semper sim defensus, etc.,

id. Dom. 33, 88; id. Fin. 2, 17, 55; id. Marcell. 6, 20; so,

et contra,

Suet. Tit. 7.—

With adversative conjunctions, at contra, sed contra, contra autem, contra vero (not verum contra, nor contra tamen).

At contra (freq.), merely a strengthened contra (v. 1. supra): huc accedit uti mellis lactisque liquores Jucundo sensu linguae tractentur in ore;

At contra taetri absinthi natura... foedo pertorqueat ora sapore,

Lucr. 2, 400:

cogunt,

id. 2, 74; 1, 366; 2, 235 et saep.: nos qui domi sumus, tibi beati videmur;

at contra nobis tu quidem... prae nobis beatus,

Cic. Fam. 4, 4, 2; id. Tusc. 1, 3, 5; id. Rosc. Am. 45, 131; id. Verr. 2, 5, 26, § 66; Sall. J. 36, 2; 4, 7; 15, 3; id. C. 12, 5:

ideo siccas aiunt Aethiopiae solitudines... At contra constat Germaniam abundare rivis,

Sen. Q. N. 3, 6, 2; 1, 3, 1; id. Ep. 100, 7; Plin. 7, 53, 54, § 186; Suet. Galb. 15; Tac. A. 4, 28.—

Sed contra, after a negative sentence (class.):

non quo acui ingenia adulescentium nollem, sed contra ingenia obtundi nolui,

Cic. de Or. 3, 24, 93; id. Att. 9, 15, 3; id. Ac. 1, 10, 35; id. Fl. 11, 26:

arma populi Romani non liberis servitutem, sed contra servientibus libertatem adferre,

Liv. 45, 18, 1:

tu ne cede malis, sed contra audentior ito,

Verg. A. 6, 95; Plin. Ep. 1, 10, 12.—PostAug. also without a preceding negation:

obiisse nostro Laium scelere autumant superi inferique: sed animus contra innocens... negat,

Sen. Oedip. 765; Symm. Ep. 6, 81.—

Contra autem (rare;

in Cic. only where different subjects have contrasted predicates in dependent clauses): quia pacis est insigne toga, contra autem arma tumultus atque belli,

Cic. Pis. 30, 73.—In later writers = contra alone:

sub septemtrione aedificia... conversa ad calidas partes oportere fieri videntur. Contra autem sub impetu solis meridiani regionibus conversa ad septemtrionem... sunt facienda,

Vitr. 6, 1, 2; Gell. 14, 2, 19; Dig. 7, 1, 25, § 3; 34, 3, 25.—

Contra vero (very rare;

not in Cic.), used for contra: contra vero quercus infinitam habet aeternitatem,

Vitr. 2, 9, 8; 6, 1, 3; Cels. 3, 6 fin. —

Atqui contra, App. Mag. p. 287, 24.—

With disjunctive conjunctions, aut contra, vel contra, seu contra, or on the contrary, or conversely (always without change of subject).

Aut contra:

num aut scriptum neget, aut contra factum infitietur?

Cic. Part. Or. 38, 133: quae (mens) aut languescit... aut contra tumescit, etc., Quint. 1, 2, 18:

si imbres defuere, aut contra abundavere,

Plin. 17, 24, 37, § 228.—

Vel contra:

hinc enim quaestiones oriuntur: Injuriam fecisti, sed quia magistratus, majestatis actio est? Vel contra: Licuit... quia magistratus?

Quint. 5, 10, 40; 9, 4, 96; Suet. Galb. 3; Dig. 35, 2, 56, § 4; 8, 4, 6.—

Seu contra:

seu tristis veniam, seu contra laetus amicis,

Prop. 1, 11, 25.—

With causal conjunctions, nam contra (very rare;

never contra enim): falso queritur de natura sua genus humanum quod, etc. Nam contra, reputando, neque majus aliud, neque praestabilius invenies,

Sall. J. 1, 1; Quint. 1, 1, 1; 9, 2, 23. —

In late Lat., e contra (also one word, ēcontrā) = contra,

In the meaning, the contrary (D. 1.):

aliis vero econtra videtur,

Hier. Ep. 12.—

Et econtra = et contra (E. 3. a.):

honestiorum provectu et econtra suppliciis,

Aur. Vict. Caes. 39, 45.—For quod contra, v. II. E. 1. c.—

With emphatic particles.

Quin contra, nay on the contrary, opposing an affirmative sentence to a preceding negative statement (quin etiam amplifies without opposition; sed contra opposes without amplification; quin contra both opposes and amplifies);

not before Livy: num qui enim socordius rempublicam administrari post Calvi tribunatum... quam? etc. Quin contra patricios aliquot damnatos... neminem plebeium,

Liv. 6, 37, 8; 31, 31, 9; 35, 26, 10; 37, 15, 3.—

Immo contra (post-Aug.).

= no, on the contrary, refuting opinions, after questions and in the form of a dialogue:

existimas nunc me detrahere tibi multas voluptates?... Immo contra, nolo tibi umquam deesse laetitiam,

Sen. Ep. 23, 3; Dig. 33, 7, 5; 33, 7, 29.—

= sed contra, but on the contrary:

proinde ne submiseris te, immo contra fige stabilem gradum,

Sen. Cons. Marc. 5, 6; id. Cons. Polyb. 15, 2; cf. prep.:

immo contra ea,

Liv. 41, 24, 8; cf. II. E. 1. b. infra.—

Item contra = an emphatic et contra (very rare):

quoniam... beate vivere alii in alio, vos in voluptate ponitis, item contra miseriam in dolore, etc.,

Cic. Fin. 2, 27, 86; cf. I. A. 3. g supra.

With a comparative clause introduced by ac, atque, or quam, representing a logical or moral opposition (contra atque debuit = non ita ut debuit; cf. Cic. Or. 3, 19, 70); cf. prep., II. C. 3. g, and II. E. 2. infra.

Of logical opposition, contrary to, different from, otherwise than; in the best prose only with atque or ac.

With atque:

item, contra atque apud nos, fieri ad Elephantinem ut neque ficus neque vites amittant folia,

Varr. R. R. 1, 7, 6:

simulacrum Jovis, contra atque ante fuerat, ad orientem convertere,

Cic. Cat. 3, 8, 20; id. Sull. 24, 69:

judicium suscepturos contra atque omnis Italia populusque Romanus judicavisset,

Caes. B. C. 3, 12; id. B. G. 4, 13; Plin. 12, 19, 43, § 95.—

With ac:

itaque contra est ac dicitis,

Cic. Fin. 4, 15, 41:

vides, omnia fere contra ac dicta sint evenisse,

id. Div. 2, 24, 53; so id. Verr. 2, 4, 6, § 11; id. Or. 40, 137:

cum contra ac Deiotarus sensit victoria belli judicaret,

id. Phil. 11, 13, 34:

Petreius ubi videt, Catilinam, contra ac ratus erat, magna vi tendere, etc.,

Sall. C. 60, 5.—

With ac and atque:

si denique aliquid non contra ac liceret factum diceretur, sed contra atque oporteret,

Cic. Balb. 3, 7.—

With quam (post-Aug.):

cui contra quam proposuerat aliqua cesserunt,

Sen. Ira, 3, 6, 5; Plin. 10, 53, 74, § 149; 11, 21, 24, § 72; Gell. 6 (7), 8, 6:

contra quam licet,

id. 1, 3, 19; Sil. 15, 107.—

Of moral opposition of acts contrary to rules and principles (cf. II. 3. g infra); so always with quam:

mater Aviti, generi sui, contra quam fas erat, amore capta,

contrary to the divine law, Cic. Clu. 5, 12:

ut senatus, contra quam ipse censuisset, ad vestitum rediret,

contrary to its own resolution, id. Pis. 8, 18:

contra quam ista causa postulasset,

id. Caecin. 24, 67:

contra quam sanctum legibus est,

Liv. 30, 19, 9; Cic. Leg. 2, 5, 11; id. Q. Fr. 1, 1, 1, § 2; id. Dom. 46, 122:

contraque faciunt quam polliceri videntur,

Auct. Her. 4, 3, 6; Cic. de Or. 2, 20, 86.

Prep. with acc., before, against, facing, towards, opposite to, contrary to (acc. to many scholars not ante-class.; cf. Hand, Turs. II. p. 108; but found Plaut. Ps. 1, 2, 24 Fleck., a line omitted by Lorenz as a gloss; id. Pers. 1, 1, 13 Ritschl; Att. ap. Non. p. 469, 15, or Trag. Rel. v. 476 Rib.; cf. also Plaut. Poen. 5, 6, 18; Cato, R. R. 18, 1, and v. I. A. 1. a. b, and I. A. 1. b. a supra).

Local uses.

Opposite, over against, facing.

Of countries and places (mostly of those separated by water;

adversus and e regione mostly of places opposite by land): insulae natura triquetra, cujus unum latus est contra Galliam,

Caes. B. G. 5, 13; 3, 9; 4, 20:

ad insulam quae est contra Massiliam,

id. B. C. 1, 56; 3, 23:

Rhodios, pacatis contra insulam suam terris, etc.,

Liv. 37, 15, 7; 3, 26, 8:

Carthago Italiam contra,

Verg. A. 1, 13; 5, 124; Ov. M. 14, 17:

insulae quae contra Tauri promuntorium inopportune navigantibus objacent, Chelidoniae nominantur,

Mel. 2, 7; Plin. 3, 26, 30, § 151; 6, 28, 32, § 152; 5, 7, 7, § 41; Tac. A. 3, 1; id. H. 2, 17.—

Of the heavenly bodies:

donique (luna) eum (sc. solem) contra pleno bene lumine fulsit,

Lucr. 5, 708:

contra Volucris rostrum posita est Lyra,

Vitr. 9, 4, 5; Sen. Q. N. 1, 5, 9; 1, 8, 3; Plin. 2, 31, 31, § 99; 5, 10, 10, § 56.—So, tertium (latus Britanniae) est contra septem triones, opposite ( facing); hence, contra meridiem and contra ortus (instead of ad or adversus meridiem, etc.), facing the south and east, Plin. 6, 24, 24, § 85; 17, 2, 2, § 22. —So of a person standing in the sunlight:

cum minima umbra (i. e. a sole) contra medium fiet hominem,

Plin. 18, 33, 76, § 327; cf.:

contra mediam faciem meridies erit,

id. 18, 33, 76, § 326.—

Of opposite ends of a line.

Of the diameter of the earth: esse e regione nobis e contraria parte terrae qui adversis vestigiis stent contra nostra vestigia, quos antipodas vocatis, Cic. Ac. 2, 39, 123.—

Of a line drawn:

contra autem E littera I erit ubi secat circinationem linea,

opposite the point E will be the letter I, Vitr. 9, 7, 4.—

Of buildings, etc.:

contra hoc aviarium est aliud minus in quo quae mortuae sunt aves curator servare solet,

Varr. R. R. 3, 5, 5; Vitr. 5, 6, 3; 3, 5, 15:

(statuam) quae fuerit contra Jovis Statoris aedem in vestibulo Superbi domus,

Plin. 34, 6, 13, § 29:

contra medium fere porticum diaeta paulum recedit,

Plin. Ep. 5, 6, 20; 2, 17, 5; Suet. Aug. 44.—

Of places on the human body:

id quod contra stomachum est,

Cels. 4, 5 (4, 12 med.); 7, 7;

4, 20 (13).—Of the direction of the intestines, etc.: ea... contra medium alvum orsa,

Cels. 4, 1 fin. —

Of actions, opposite, towards, against, facing (syn.:

adversus, ad, e regione,

Caes. B. G. 7, 61).

In gen.:

quamvis subito... quamque Rem contra speculum ponas, apparet imago,

Lucr. 4, 156: Democritus... clipeum constituit contra exortum Hyperionis, Laber. ap. Gell. 10, 17, 4:

et contra magnum potes hos (i.e. oculos) attollere solem, Nec tremis...?

Prop. 1, 15, 37; Col. 7, 3, 8:

rex constiterat contra pedites,

Curt. 10, 9, 13; 9, 5, 1:

ne contra septentrionem paveris,

Plin. 18, 33, 76, § 330; 28, 6, 19, § 69:

contra solem varie refulgens,

placed in the sun, id. 37, 10, 63, § 173; 10, 54, 75, § 151; 37, 6, 22, § 83;

37, 7, 25, § 95: cum terrestres volucres contra aquam clangores dabunt,

id. 18, 35, 87, § 363; 19, 8, 39, § 131.—

Dependent on verbs of motion (very rare without the idea of hostility):

(Dinocrates) incessit contra tribunal regis jus dicentis,

towards, Vitr. 2, praef. 1.—So trop., of actions done for a purpose:

lege Cornelia de sicariis tenetur qui, cum in magistratu esset, eorum quid fecerit contra hominis necem quod legibus permissum non sit,

Dig. 48, 8, 4.—

Appositively, with the predicate: (elephanti) tanta narratur clementia contra minus validos, ut, etc., if fronting weaker animals, if brought in contact with them (not to be connected with clementia), Plin. 8, 7, 7, § 23.—Similarly: dum... fidens non est contra feram, if fronting the animal (not dependent on fidens), Plin. 8, 16, 21, § 57.—

Against an opposing action, etc.:

contra vim atque impetum fluminis conversa,

Caes. B. G. 4, 17, 5:

cum plateae contra directos ventos erunt conformatae,

Vitr. 1, 6, 8:

ut contra ventum gregem pascamus,

Col. 7, 3, 12; Sen. Q. N. 2, 31, 2; Plin. 29, 3, 12, § 52; 17, 2, 2, § 21; 8, 16, 21, § 54:

contra fluminum impetus aggeribus,

id. 35, 14, 48, § 169:

capite in sole contra pilum peruncto,

id. 27, 4, 5, § 17; 18, 35, 88, § 364; Varr. ap. Plin. 7, 20, 19, § 83; Sil. 14, 352; Dig. 9, 2, 29, § 4. [p. 455] — Trop.:

contra fortunam tenendus est cursus,

Sen. Prov. 5, 9.—Prov.:

contra stimulum calces,

kick against the pricks, Isid. Orig. 1, 36, 28 (al. calcitres); cf. Amm. 18, 5, 1.—

Of local actions with hostile intent.

Lit.:

quae vis Coclitem contra omnes hostium copias tenuit?

Cic. Par. 1, 2, 12:

Pompeium Cartejae receptum scribis: jam igitur contra hunc exercitum (sc. constitit),

id. Att. 15, 20, 3:

pertimescam, credo, ne mihi non liceat contra vos in contione consistere,

to face you, id. Agr. 1, 8, 25; Lepidus ap. Cic. Fam. 10, 34, 1; Caes. B. C. 1, 26:

a fronte contra hostem pedum quindecim fossam fieri jussit,

id. ib. 1, 41; 1, 42; id. B. G. 7, 62:

Tullus adversus Veientem hostem derigit suos: Albanos contra legionem Fidenatium collocat,

Liv. 1, 27, 5; 24, 41, 5; 38, 4, 5; Verg. A. 12, 279; Front. Strat. 2, 2, 13; 2, 3, 17.—Appositively, with a local verb understood:

terribilis haec contra fugientes belua est, fugax contra insequentes,

i. e. if fronting, if placed opposite, Plin. 8, 25, 38, § 92.—

Trop.:

castra sunt in Italia contra populum Romanum in Etruriae faucibus collocata,

Cic. Cat. 1, 2, 5; id. Mil. 1, 2; Quint. 7, 7, 5:

tum contra hanc Romam illa altera Roma quaeretur,

will be as a rival against this Rome, Cic. Agr. 2, 22, 86:

cui rationi contra homines barbaros atque imperitos locus fuisset, hac ne ipsum quidem sperare, etc.,

Caes. B. G. 1, 40:

(Cicero) plerumque contra inimicos atque obtrectatores plus vindicat sibi,

when fronting adversaries, Quint. 11, 1, 23.—

In partic.

Stare contra aliquem (opp. stare ab aliquo); usu. implying hostility; mostly trop., to stand against, to be arrayed against, to face, oppose:

quod contra hoc exemplum nulla staret eorum ratio,

Auct. Her. 4, 5, 7:

contra populi studium,

Cic. Brut. 34, 126:

contra civium perditorum... dementiam a senatu et a bonorum causa,

id. ib. 79, 273; so,

a mendacio contra veritatem,

id. Inv. 1, 3, 4:

contra cives in acie,

id. Att. 16, 11, 2:

et adversi contra stetit ora juvenci,

opposite, Verg. A. 5, 477; 5, 414:

haec enim (ratio) sola... stat contra fortunam,

Sen. Ep. 14, 4, 2: contra leonem etiam stetit, fronted, i. e. hunted, Spart. Carac. 5 fin. —

Contra aliquem ire:

aut saevos Libyae contra ire leones,

Stat. Th. 9, 16.— Trop.:

uti contra injurias armati eatis,

Sall. J. 31, 6:

interritus (sapiens) et contra illa (mala) ibit et inter illa,

Sen. Ep. 59, 8; cf.: contra venire, II. B. 1. c. b infra, and v. also II. B. 2. b. and II. B. 1. b. infra.—

Transf.,

To persons placed together for comparison:

C. vero Caesar, si foro tantum vacasset, non alius ex nostris contra Ciceronem nominaretur,

Quint. 10, 1, 114:

CORONATO CONTRA OMNES SCAENICOS,

Inscr. Grut. p. 331, n. 4.—

To things compared, as if weighed against each other as to their value, strength, etc.

Lit. (very rare):

quamcunque vis rem expende, et contra aquam statue... Si gravior est, leviorem rem... feret, etc.,

Sen. Q. N. 3, 25, 5.—

Prop.:

cujus (i. e. generis humani) causa videtur cuncta alia genuisse natura, magna saeva mercede contra tanta sua munera,

Plin. 7, 1, 1, § 1:

qui amicus esse coepit quia expedit, placebit ei aliquod pretium contra amicitiam,

Sen. Ep. 9, 9:

numquam ulli fortiores cives fuerunt quam qui ausi sunt eum contra tantas opes ejus... condemnare,

Cic. Fam. 7, 2, 3:

tantum studium bonorum in me exstitisse, contra incredibilem contentionem clarissimi et potentissimi viri,

id. ib. 7, 2, 2; Planc. ap. Cic. Fam. 10, 9, 3:

nomen prorogans nostrum et memoriam extendens contra brevitatem aevi,

as a compensation for, Plin. 2, 63, 63, § 154.—So esp., valere contra, to weigh against, counterbalance, avail or prevail against: non vereor ne meae vitae modestia parum valitura sit contra falsos rumores, Matius ap. Cic. Fam. 11, 28, 8:

(illa facta) pro periculo potius quam contra salutem valere debere,

Cic. Part. Or. 35, 120; id. Off. 3, 29, 104:

contrane lucrum nil valere Pauperis ingenium?

Hor. Epod. 11, 11; Sen. Ben. 4, 15, 1; id. Cons. Helv. 5, 5; so,

robur habere contra: si contra unamquamlibet partem fortunae satis tibi roboris est,

id. ib. 13, 2;

so of counterchecks: in Creta decem qui cosmoe vocantur, ut contra consulare imperium tribuni plebis, sic illi contra vim regiam constituti,

Cic. Rep. 2, 33, 58.—Of antidotes: cimicum natura contra serpentium morsus valere dicitur, item contra venena omnia, Plin. 29, 4, 17, § 61.—Hence,

Colloq., aliquid contra aurum est, something is worth gold, is superb, both predicatively and attributively (cf.: auro contra, I. A. 2. supra): hujusce pomaria in summa Sacra Via ubi poma veneunt, contra aurum imago, a spectacle for gold, i. e. a magnificent sight, Varr. R. R. 1, 2, 10 MSS. (al. aliter):

numcubi hic vides citrum... num quod emblema aut lithostratum? quae illic omnia contra aurum,

superb, id. ib. 3, 2, 4 MSS. (Schneid. omits aurum, ex conj.):

oneravi vinum, et tunc erat contra aurum,

Petr. 7, 6.—

Transf., of replies, with aiebat, inquit, etc.; both in friendly and inimical sense; esp., contra ea, contra haec, = the adv. contra:

contra ea Titurius sero facturos clamitabat, etc.,

Caes. B. G. 5, 29:

contra ea Verginius unum Ap. Claudium et legum expertem et, etc., aiebat,

Liv. 3, 57, 1; 24, 45, 4:

quae contra breviter fata est vates,

Verg. A. 6, 398:

contra quod disertus Tu impie fecisti inquit, etc.,

Quint. 7, 1, 53 (cf.: contra ea, II. E. 1. infra).

Denoting hostility or disadvantage.

With verbs of hostile action.

Of physical exertion:

pugnavere et tertio consulatu ejus viginti (elephanti) contra pedites quingentos,

Plin. 8, 7, 7, § 22:

proelium Afri contra Aegyptios primi fecere fustibus,

id. 7, 56, 57, § 200; 8, 40, 61, § 142. —

Referring to warfare (usu. adversus), bellum gerere (rarely for cum or adversus; but contra patriam, contra aras, etc., not cum patria, etc.; cf.

bellum, II. A. 1. e.): a quo prohibitos esse vos contra Caesarem gerere bellum (opp. pro),

Cic. Lig. 8, 25; id. Phil. 5, 10, 27; Liv. Ep. 129.—With bellum suscipere:

contra Antonium,

Cic. Phil. 8, 2, 5; so,

contra patriam,

id. Sull. 20, 58:

pugnare contra patriam,

id. ib. 25, 70:

contra conjuges et liberos,

Sen. Ben. 5, 15, 5:

armatum esse contra populum Romanum,

Cic. Prov. Cons. 13, 32.—With arma ferre (freq.), Cic. Phil. 2, 29, 72; 13, 21, 47; Liv. 28, 28, 15; Nep. Att. 4, 2; Tib. 1, 6, 30; Ov. M. 4, 609; 13, 269; id. P. 1, 1, 26.—With arma sumere or capere, Cic. Rab. Perd. 6, 19; id. Phil. 4, 1, 2; 4, 3, 7:

armis contendere contra,

Caes. B. G. 2, 13:

arma alicui dare (trop.),

Cic. Phil. 2, 21, 53:

aciem instruere (trop.),

Liv. 25, 4, 4:

exercitum comparare,

Cic. Phil. 3, 6, 14; 4, 1, 2:

exercitum instruere,

id. Cat. 2, 11, 24:

exercitum ducere and adducere,

id. Phil. 4, 2, 5; 3, 4, 11:

exercitum contra Philippum mittere,

id. Inv. 1, 12, 17:

naves ducere contra,

Hor. Epod. 4, 19:

ducere contra hostes,

Liv. 1, 27, 4:

florem Italiae educere contra,

Cic. Cat. 2, 11, 24:

proficisci contra,

to march against, Liv. 1, 11, 3; 8, 2, 5:

auxilium ferre Rutulis contra Latinos,

Plin. 14, 12, 14, § 88:

juvare aliquem contra,

Caes. B. C. 1, 35:

consilium inire contra Sequanos,

to take hostile measures against, id. B. G. 6, 12.—

Of legal contention (more freq. adversus, except with verbs of saying).

In gen., with agere or causam agere, to act as counsel against a party or his attorney:

cum agerem contra hominem disertissimum nostrae civitatis,

Cic. Caecin. 33, 97; id. Brut. 63, 226; Sen. Ben. 4, 15, 3; Quint. 11, 1, 59.—Causam recipere or suscipere contra, to accept a retainer against:

(causam) quam receperam contra pueros Octavios,

Cic. Att. 13, 49, 1; Quint. 6, 1, 12; Plin. Ep. 4, 17, 1.—Adesse alicui contra, to appear, act as one's counsel against:

rogavit me Caecilius ut adessem contra Satrium,

Cic. Att. 1, 1, 3; Plin. Ep. 1, 7, 5 al.; cf.:

esse contra,

id. ib. 1, 18, 3.— Trop.: conquesturus venit;

at contra se adfuit et satisfacienti satisfecit,

Sen. Fragm. Amic. 14, 1, 89:

causam defendere contra,

against the accuser, Cic. de Or. 1, 39, 178:

statuere contra aliquem (sc. causam),

to establish a case against an adversary, id. Or. 10, 34:

actio competit contra,

Dig. 49, 14, 41:

querelam instituere contra,

ib. 5, 2, 21, § 1:

bonorum possessionem petere contra,

ib. 5, 2, 23:

jus obtinere contra,

Cic. Quint. 9, 34:

pugnare contra,

to struggle against the accuser, id. Sull. 17, 49; id. Verr. 1, 11, 33:

id quod mihi contra illos datum est,

i. e. a local advantage over, id. Tull. 14, 33:

judicare contra aliquem,

id. Fl. 20, 48; Dig. 21, 2, 55; 5, 2, 14; Just. Inst. 4, 17, 2:

pronuntiare contra,

Paul. Sent. 5, 34, 2: dare sententiam contra, Dig. 21, 2, 56, § 1:

decernere contra,

Cic. Fl. 31, 76:

appellare contra aliquem,

Dig. 49, 1, 3; 49, 5, 6; cf.:

contra sententiam,

Cod. Just. 7, 62, 32, § 2.—Sentire contra aliquem, to have an opinion unfavorable to:

cur vos (cum) aliquid contra me sentire dicatis, etc.,

Cic. Caecin. 27, 79.—

Venire contra aliquem, to appear as counsel for one's adversary:

quid tu, Saturi, qui contra hunc venis, existimas aliter?

Cic. Rosc. Com. 6, 18; id. Mur. 4, 9; id. Phil. 8, 6, 18.—Venire contra rem alicujus, to give advice damaging one's interests:

contra rem suam me venisse questus est,

Cic. Phil. 2, 2, 3.—

With dicere and other verbs of saying. (aa) Of a lawyer pleading against a lawyer:

ipse ille Mucius, quid in illa causa cum contra te diceret, attulit quod? etc.,

Cic. de Or. 1, 57, 244:

cum ille contra me pro Sex. Naevio diceret,

id. Brut. 60, 2, 7; id. de Or. 2, 7, 30; id. Rosc. Am. 15, 45; id. Div. in Caecil. 14, 44; id. Planc. 2, 5; id. Brut. 26, 102; so,

causam dicere,

id. Or. 2, 23, 98:

causam perorare,

id. Quint. 24, 77.—(bb) Of a lawyer's pleading against the parties: dic mihi, M. Pinari, num si contra te dixero mihi male dicturus es? Servil. ap. Cic. de Or. 2, 65, 261; 3, 34, 138; 1, 14, 60; id. Or. 35, 123; Quint. 11, 1, 57; cf. with ellipsis of acc.:

quorum alter pro Aufldia, contra dixit alter,

id. 10, 1, 22.—(ng) Of a party against a lawyer:

si Gaditani contra me dicerent,

if the Gaditani were my adversaries, Cic. Balb. 17, 38.—(dd) Of witnesses and experts, and the pleadings against them:

si decressent legationem quae contra istum diceret,

Cic. Verr. 2, 2, 4, § 12: contra testes dicere (opp. a testibus or pro testibus). Auct. Her. 2, 6, 9; Cic. de Or. 2, 27, 118 (cf.:

testimonium in aliquem dicere,

id. Sull. 17, 48; Quint. 7, 4, 36):

contra juris consultos dicere,

against their legal opinions, Cic. Caecin. 24, 69.—So of witnesses in scientific questions:

contra testes dicendum est,

Sen. Q. N. 7, 16, 1.—(ee) Dicere or contendere aliquid contra aliquem, to maintain a point against:

cum interrogamus adversarios... quid contra nos dici possit,

Auct. Her. 4, 23, 33:

tamenne vereris ut possis hoc contra Hortensium contendere?

Cic. Quint. 25, 78. —

Of literary adversaries, mostly with verbs of saying and writing:

cum scriberem contra Epicurios,

Cic. Att. 13, 38, 1:

contra Epicurum satis superque dictum est,

id. N. D. 2, 1, 2:

contra Brutum,

id. Tusc. 5, 8, 21:

contra Academiam,

id. Ac. 2, 19, 63; id. Fin. 1, 1, 2; 5, 8, 22; id. Tusc. 5, 11, 32; 5, 30, 84; id. Ac. 2, 4, 17:

contra autem omnia disputatur a nostris,

id. Off. 2, 2, 8.—

Of public and political adversaries (syn. adversus and in).

In gen.:

sentire contra,

Cic. Mil. 2, 5:

pugnare contra bonos,

id. Sull. 25, 71:

contra eos summa ope nitebatur nobilitas,

Sall. C. 38, 2; Cic. Sest. 19, 42; 52, 112:

(tribuni) qui aut contra consulem, aut pro studio ejus pugnabant,

Liv. 39, 32, 12.—

Of political speaking:

cum (Cato) eo ipso anno contra Serv. Galbam ad populum summa contentione dixisset,

Cic. Brut. 20, 80; so id. Imp. Pomp. 17, 53; Cael. ap. Cic. Fam. 8, 9, 1.—

Of hostile or criminal acts in gen. (syn.:

adversus, in): inire consilia contra,

Cic. Rosc. Am. 38, 110; id. Cat. 1, 7, 18:

manum comparare contra aliquem,

id. Sull. 24, 68:

conjurationem facere,

id. ib. 4, 12:

congredi,

id. Lig. 3, 9; Sall. J. 64, 4:

aliquid contra imperatorem moliri,

Just. Inst. 4, 18, 3:

nec dolor armasset contra sua viscera matrem,

against her own offspring Ov. R. Am. 59.—Facere contra (more freq. with abstr. objects; cf. II. C. 1. f. b infra): nunc te contra Caesarem facere summae stultitiae est, to take parts against, Cael. ap. Cic. Fam. 8, 16, 2:

eae (res) contra nos ambae faciunt,

operate against us, id. Quint. 1, 1.—With verbs of saying, etc.:

homo disertus non intellegit, eum quem contra dicit laudari a se?

Cic. Phil. 2, 8, 18; 2, 1, 2; 2, 21, 51; Sen. Ep. 15, 3, 70:

epigramma quod contra quamdam Gelliam scripsit,

Lampr. Alex. Sev. 38:

disputare contra deos, in two signif.: contra deum licet disputare liberius,

to accuse, reproach a god, Cic. N. D. 3, 31, 76; but: mala et impia consuetudo est contra deos disputandi, to reason against the gods, i. e. against their existence, id. ib. 2, 67, 168.—

Predicatively, with esse (videri, etc.), against, injurious to, unfavorable, prejudicial, to one's disadvantage: ut [p. 456] ex senatusconsulto neque cujus intersit, neque contra quem sit intellegi possit, Cic. Mur. 32, 68; id. de Or. 3, 20, 75; 2, 74, 299; 2, 81, 330; id. Sull. 13, 39; Sen. Ben. 6, 31, 6:

licentiam malis dare certe contra bonos est,

injurious to, Quint. 4, 2, 75:

res contra nos est, of unfavorable chances in a lawsuit,

id. 4, 66, 1; 4, 2, 75; 5, 13, 32.—Often, contra aliquem = quod est contra aliquem, referring to indef. pronouns or adjectives:

nihil contra me fecit odio mei = nihil quod esset contra me,

Cic. Har. Resp. 3, 5; id. Off. 3, 31, 112:

quibus (temporibus) aliquid contra Caesarem Pompeio suaserim,

id. Phil. 2, 10, 24.—

Added adverb. to the predicate, mostly referring to purpose, with hostile intent, for the purpose of some hostile act, in order to oppose, in opposition:

Caesarine eam (provinciam) tradituri fuistis, an contra Caesarem retenturi?

or keep it against Caesar, Cic. Lig. 7, 23:

sero enim resistimus ei quem per annos decem aluimus contra nos,

id. Att. 7, 5, 5:

judicium illud pecunia esse temptatum non pro Cluentio, sed contra Cluentium,

id. Clu. 4, 9; id. Imp. Pomp. 17, 52; id. Ac. 2, 28, 92:

cum quae facitis ejusmodi sint ut ea contra vosmet ipsos facere videamini,

id. Rosc. Am. 36, 104; Sen. Ep. 3, 7, 3: Curio se contra eum totum parat, i. e. to speak against him, Cael. ap. Cic. Fam. 8, 8, 10; Caes. B. C. 1, 85 ter; Sen. Q. N. 1, 7, 1; Plin. 16, 39, 74, § 192; Plin. Pan. 41.—So with the force of a temporal clause:

fidem meam quam essent contra Massam Baebium experti,

in the suit against, Plin. Ep. 3, 4, 4.—

Dependent on adjectives (rare):

contra se ipse misericors,

to his own injury, Phaedr. 4, 18, 3:

severissimus judex contra fures,

Lampr. Alex. Sev. 28.—

With nouns.

Acc. to 1. b.:

ut quam maximae contra Hannibalem copiae sint,

Cic. Inv. 1, 12, 17; cf. Vell. 2, 76, 3.—

Acc. to 1. c. and 1. e.; so esp., oratio contra (cf.: oratio in).

Oratio contra (never in), of an address against the counsel of a party or against the prosecutor:

quid in omni oratione Crassus vel apud centumviros contra Scaevolam, vel contra accusatorem Brutum, cum pro Cn. Plancio diceret?

Cic. de Or. 2, 54, 220; cf.:

Cato pro se contra Cassium = in oratione contra,

Gell. 10, 15, 3; so,

haec perpetua defensio contra Scaevolam,

Cic. de Or. 2, 54, 221:

orationem illam egregiam quam (Aeschines) in Ctesiphontem contra Demosthenem dixerat,

id. ib. 3, 56, 213.—

Of an address against the party, either in judicial or political affairs:

unam orationem contra Gracchum reliquit,

Cic. Brut. 26, 99:

(Demosthenis) oratio contra Leptinem... contra Aeschinem falsae legationis,

id. Or. 31, 111; Gell. 10, 24, 10; 10, 18, 91; Cic. Brut. 46, 169; Quint. 12, 10, 61; Cic. de Or. 2, 11, 45; id. Brut. 44, 164; Gell. 13, 25 (24), 15; cf. Quint. 4, 3, 13; 11, 2, 25.—

Acc. to 1. f.:

contra patres concitatio et seditio,

Cic. Brut. 14, 56.—Of animals:

contra volpium genus communibus inimicitiis,

Plin. 10, 76, 96, § 207.

With inanimate and abstract objects.

Directly dependent on verbs (cf. B. 1.).

Of physical or moral exertion:

cum fulmina contra Tot paribus streperet clipeis,

Verg. A. 10, 567:

pugnandum tamquam contra morbum, sic contra senectutem,

Cic. Sen. 11, 35:

contra verum niti,

Sall. J. 35, 8:

contra fortunam luctari,

Sen. Ben. 7, 15, 2; id. Brev. Vit. 10, 1; id. Ep. 78, 15; 99, 32; cf. Cic. Off. 1, 31, 110.—

Of warfare (lit. and trop.):

bellum contra aras, focos, vitam fortunasque gerere,

Cic. Phil. 3, 1, 1:

bellum gerimus... contra arma verbis,

id. Fam. 12, 22, 1.—So of logical contradictions:

artificis autem est invenire in actione adversarii quae semet ipsa pugnent,

Quint. 5, 13, 30.—

Of legal contention.

Of the actions of the counsel or prosecutor: dicere, or perorare, agere contra aliquid, to plead against, contest something:

contra argumenta, rumores, tabulas, quaestiones (opp. ab argumentis, etc.),

Auct. Her. 2, 6, 9 sqq.; Cic. de Or. 2, 27, 118:

contra ratiocinationem,

id. Inv. 2, 50, 153: contra scriptum dicere, to contest, controvert a written law or a document, id. ib. 2, 47, 138; 2, 48, 143; id. Brut. 39, 145; Quint. 7, 7, 1:

contra caput dicere,

to plead against life, Cic. Quint. 13, 44 (cf.:

servum in caput domini interrogare,

Paul. Sent. 1, 1, 34; 5, 16, 5 and 8; 5, 46, 3): contra libertatem agere, Dig. 40, 12, 26.—Pregn.:

contra rerum naturam, contraque consuetudinem hominum dicere (opp. contra nos dicere),

Cic. Rosc. Am. 15, 45.—

Of judicial decisions contradicting documents, etc.:

contra tabulas judicare,

Cic. de Or. 2, 70, 281:

contra testamentum,

Dig. 2, 17, § 1:

contra sententiam dicere,

ib. 49, 8, 1, § 2.—

Admittere aliquem contra bona, to admit a petition for bonorum possessio (cf.:

inmittere in bona),

Dig. 38, 2, 3, § 6.—

Of antagonism in literary and ethical questions.

To contend that something is false:

dicere, disputare, disserere contra opinionem or sententiam,

Cic. Tusc. 1, 4, 8; 5, 19, 55; id. de Or. 3, 18, 67; id. Fin. 5, 4, 10; id. Ac. 2, 18, 60; Sen. Ira, 1, 3, 3; id. Ep. 87, 5; 102, 5 (cf.:

in sententiam dicere,

in support of an opinion, Caes. B. G. 1, 45):

contra sensus dicere,

Cic. Ac. 2, 31, 101:

contra rhetoricen dicere,

Quint. 2, 17, 40.—

Of criticism, hostility to principles, etc.:

contra Iliadem et Odysseam scribere,

Vitr. 7, praef. 8:

contra quorum disciplinam ingenium ejus exarserat,

Cic. Tusc. 5, 29, 83.—

Ethically:

contra voluptatem dicere,

that pleasure is a moral evil, Cic. Fin. 5, 8, 21:

contra mortem loqui,

that death is no evil, Sen. Ep. 82, 7;

in both senses: contra vitia, pericula, fortunam, ambitionem,

id. ib. 100, 10:

contra fortunam gloriari,

that fortune has no power over him, Cic. Tusc. 5, 9, 26; Sen. Ep. 26, 5.—

Of public and political acts and speeches:

contra potentiam accusatorum dicere,

Cic. Brut. 44, 164:

contra legem dicere or verba facere,

id. Imp. Pomp. 15, 53; Liv. 34, 8, 1:

rogationem ferre contra coloniam ( = contra legem de colonia deducenda),

Cic. Clu. 51, 140; Auct. Her. 1, 17, 21; Plin. 8, 17, 24, § 64.—

Of hostility, injury, wrongs, etc.

In gen.:

senatusconsulto quod contra dignitatem tuam fieret,

directed against, Cic. Fam. 12, 29, 2:

contra rem publicam se commovere,

id. Cat. 1, 26; 1, 3, 7:

incitari,

id. Sest. 47, 100:

consilia inire,

id. Agr. 2, 3, 8:

conjurationem facere,

Sall. C. 30, 6:

contra salutem urbis incitari,

Cic. Cat. 3, 8, 20:

cogitare aliquid contra salutem,

id. ib. 3, 9, 21: contra voluntatem or studium dicere, to oppose one's will in a speech:

esse aliquem in civitate qui contra ejus (Chrysogoni) voluntatem dicere auderet,

id. Rosc. Am. 22, 60; id. Phil. 1, 11, 28; id. de Or. 3, 34, 138; id. Mur. 4, 10; Tac. H. 2, 91:

ne quid contra aequitatem contendas, ne quid pro injuria,

do not array yourself against equity, Cic. Off. 2, 20, 71.— Trop.:

quis non contra Marii arma, contra Suliae proscriptionem irascitur? ( = Mario propter arma, Sullae propter proscriptionem),

Sen. Ira, 2, 2, 3.—

In partic.: facere contra aliquid (syn. adversus), to commit an offence against, to transgress, etc.:

si quis ad Antonium profectus esset... senatus existimaturum eum contra rem publicam fecisse,

Cic. Phil. 8, 11, 33; id. Mil. 5, 13; 6, 14; id. Off. 3, 10, 43; 3, 25, 95; S. C. ap. Cael. ap. Cic. Fam. 8, 8, 6; Liv. 25, 4, 7; so,

contra salutem rei publicae facere,

Cic. Dom. 38, 102:

contra majestatem,

against the emperor, Dig. 48, 4, 5:

contra leges,

Cic. Dom. 18, 48; id. Vatin. 7, 18; id. Fin. 2, 17, 55; id. Mur. 32, 67; id. de Or. 3, 19, 70; cf. id. Clu. 34, 92; id. Mur. 32, 68; id. Dom. 14, 38; id. Phil. 10, 6, 13; Gai Inst. 4, 121:

contra edictum (praetoris),

Cic. Verr 2, 3, 10, § 25; Dig. 39, 1, 20, § 1:

contra foedus,

Cic. Balb. 6, 16:

contra jusjurandum ac fidem,

id. Off. 3, 10, 43; id. Lael. 3, 30, 74; id. Verr. 2, 3, 3, § 7; Prop. 3, 30, 44 (2, 32, 44).—And ironically:

tune contra Caesaris nutum (sc. facies)?

Cic. Att. 14, 10, 1.—Rarely contra ea facere = contra facere, adverb. (cf. I. B. 8. and II. E. 1. b.):

corpus in civitatem inferri non licet... et qui contra ea fecerit, extra ordinem punitur,

Paul. Sent. 1, 21, 2; 1, 21, 12.—

Predicatively with esse (usu. impers.), in violation of, in conflict with, contrary to (cf. 3. g).

With esse expressed as the predicate:

hominem hominis incommodo suum augere commodum magis est contra naturam quam mors,

Cic. Off. 3, 5, 21; id. Fin. 3, 9, 31; id. N. D. 3, 13, 33; Sen. Ep. 5, 4; Plin. 7, 8, 6, § 45:

contra leges or legem est,

Cic. Pis. 13, 30; id. Mur. 32, 67:

contra officium est,

id. Off. 3, 10, 43; 1, 10, 32; 1, 6, 19; cf. id. Lael. 11, 39; id. Off. 3, 15, 63; Liv. 6, 40, 5; Sen. Q. N. 2, 37, 2; Gai Inst. 3, 157; Dig. 30, 1, 112, § 3; 16, 3, 1, § 7.—With ellipsis of object (naturam), Cic. Fin. 5, 29, 89; cf.:

adeo res ista non habet ullam moram quae contra causas ignium sit,

unfavorable to the formation of fire, Sen. Q. N. 2, 26, 7.—

With verbal predicate, referring to an indef. pron. or adj., with esse understood:

scis hunc... nihil umquam contra rem tuam cogitasse ( = nihil quod contra rem tuam esset),

Cic. Rosc. Am. 50, 147; id. Mil. 5, 13:

aliquid contra animum audiendi,

something against our liking, Sen. Const. 19, 2.—So mostly with facere:

si quid Socrates aut Aristippus contra morem consuetudinemque fecerint,

Cic. Off. 1, 41, 148; id. Att. 3, 23, 2; 2, 22, 2; id. Off. 3, 15, 63; Sall. C. 15, 1; Dig. 8, 2, 11; 8, 2, 17; 35, 1, 79, § 2. —

Contra officium, substantively, = id quod contra officium est:

Sic inter recte factum atque peccatum, officium et contra officium, media locabat quaedam,

Cic. Ac. 1, 10, 37.—

Adverbially with the predicate.

In order to oppose, in opposition to, with hostile intent (cf. B. 3.):

eidem illam proscriptionem capitis mei contra salutem rei publicae rogatam esse dicebant,

that the proposal of the law was an attack on the republic, Cic. Prov. Cons. 19, 45; id. Rab. Perd. 12, 35; id. Phil. 10, 10, 22:

imperator contra postulata Bocchi nuntios mittit,

to reply to the demands, Sall. J. 83, 3; 25, 6; so,

advocare contra,

Sen. Cons. Polyb. 12, 4; id. Ep. 15, 2, 52:

si contra mortem te praeparaveris,

to meet death, id. ib. 11, 3, 8.—

With the force of a clause of manner, injuriously to, etc.:

quibus contra valetudinis commodum laborandum est,

Cic. Mur. 23, 47; Suet. Aug. 78:

contra hominis salutem,

with danger to a man's life, Cod. Just. 7, 62, 29.—

In gen., of conflict with some rule or principle, contrary to, in violation of, without regard to ( = ita ut contra sit; cf. 2. supra; very freq. from the class. period;

syn. adversus): ceperitne pecunias contra leges P. Decius,

Cic. de Or. 2, 31, 136; id. Verr. 2, 1, 4, § 10; id. Fl. 34, 86:

pecuniam contra leges auferre,

id. Verr. 1, 18, 56; 2, 1, 10, § 27; 2, 5, 18, § 46; id. Har. Resp. 26, 56:

contra legem,

id. Rab. Perd. 3, 8; id. Dom. 16, 41:

contra jus fasque,

id. Har. Resp. 16, 34; id. Quint. 6, 28:

contra jus,

Liv. 5, 4, 14; id. Dom. 13, 55; id. Verr. 2, 5, 13, § 34:

contra jus gentium,

Liv. 4, 32, 5; 9, 10, 10; 21, 25, 7; 5, 36, 6;

6, 1, 6: contra juris rigorem,

Dig. 40, 5, 24, § 10 et saep.:

contra testimonium aliquid judicare,

without regard to, Cic. Brut. 31, 117:

aliquid contra verecundiam disputare,

contrary to the rules of decency, id. Off. 1, 35, 128:

aliquid contra fidem constituere,

Quint. 5, 13, 34:

quae majores nostri contra lubidinem animi sui recte atque ordine fecere,

contrary to the dictates of passion, Sall. C. 51, 4; id. J. 33, 1; cf. of logical opposition, II. E. 2. infra.—

Dependent on substt.

Of physical strife:

scit ille imparem sibi luctatum contra nexus (draconis),

Plin. 8, 12, 12, § 33. —

Of warfare:

imperatorum copia contra tuum furorem,

Cic. Mur. 39, 83:

Parthorum gloria contra nomen Romanum,

Liv. 9, 18, 6: in castris perditorum contra patriam, Planc. ap. Cic. Fam. 10, 23, 6.—

Of legal contention:

causa contra scriptum,

Cic. Inv. 2, 46, 135.—

Of political speaking:

divina M. Tullii eloquentia contra leges agrarias,

Quint. 2, 16, 7; 9, 3, 50; Gell. 18, 7, 7.—

Of literary opposition:

Caesaris vituperatio contra laudationem meam,

Cic. Att. 12, 40, 1.—

Of hostility, etc.:

cujus factum, inceptum, conatumve contra patriam,

Cic. Cat. 2, 12, 27:

ullum factum dictumve nostrum contra utilitatem vestram,

Liv. 6, 40, 5.—

Of injury:

vitae cupiditas contra rem publicam,

Cic. Planc. 37, 90: contra serpentes venenum, fatal to serpents, or as a defence against serpents, Plin. 7, 2, 2, § 15.—

Of violation, disregard, etc. (cf. 3. g):

iter contra senatus auctoritatem,

Cic. Phil. 2, 19, 48:

contra consuetudinem somnium,

Plin. 10, 77, 98, § 211:

bonorum possessio contra tabulas,

Dig. 37, 4, 3, § 13; Gai Inst. 3, 41.—

Dependent on adjectives (very rare; cf.

II. D. 2. c. infra): contraque patris impii regnum impotens, avum resolvam,

Sen. Herc. Fur. 966.

Of defence, protection, and resistance (syn.: adversus, ab).

Against persons.

Dependent on verbs:

cum populus Romanus suam auctoritatem vel contra omnes qui dissentiunt possit defendere,

Cic. Imp. Pomp. 22, 63: si ego consul rem publicam [p. 457] contra te et gregales tuos defendissem, id. Sest. 52, 111; 22, 49; 8, 20; id. Fam. 11, 27, 7; id. Phil. 2, 18, 45:

contra quem multum omnes boni providerunt,

provided a great defence, id. Mur. 38, 81: formula qua utitur patronus contra libertum qui eum in jus vocat, as a defence against, Gai Inst. 4, 46. —And of protection of plants against injurious animals:

contra haec animalia proderit, si, etc.,

Pall. 10, 3, 2.—

Dependent on adjectives, mostly participial:

paratus contra,

Cic. Mil. 21, 56:

nihil satis firmum contra Metellum,

Sall. J. 80, 1:

contra potentes nemo est munitus satis,

Phaedr. 2, 6, 1.—

Against inanimate and abstract things.

Dependent on verbs:

contra avium morsus munitur vallo aristarum,

Cic. Sen. 15, 51:

propugnaculum, quo contra omnes meos impetus usurum se putat,

id. Verr. 2, 3, 16, § 40; 2, 5, 39, § 102:

publicam causam contra vim armatam suscipere,

id. Dom. 34, 91; id. Quint. 30, 94; id. Leg. 3, 3, 9:

contra tantas difficultates providere,

Sall. J. 90, 1; 76, 4; so,

contra ea,

id. ib. 57, 5:

patricii vi contra vim resistunt,

Liv. 3, 13, 4; Plin. 14, 2, 4, § 28; Tac. Agr. 45; Sen. Prov. 4, 12; id. Const. 5, 4.—

Dependent on substt.:

suffragia contra oppugnationem vestrae majestatis,

Cic. Rab. Perd. 12, 35:

defensio contra vim,

id. Mil. 5, 14:

patronus justitiae fuit contra orationem Phili,

id. Lael. 7, 25; Plin. 29, 2, 9, § 30; 14, 3, 4, § 40:

contra labores patientia,

id. 23, 1, 22, § 37.—

Dependent on adjectives (in Cic. freq. with P. a. predicatively used; otherwise very rare;

in later prose freq.): nec est quidquam Cilicia contra Syriam munitius,

against an attack from the side of Syria, Cic. Fam. 14, 4, 4:

ut nullius res tuta, nullius domus clausa, nullius vita saepta, nullius pudicitia munita contra tuam cupiditatem posset esse,

id. Verr. 2, 5, 15, § 39; id. Fin. 1, 16, 51; id. Mil. 25, 67; id. Tusc. 5, 8, 19; 5, 27, 76:

vir contra audaciam firmissimus,

id. Rosc. Am. 30, 85; Sall. J. 33, 2; 28, 5:

fortis contra dolorem,

Sen. Ep. 98, 18; Quint. 12, 1, 10:

callosus,

Plin. 11, 37, 54, § 147; 14, 2, 4, § 23:

far contra hiemes firmissimum,

id. 18, 8, 19, § 83:

equus tenax contra vincula,

Ov. Am. 3, 4, 13:

contraque minantia fata pervigil,

Claud. I. Cons. Stil. 1, 284.—

Of remedies against sickness and its causes, poison, etc.; so only in Plin.; in Pall. only of preventives and of protection against hurtful animals, and against mental perturbations in gen.; cf. infra (syn. ad in Cat., Cic., Cels., Col.; adversus only in Celsus, who also has in with abl.).

Dependent on verbs:

cujus et vinum et uva contra serpentium ictus medetur,

Plin. 14, 18, 22, § 117; 7, 2, 2, § 13:

prodest et contra suspiria et tussim,

id. 20, 13, 50, § 128:

valet potum contra venena,

id. 28, 7, 21, § 74; 29, 4, 22, § 71; 29, 4, 26, § 81; 28, 8, 27, § 98; 16, 37, 71, § 180; 35, 6, 14, § 34; 28, 6, 18, §§ 65-67.—

Dependent on substt.:

remedium contra morsus,

Plin. 8, 32, 50, § 118; 10, 59, 79, § 163:

contra venena esse omnia remedio,

id. 16, 44, 95, § 251; 17, 24, 37, § 240; 7, 1, 1, § 4.—

Dependent on adjectives:

vinum quod salutare contra pestilentiam sit,

Pall. 11, 14, 17.—

Appositively, as a remedy:

cujus lacteum succum miris laudibus celebrat... contra serpentes et venena,

Plin. 5, 1, 1, § 16; 29, 4, 26, § 83. —So of remedies against affections:

Tiberium tonante caelo coronari ea (lauro) solitum ferunt contra fulminum metus,

Plin. 15, 30, 40, § 135; cf. Sen. Ira, 2, 21, 1; id. Tranq. 5. 1.

Of logical opposition.

With a neuter demonstrative (contra ea, contra haec, contra quae, quod contra = contra, adv.).

The contrary, the reverse (very rare; cf.

I. D. 1.): sed mihi contra ea videtur,

but to me the contrary seems true, Sall. J. 85, 1:

omnia quae contra haec sunt, omnia quae contra sunt,

and vice versa, Quint. 5, 10, 90. —

Contra ea, on the contrary, in logical antithesis (not in Cic. and Sall.; once in Caes. and Quint.; several times in Liv. and Nep.; cf.: contra ea, in other uses, II. A. 2. e. a, II. D. 2. a., II. A. 3. d., II. C. 1. f.):

omnes arderent cupiditate pugnandi... contra ea Caesar... spatiumque interponendum... putabat ( = at contra),

but Caesar on the contrary, Caes. B. C. 3, 74: superbe ab Samnitibus... legati prohibiti commercio sunt;

contra ea benigne ab Siculorum tyrannis adjuti,

Liv. 4, 52, 6; 2, 60, 1; 21, 20, 6;

44, 43, 5: pater... Thracem me genuit, contra ea mater Atheniensem,

Nep. Iphicr. 3, 4; id. praef. 6; id. Alcib. 8, 1.—And after a question, with immo (cf. I. E. 5. b.):

an infirmissimi omnium... (sumus)? Immo contra ea vel viribus nostris, vel, etc., tuti (sumus),

Liv. 41, 24, 8.—

Quod contra, by anastrophe (v. F. 1.), contrary to which, whereas, while on the contrary (only once in Lucr. and three times in Cic.):

illud in his rebus vereor ne forte rearis, Inpia te rationis inire elementa viamque indugredi sceleris: quod contra saepius illa Religio peperit scelerosa atque impia facta,

whereas on the contrary, Lucr. 1, 81:

cujus a me corpus crematum est, quod contra decuit ab illo meum (sc. cremari),

Cic. Sen. 23, 84:

quod contra oportebat delicto dolere, correctione gaudere,

id. Lael. 24, 90 (B. and K. place a comma after oportebat; cf.

Nauck ad loc.): reliquum est ut eum nemo judicio defenderit: quod contra copiosissime defensum esse contendi,

id. Quint. 28, 87 (many consider contra in all these passages as an adverb; cf. Hand, Turs. II. p. 121 sq.; some explain quod as an ancient ablative, = qua re;

v. Ritschl,

Plaut. Exc. p. 57, Munro ad Lucr. 1, 82).—

With an abstract noun, with the force of the adverb contra with ac or atque (I. F. 1.), contrary to, contrary to what, etc. (esp. in Sall., not in Cic.; cf. praeter): celeriter contraque omnium opinionem confecto itinere, contrary to the opinion ( = contra ac rati erant), Caes. B. G. 6, 30:

contra opinionem Jugurthae ad Thalam perveniunt,

Sall. J. 75, 9; Hirt. B. G. 8, 40.—Contra spem either contrary to the opinion, or against the hope:

Metellus contra spem suam laetissume excipitur ( = contra ac ratus, veritus est),

Sall. J. 88, 1; so,

cetera contra spem salva invenit,

Liv. 9, 23, 17:

contra spem omnium L. Furium optavit,

id. 6, 25, 5; Curt. 8, 4, 45;

but: at Jugurtha contra spem nuntio accepto ( = contra ac speraverat),

Sall. J. 28, 1; Liv. 24, 45, 3:

postquam... Jugurtha contra timorem animi praemia sceleris adeptum sese videt,

Sall. J. 20, 1:

ipse in Numidiam procedit, ubi contra belli faciem tuguria plena hominumque... erant ( = contra ac in bello evenire solet),

id. ib. 46, 5:

contra famam,

Plin. 13, 22, 43, § 126; 7, 53, 54, § 180:

segniterque et contra industriam absconditae formicae,

slowly, and in a manner different from their usual activity, id. 18, 35, 88, § 364.—Of persons:

frigidam potionem esse debere, contra priores auctores, Asclepiades confirmavit,

contrary to the opinion of the former physicians, Cels. 4, 26 (19).

Sometimes by anastrophe after its noun.

In prose, after relatives, esp. in Cic.:

quos contra disputant,

Cic. Ac. 2, 15, 47:

quem contra dicit,

id. Phil. 2, 8, 18 (v. II. B. 1. f.):

quem contra veneris,

id. Mur. 4, 9:

quas contra, praeter te, etc.,

id. Vatin. 7, 18:

eos ipsos quos contra statuas,

id. Or. 10, 34:

quos contra me senatus armavit,

id. Att. 10, 8, 8:

quam contra multa locutus est,

Sen. Ep. 82, 7, Plin. Ep. 1, 23, 3; Claud. in Rufin. 1, 332; v. also E. 1. c. supra.—

After other words ( poet. and in post-Aug. prose):

hunc igitur contra mittam contendere causam,

Lucr. 4, 471:

dicere eos contra,

id. 4, 484:

donique eum contra,

id. 5, 708:

agmina contra,

Verg. A. 12, 279:

magnum Alciden contra,

id. ib. 5, 414:

Paridem contra,

id. ib. 5, 370:

Italiam contra,

id. ib. 1, 13:

deos contra,

Ov. P. 1, 1, 26:

Messania moenia contra,

id. M. 14, 17:

litora Calabriae contra,

Tac. A. 3, 1.

contrā, adv. and prep. [stem con, i. e. cum, through a comparative form conter; cf.: alter, uter, inter, praeter, etc.; in abl. fem. form like the locative adverbs ea, qua, etc.; cf.: ultra, intra, extra, citra], orig., in comparison with; hence, over against, fronting, in front, opposite, in opposition to, against, contrary to, opposed to, etc.

Adv. (referring to an opposed object often with the force of a preposition with ellipsis of a pronoun, = against it, against him, etc.).

Local.

Lit., of position in front of a person, place, or thing.

With verb of being or position expressed or understood.

Referring to living beings, opposite, in face of, face to face, facing, in front of, fronting, confronting (not in Cic., Caes., or Sall.):

feminam scelestam te, adstans contra, contuor,

Plaut. Pers. 2, 2, 26:

ut confidenter mihi contra adstitit,

id. Capt. 3, 5, 6; Lucr. 4, 223; 6, 929:

signum contra, quoad longissume oculi ferebant, animo finivit,

Liv. 1, 18, 8:

stat contra starique jubet,

Juv. 3, 290:

stat contra dicitque tibi tua pagina Fures!

Mart. 1, 55, 12:

ulmus erat contra,

in front of her, Ov. M. 14, 661:

templa vides contra,

in front (of us), id. ib. 7, 587.—Of position in front of the enemy:

contra conserta manu,

Plaut. Mil. 1, 1, 3: contra consistere, to make front against them, Caes. B. G. 2, 17.—

Referring to things and places, over against (it), opposite (to it), on the opposite side (mostly post-Aug.):

contra jacet Cancer patulam distentus in alvum,

Manil. 2, 253:

posita contra Hispania,

Tac. Agr. 11:

promuntorium quod contra procedit,

Plin. 4, 2, 3, § 6: relinquendae autem contra erunt vacuae tabellae, on the opposite side, i. e. of the leaf, Quint. 10, 3, 32: illo quaerente cur non decidant contra siti, the antipodes (cf. Cic. Ac. 2, 39, 123; v. II. A. 1. c. a), Plin. 2, 65, 65, § 161.—With the governing verb understood:

arguam hanc vidisse apud te contra conservum meum,

face to face, Plaut. Mil. 2, 2, 91:

jam omnia contra circaque hostium plena erant, Liv 5, 37, 8: eadem verba contra (i. e. ponuntur),

side by side, Quint. 9, 3, 36; Verg. A. 6, 23.—

With verbs of motion, so as to be opposite to an object or face to face with a person, variously rendered.

Referring to persons:

accede ad me atque adi contra,

come right up to me, Plaut. Rud. 1, 4, 23; id. Bacch. 3, 6, 6: hostes crebri cadunt; nostri contra ingruunt, advance to their front (in Plaut. hostility is not implied in contra), id. Am. 1, 1, 84: quis nos pater aut cognatu' volet contra tueri, face to face, eye to eye, Enn. ap. Varr. L. L. 7, § 12 Mull. (Trag. Rel. v. 444 Rib.); Att. ap. Macr. S. 6, 1, 55 (Trag. Rel. v. 538 ib.):

adspicedum contra me = contra adspice me,

Plaut. Most. 5, 1, 56 Lorenz ad lec.:

contra adspicere,

id. Mil. 2, 1, 45:

contra intueri,

Liv. 1, 16, 6; 9, 6, 8; Sen. Q. N. 1, 3, 6:

cum veniret contra Marcianus,

Quint. 6, 3, 95; Plin. 9, 46, 70, § 152.—

Of things:

hic ubi sol radiis... Adversa fulsit nimborum aspergine contra,

Lucr. 6, 525; Cels. 8, 8, 1:

quam (turrim) promoti contra validi asseres... perfregere,

Tac. H. 4, 30.—Reciprocally: oscula non pervenientia contra, not coming through (the wall) so as to meet, Ov. M. 4, 80.—

Transf. to equivalents of weight, value, and price; so,

In Plaut. only in the colloq. phrases auro contra, aurichalco contra, and contra auro (sc. posito); lit., for gold placed against; cf.:

aes contrarium, s. v. contrarius: (servus) non carus'st auro contra,

at his weight in gold, Plaut. Ep. 3, 3, 30: jam auro contra constat filius, id. Truc. 2, 6, 57 (Speng. aurichalco): auro contra cedo modestum amatorem! A me aurum accipe. Pa. Cedo mihi contra aurichalco quoi ego sano serviam, id. Curc. 1, 3, 45 sq.; id. Mil. 3, 1, 63; 4, 2, 85; id. Ps. 2, 3, 23.—

In post-Aug. prose (very rare):

at si aquae et ejus rei quam contra pensabis par pondus erit, nec pessum ibit, nec exstabit, etc.,

Sen. Q. N. 3, 25, 5.—

Of reciprocal actions, = vicissim, in turn, in return, back, on my, his, etc., part, likewise, counter-.

In gen.:

te ut deludam contra, lusorem meum,

Plaut. Am. 2, 2, 71:

quae me amat, quam ego contra amo,

id. Merc. 5. 2, 77; id. Cist. 1, 1, 96; id. Trin. 4, 2, 55; id. As. 2, 2, 110:

qui arguat se, eum contra vincat jurejurando suo,

make a victorious counter-charge, id. Mil. 2, 2, 37:

si laudabit haec Illius formam, tu hujus contra (i. e. lauda),

Ter. Eun. 3, 1, 54:

audi nunc contra jam,

listen in turn, id. Phorm. 4, 4, 18; id. Ad. 5, 4, 23:

at tu mihi contra nunc videre fortunatus, Phaedria, Cui, etc.,

you likewise seem fortunate to me, id. Phorm. 1, 3, 21:

Mettius Tullo gratulatur, contra Tullus Mettium benigne alloquitur,

Liv. 1, 28, 1:

contra ut me diligat illa,

Cat. 76. 23; Hor. S. 1, 3, 27 Orell. ad loc.—Hence, with ellipsis of inquit, = respondit:

cui latrans contra senex,

Phaedr. 5, 10, 7:

scietis, inquam, etc., contra Nigrinus: ad quem missi sunt? ego, etc.,

Plin. Ep. 7, 6, 4.—

Rarely with inquit, etc., expressed: at ille contra, renidens, Audi, inquit, discipule, etc.,

Gell. 15, 9, 9; cf.:

contra talia reddit,

Claud. B. Gild. 379.—

With dat. pers.:

consulo quem dolum doloso contra conservo parem,

Plaut. Mil. 2, 2, 45:

facere contra huic aegre,

Ter. Eun. 4, 1, 10:

hiscine contra insidiabere?

id. Hec. 1. 1, 13:

tibi contra gratiam Referre,

id. ib. 4, 2, 7.—

With item:

item a me contra factum est,

Plaut. Aul. prol. 20:

puellam senex Amat et item contra filius,

id. Cas. prol. 49; id. Pers. 5, 2, 36; id. Am. 1, 1, 67; Ter. Ad. 1, 1, 25.—

Combining a reciprocal with a local relation (A. 1. a. a, and b. a): contra carinantes verba, exchanging abusive words ( face to face), Enn. ap. Serv. ad Verg. A. 8, 361 (Ann. v. 181 Vahl.): tubae utrimque contra canunt;

Consonat terra,

Plaut. Am. 1, 1, 73; 1, 1, 86:

confer gradum Contra pariter,

id. Ps. 2, 4, 18; id. Truc. 1, 2, 28:

video amicam... Ubi contra adspexit me, etc.,

id. Mil. 2, 1, 45; Verg. E. 7, 8; cf. Lucr. 4, 243:

vesper adest, juvenes consurgite!... Cernitis, innuptae, juvenes? consurgite contra!

Cat. 62, 6.—

Implying also opposition: Pe. Conpellabo. Ph. Orationis aciem contra conferam, Plaut. Ep. 4, 1, 20:

si scias quod donum huic dono contra comparet,

what counter gift, Ter. Eun. 2, 3, 63: quod Scipio postulavit... ut, etc. Et quod contra collega postulavit ne, etc., Annal. Trib. Pleb. ap. Gell. 7 (6), 19, 5:

si vobis aequa et honesta postulatio videtur, ego contra brevem postulationem adfero,

Cic. Rosc. Am. 2, 7; Nep. Epam. 6, 1;

Auct. B. Alex. 24: illo licente contra liceri audeat nemo,

to bid in opposition, Caes. B. G. 1, 18; Liv. 4, 53, 6:

agedum pauca accipe contra,

Hor. S. 1, 4, 38.—So in battle:

Numidae... Romanorum ordines conturbare... neque contra feriundi copia erat,

Sall. J. 50, 4; and in law: et ab eo is qui adoptat vindicat... et illo contra non vindicante, etc., Gai Inst. 1, 134; 2, 24.—Esp. in replies:

oratio contra a Demosthene pro Ctesiphonte edita,

Cic. de Or. 3, 56, 213:

dicit accusator haec: primum, etc.... quid contra reus?

id. Clu. 30, 81; id. Fin. 5, 22, 63; Curt. 4, 1, 10; 7, 9, 1.

Of opposition, strife, etc., against; constr. absol., with dat., and ne, quominus or quin.

Of physical exertion.

Lit.:

concurrunt... aetheriae nubes contra pugnantibu' ventis,

struggling against each other, Lucr. 6. 98:

nec nos obniti contra... Sufficimus,

bear up, battle against, Verg. A. 5, 21; Ov. M. 9, 50; 2, 434:

at ille contra nititur,

resists, Plin. 2, 38, 38, § 103; 7, 20, 19, § 82:

pars remigum, tamquam imperitia... officia nautarum impediebant. Mox contra tendere,

rowed in an opposite direction, Tac. H. 4, 16.—

Trop.:

te rogo ne contrahas ac demittas animum, neque te obrui tamquam fluctu... sinas, contraque erigas ac resistas,

Cic. Q. Fr. 1, 1, 1, § 4:

et torrens judicem vel nitentem contra feret, cogatque ire qua rapiet,

Quint. 12, 10, 61.— With ne: vi contra niti, ne advorsus eum fiat, Cato ap. Gell. 7 (6), 3, 16.—With quominus, Lucr. 1, 780.—

Of mental exertion:

si tibi vera videntur, Dede manus, aut, si falsum est, accingere contra,

arm yourself against them, Lucr. 2, 1043; 2, 280. —With dat.:

siti contra... pugnandum,

Cels. 4, 2 fin. —

Of hostile opposition in gen.

Lit.:

quod animadversum est in eo qui contra omni ratione pugnarunt, non debeo reprehendere,

who made opposition in every way, Cic. Rosc. Am. 47, 137; id. Verr. 2, 2, 43, § 107:

contra etiam aliquid abs te profectum ex multis audivi,

something inimical, id. Fam. 5, 5, 2.—

Trop.:

aut alio quovis (sc. colore) qui contra pugnet et obstet,

Lucr. 2, 794; 2, 868.—

Of warfare.

Lit.:

ut eos adversarios existimemus qui arma contra ferant,

Cic. Off. 1, 25, 87; 1, 12, 37; Vell. 2, 28, 4; cf.:

quid quod exercitum contra duxit?

Auct. Her. 4, 16, 23:

ut si qua ex parte obviam contra veniretur, acie instructa depugnarent,

if they should be attacked by an open charge, Caes. B. G. 7, 28:

issentque confestim ad urbem ni venire contra exercitum... audissent,

Liv. 7, 39, 17:

cum Romanae legiones contra direxerint,

would oppose their march, Tac. H. 4, 58; id. A. 6, 44.—With dat.:

et huic contra itum ad amnem Erinden,

Tac. A. 11, 10.—

Trop.:

quod ubi viderunt corvi, contra auxiliantur, velut adversus communem hostem,

Plin. 10, 74, 95, § 205.—

Of legal contests.

With verbs of saying; v. 9. a.—

Venire contra, of any legal act with the intention to hurt the adversary:

quid? si omnium mortalium Sthenio nemo inimicior quam hic C. Claudius... fuit? si de litteris corruptis contra venit, etc.?

if he made a charge of forgery against him? Cic. Verr. 2, 2, 43, § 107; cf. II. B. c. b.—

On the part of the adversary:

inveniendum contra est, quo distet haec causa a ceteris,

Quint. 5, 10, 114; 9, 2, 35; 12, 8, 10.—

Of judgments against the parties or against opinions:

ne spoliaret fama probatum hominem si contra judicasset,

given an adverse decision, Cic. Off. 3, 19, 77; cf. Val. Max. 7, 2, 4; Cic. Caecin. 24, 69.—

Of literary opposition.

Mostly with verbs of saying; v. 9. a. g.—

With other verbs:

astrologorum artem contra convincere tendit,

Lucr. 5, 728:

contra nunc illud pone, etc.,

Sen. Ben. 7, 14, 6:

habeat (liber meus) etiam quosdam qui contra sentiant et adversentur,

some dissentients and opponents, Quint. 3, 1, 5; 2, 17, 40; 3, 8, 69.—

Of public and political opposition.

With verbs of saying; v. 9. a. d.—

With petere, to be a candidate for office in opposition to another:

nihil enim supererat de quo certarent, nihil quod contra peterent,

no office was left for which to canvass against each other, Cic. Agr. 2, 33, 91:

honores contra petere,

Quint. 6, 1, 17.—With ire, with dat., of an opposing vote in the senate (cf.:

pedibus ire): sententia Cassii ut nemo unus contra ire ausus est, ita dissonae voces respondebant,

Tac. A. 14, 45.—

Of violation of law, contracts, etc.: contra facere, or contra committere, to violate, transgress a law, etc.: leges esse non ex ejus qui contra commiserit utilitate, spectari oportere, not in the interest of the transgressor, Cic. Inv. 2, 48, 153:

si quis sub hoc pacto vendiderit ancillam ne prostitueretur, et si contra factum esset,

and if the contract was violated, Dig. 18, 1, 56.—

With verbs of saying, etc., contra dicere; less freq. disputare, disserere, pugnare, in the sense of dicere, and contra scribere (often contradico, in one word, in post-Aug. writers; esp. with dat.).

Contra dicere, to speak as counsel of the adversary, to plead his cause, in legal proceedings:

cum contra dicturus Hortensius esset,

would speak on the other side, Cic. Quint. 24, 77:

hoc... contra dicente Cotta judicatum est,

id. Caecin. 33, 97:

dixisse ut contra nemo videretur,

id. Brut. 53, 198: ut contra Crassus... exorsus est, began on the other side, id. ib. § 197.—Hence: qui contra dicit, the adversary or counsel of the adversary:

contra autem qui dicet, similitudinem infirmare debebit,

Cic. Inv. 2, 50, 151; id. Part. Or. 21, 108.—In the same sense: agens contra: si nos... impares agentium contra ingeniis dixerimus, that we are unequal to the talents of our adversary's counsel, [p. 453] Quint. 4, 1, 8.—

To make charges against (rare):

si qui contra vellet dicere, usurum esse eum suo testimonio,

Cic. Clu. 48, 134:

qua ratione nemo neque tum item fecerit, neque nunc contra dicat,

id. Quint. 29, 88; so,

contra disputare, of objections to or against a witness: nihil contra disputabo priusquam dixerit,

id. Fl. 21, 51.—

In gen., to speak on the other side of a question:

fiebat autem ita, ut cum is qui audire vellet dixisset quid sibi videretur, tum ego contra dicerem,

Cic. Tusc. 1, 4, 8; id. Fin. 2, 1, 2; so,

contra disputare and contra scribere,

id. Or. 1, 19, 85; Vitr. 3, 1, 6; Quint. 2, 17, 13; Dig. 9, 2, 21, § 1.—Hence: qui contra dicunt or disputant, the opponents:

nec qui contra dicunt causam difficilem repellunt,

Cic. Fin. 3, 1, 2:

ad coarguendos qui contra disputant,

to refule his opponents, Quint. 2, 15, 26.—

To oppose or object to a proposition, motion, or petition:

quam palam principes dixerunt contra!

protested against it, Cic. Verr. 2, 5, 16, § 41; Caes. B. C. 1, 32; Cic. Clu. 47, 130.—With pugnare:

cum decerneretur frequenti senatu, contra pugnante Pisone, etc.,

Cic. Att. 1, 14, 5:

filius ejus incolumitatem optat: contradicit pater,

the father objects, Quint. 9, 2, 85; 9, 2, 83; Plin. ap. Gell. 9, 16, 5; Cic. Dom. 33, 87:

contradicente nullo,

Suet. Caes. 20; Dig. 3, 3, 15.—

To reply:

contradixit edicto,

answered by an edict, Suet. Aug. 56. —

Abl. absol. impers.:

explorandum videtur an etiam contradicto aliquando judicio consuetudo firmata sit,

whether the custom has been confirmed by judgment upon a judicial contest, Dig. 1, 3, 34.—

With acc. neutr. pron., to object, to make or raise an objection, to reply; esp. in legal proceedings:

ego enim, te disputante, quid contra dicerem meditabar,

Cic. N. D. 3, 1, 1:

ut contra si quid dicere velit non audiatur,

id. Fin. 5, 10, 27:

aiebat illum primo sane diu multa contra (i. e. dixisse), ad extremum autem, etc.,

id. Att. 2, 22, 2.— Hence: quod contra dicitur, or quae contra dicuntur, the objections:

ut et id quod intenderemus confirmare, et id quod contra diceretur refellere (possemus),

refute the objections, Cic. de Or. 1, 20, 90:

quia neque reprehendi quae contra dicuntur possunt, etc.,

id. ib. 2, 81, 331; id. Inv. 2, 44, 127; Quint. 1, 2, 17.—In the same sense, as subst.: contrā dicta, orum, n. plur.:

seu proposita confirmamus, sive contra dicta dissolvimus,

or refute the objections, Quint. 4, prooem. 6.—With acc. and inf.:

dicitur contra, nullum esse testamentum,

the objection is made that there is no testament, Cic. Agr. 2, 6, 42.—

With dat., written in one word (post-Aug.).

To oppose a person by speaking against his views:

solitum se etiam Thraseae contradicere,

to oppose even Thrasea, Tac. H. 2, 91:

tibi,

Suet. Aug. 54:

Curioni...,

id. Rhet. 1. —Hence of answers and replies in law: quid si filium testatoris heres ejus prohibuit? Huic contradici potest: ergo pietatis, etc., he may be answered by this plea, etc., Dig. 11, 7, 14, § 13.—And of advisory answers opposed to one's legal views:

volenti mihi ream adulterii postulare eam, etc., contradictum est,

my views were disapproved, rejected, Dig. 48, 5, 11, § 10.—

To oppose an opinion, with dat. of the thing:

cum plures tantum sententiis aliorum contradicerent,

opposed the opinions, Tac. H. 1, 39.—

To object to a motion or petition, with dat. of the petitioner:

patrem qui damnavit optat ne is torqueatur: pater ei contradicit,

the father objects, Quint. 9, 2, 81:

cum ambienti ut legibus solveretur multi contradicerent,

Suet. Caes. 18; Dig. 40, 5, 14; 40, 12, 33.—

With dat. of the petition:

preces erant, sed quibus contradici non posset,

which could not be denied, Tac. H. 4, 46 fin.; Dig. 3, 1, 1, § 2.—

To contest the validity of a law (rare):

quibus (legibus) contradici potest,

Quint. 7, 7, 4.—

To contradict an assertion (very rare):

pro certis autem habemus... cuicunque adversarius non contradicit,

Quint. 5, 10, 13.—

With quin, to object:

praetor Samnitibus respondit... nec contra dici quin amicitia de integro reconcilietur,

there was no objection to a reconciliation, Liv. 8, 2, 2.

To one's disadvantage; mostly predic. with esse, unfavorable, adverse, damaging (post-Aug.;

but cf. II. B. 2.): ut eum qui responsurus est vel tacere, vel etiam invitum id quod sit contra cogat fateri,

Quint. 7, 3, 14:

cum verba (legis) contra sint,

id. 7, 1, 49:

sed experimentum contra fuit,

unsuccessful, Tac. H. 2, 97 fin.:

ubi fortuna contra fuit,

id. ib. 3, 18:

si fortuna contra daret,

should be unfavorable, id. ib. 1, 65 fin.; id. A. 15, 13.

Of logical opposition, with negative force.

Of a direct contrast.

Predicatively, with esse, fieri, etc., the contrary, the opposite:

quod fieri totum contra manifesta docet res,

but experience teaches that just the contrary is true, Lucr. 3, 686; 4, 1088:

in stultitia contra est,

with fools the reverse is true, Cic. Clu. 31, 84:

in hac quidem re vereor ne etiam contra (i. e. sit),

id. Att. 12, 46; id. Off. 1, 15, 49:

quod contra est,

Sall. J. 85, 21:

quis non credat, etc.? Contra autem est,

Sen. Q. N. 3, 25, 12; id. Ep. 7, 3; Dig. 37, 4, 4:

contra fore si, etc.,

ib. 34, 2, 39, § 2:

immo forsitan et contra (i. e. erit),

ib. 41, 3, 49:

ego contra puto (i. e. esse),

Plin. Ep. 1, 20, 7; Lampr. Alex. Sev. 25.—

With evenire, accidere, sentire, scribere, habere, etc.:

utrumque contra accidit: istic enim bellum est exortum, hic pax consecuta,

of both the contrary has happened, Cic. Fam. 12, 18, 2; so Dig. 38, 2, 51:

id ego contra puto (sc.: faciendum esse),

id. Att. 10, 8, 2:

contra evenit in iis morbis,

Sen. Ep. 52, 7; Plin. 2, 65, 65, § 163:

ego contra sentio,

Sen. Clem. 1, 15, 5; Sedig. ap. Gell. 15, 24, 4; Dig. 40, 2, 25:

Proculus contra (sc. sentit),

ib. 35, 2, 1, § 14; 33, 7, 25:

licet Celsus contra scribat,

ib. 9, 2, 21, § 1: contra probatur, Gai Inst. 2, 78; Dig. 33, 7, 12, § 34.—Very rarely referring to a term in the same clause:

cujus disparem mitioremque naturam contra interpretabatur,

interpreted in an opposite sense, misinterpreted, misunderstood, Tac. H. 4, 86 fin. —

Referring to a word or phrase in the same predicate.

To an adverb, in an opposite manner, otherwise, differently, not, etc.:

nam ad summam totius rei pertinet, caute an contra demonstrata res sit,

Cic. de Or. 2, 81, 330: quod viriliter animoque fit, id, etc.;

quod contra, id turpe,

id. Off. 1, 27, 94:

sit sapienter usus aut contra,

Quint. 2, 5, 15:

lactuca locis apricis optume autumno ponitur, mediterraneis aut frigidis contra ( = pessime),

Col. 11, 3, 25.—

To a predicative adjective, not, the opposite, the reverse, etc.:

ut aliae (res) probabiles videantur aliae contra,

improbable, Cic. Ac. 2, 32, 103; id. Off. 2, 2, 7:

quid est quod me impediat ea quae probabilia mihi videantur sequi, quae contra, improbare,

id. ib. 2, 2, 8; id. Or. 2, 31, 135; Quint. 4, 2, 52.—

To a verbal predicate:

an frater fratri exsistat heres, an contra ( = annon),

Dig. 34, 5, 19.—

To a subject infinitive:

laudare testem vel contra pertinet ad momentum judiciorum,

praising or censuring a witness, Quint. 3, 7, 2.—

To a clause, translated by not or by a repetition of the clause with a negative:

quae secundum naturam essent, ea sumenda et quadam aestimatione dignanda docebat, contraque contraria,

those that were not, not, Cic. Ac. 1, 10, 36: quod cuidam aut sapiens videor quod una non jerim, aut felix fuisse;

mihi contra,

id. Att. 9, 12, 4: an credibile est, incestum cum filia commissum? Et contra, veneficum in noverca, adulterum in luxurioso? and incredible, etc., Quint. 5, 10, 19; so Dig. 9, 1, 2, § 1.—

To an attributive genitive:

Marius cognoscere quid boni utrisque or contra esset (i. e. mali),

Sall. J. 88, 2:

verum de origine laudis contraque perspiciemus suo tempore (i. e. vituperationis),

Quint. 2, 4, 21:

alii a propositione accusatoris contraque loci oriuntur,

the accuser and the accused, id. 7, 2, 31;

so in several titles of the Digests, as Depositi vel contra, = actio depositi, vel contraria actio depositarii,

Dig. 16, 3 tit.; so ib. 16, 17, 1; 16, 13, 6; 16, 13, 7.—

Reversing the relation of terms in the preceding sentence, the reverse, conversely, vice versa, etc.

With its own predicate: saepe... corpus aegret, Cum tamen ex alia laetamur parte latenti;

Et retro fit uti contra sit saepe vicissim, Cum miser ex animo laetatur corpore toto,

Lucr. 3, 108: illa altera argumentatio, quasi retro et contra, prius sumit, etc., ( proceeding), so to speak, backward and in inverted order, Cic. Part. Or. 13, 46: neque illud ignoro, etc.; sed non idem accidit contra, but the converse is not true, Quint. 8, 6, 3; Gell. 4, 2, 5: ut vocabula verbis, verba rursus adverbiis, nomina appositis et pronominibus essent priora. Nam fit contra quoque frequenter non indecore. for often, not inelegantly, the order is reversed, Quint. 9, 4, 24:

quae etiam contra valent,

i. e. if the terms are reversed, id. 3, 7, 25; 9, 2, 49; 8, 6, 25; 9, 4, 72.—

Belonging to the same predicate:

ut quidque erit dicendum ita dicet, nec satura jejune, nec grandia minute, nec item contra,

Cic. Or. 36, 123:

cum emtor venditori, vel contra, heres exstitit,

Dig. 35, 2, 48:

in quibus patrium pro possessivo dicitur, vel contra,

Quint. 1, 5, 45; 5, 10, 71:

junguntur autem aut ex nostro et peregrino, ut biclinium, aut contra, ut epitogium et Anticato,

id. 1, 5, 68:

ut capras in montosis potius locis quam in herbidis (pascar), equas contra,

but with mares the reverse is the case, Varr. R. R. 2, 1, 16:

itaque ille dicere melius quam praecipere, nos contra fortasse possumus,

Cic. Or. 42, 143:

qua collegi solent ex his quae faciunt ea quae faciuntur, aut contra,

or vice versa, Quint. 5, 10, 80; Dig. 14, 1, 1, § 12; 48, 5, 23, § 4.

In logical antithesis of clauses with a merely rhet. force, on the contrary, on the other hand, vice versa; sometimes almost = sed or autem (freq.).

In independent clauses.

Opposing persons or parties: fortunam insanam esse... perhibent philosophi... Sunt autem alii philosophi qui contra Fortunam negant ullam exstare, Pac. ap. Auct. Her. 2, 23, 36 (Trag. Rel. v. 372 Rib.); Caecil. ap. Cic. Tusc. 4, 32, 68; Varr. R. R. 1, 8, 1:

ego etiam quae tu sine Verre commisisti Verri crimini daturus sum... Tu, contra, ne quae ille quidem fecit, obicies,

Cic. Div. in Caecil. 11, 35:

ego contra ostendo, non modo nihil fecisse Sex. Roscium, sed, etc.,

id. Rosc. Am. 29, 79; id. Phil. 8, 3, 8; id. Off. 1, 30, 108; id. Fin. 5, 22, 62:

in Italia bellum gerimus, in sede ac solo nostro... Hannibal contra in aliena, in hostili est terra,

Liv. 22, 39, 13; 21, 50, 2; 3, 15, 2; 6, 7, 4; 9, 35, 4 et saep.; Nep. Alcib. 8, 1; Vell. 2, 31, 4; Sen. Ep. 9, 14; id. Ira, 2, 33, 6; Plin. 35, 10, 37, § 113; Tac. H. 3, 84; 3, 57; Suet. Tib. 2; id. Vit. 2; Just. 2, 1, 10; 8, 4, 11:

contra mercator, navim jactantibus austris Militia est potior?

Hor. S. 1, 1, 6; 1, 2, 30; 1, 3, 27; Prop. 2, 1, 45; 2, 23, 13 (3, 17, 3); Sen. Hippol. 214;

so with versa vice: barbarae gentes (Alexandrum) non ut hostem, sed ut parentem luxerunt... Contra Macedones versa vice non ut civem, sed ut hostem amissum gaudebant,

Just. 13, 1, 7.—

Introducing a secondary or parallel opposition of thought: in loco umidiore far potius serunt quam triticum;

contra in aridiore hordeum potius quam far,

Varr. R. R. 1, 9, 4; 1, 1, 47: si nihil esset quod inane vocaret, Omne foret solidum;

nisi contra corpora certe Essent, etc., Omne quod est spatium vacuum constaret inane,

Lucr. 1, 521; 4, 348; cf.:

justa omnia decora sunt, injusta contra, ut turpia, sic indecora,

Cic. Off. 1, 27, 94; id. N. D. 2, 15, 41; id. de Or. 3, 33, 136; id. Quint. 30, 93: id. Off. 3, 21, 84; id. Leg. 2, 1, 2: facilem esse rem... si modo unum omnes sentiant; contra in dissensione nullam se salutem perspicere, Caes. B. G, 5, 31; Liv. 25, 30, 3; Sen. Ben. 1, 5, 2; Plin. 12, 19, 42, § 92; 11, 14, 14, § 35; Suet. Caes. 73; Gell. 1, 4, 5:

si male rem gerere insani est, contra bene, sani,

Hor. S. 2, 3, 74.—

In opposition to a dependent clause:

ut hi miseri, sic contra illi beati quos, etc.,

Cic. Tusc. 5, 6, 16; so id. de Or. 1, 45, 198; Quint. 9, 3, 39:

cui ego rei tantum abest ut impedimento sim, ut contra te M. Manli adhorter, etc.,

Liv. 6, 15, 5; 6, 31, 4:

cum virtus adeo neminem spe ac pollicitatione corrumpat, ut contra in se inpendere jubeat, ac, etc.,

Sen. Ben. 4, 1, 2: aut igitur negemus quidquam ratione confici, cum contra nihil sine ratione recte fieri possit, aut, etc., whereas on the contrary, etc., Cic. Tusc. 4, 38, 84; cf.:

at contra,

Lucr. 2, 392.—

With co-ordinate conjunctions.

Copulative, et contra or contraque (never with ac or atque); also nec contra (rare), and on the other hand.

With reference to a reason or conclusion, after nam, enim, cum, or itaque: nam et ratione uti... omnique in re quid sit veri videre et tueri decet, contraque falli [p. 454]... tam dedecet quam, etc., Cic. Off. 1, 27, 94:

malus est enim custos... metus, contraque benevolentia fidelis,

id. ib. 2, 7, 23:

cum reficiat animos varietas ipsa, contraque sit aliquanto difficilius in labore uno perseverare,

Quint. 1, 12, 4; 3, 8, 32; 8, 6, 20:

itaque in probris maxime in promptu est, si quid tale dici potest, etc. Contraque in laudibus, etc.,

Cic. Off. 1, 18, 61; cf. Suet. Calig. 51; so with nec:

nam nec comoedia cothurnis assurgit, nec contra tragoedia socculo ingreditur,

Quint. 10, 2, 22.—

With contrasted examples or illustrations, often after ut or sic:

audivi ex majoribus natu, hoc idem fuisse in P. Scipione Nasica, contraque patrem ejus... nullam comitatem habuisse sermonis,

Cic. Off. 1, 30, 109:

ut suspitionibus credi oportere, et contra suspitionibus credi non oportere,

id. Inv. 2, 15, 48; Quint. 8, 4, 1; 5, 10, 48; 9, 3, 7; 9, 4, 52; 11, 1, 14; Sen. Ep. 82, 14; Dig. 17, 1, 22, § 4.—

With contrasted actions, assumptions, etc.:

atque utinam qui ubique sunt propugnatores hujus imperii possent in hanc civitatem venire, et contra oppugnatores rei publicae de civitate exterminari!

Cic. Balb. 22, 51:

domo pignori data, et area ejus tenebitur... et contra jus soli sequitur aedificium,

Dig. 13, 7, 21:

equo et asina genitos mares, hinnos antiqui vocabant: contraque mulos quos asini et equae generassent,

Plin. 8, 44, 69, § 17: ceterum potest ex lege quidem esse judicium, sed legitimum non esse, et contra ex lege non esse, sed legitimum esse, Gai Inst. 4, 109; Plin. 2, 65, 65, § 161; 35, 15, 5, § 183.—

After a negative clause, affirming the opposite idea, et contra or contraque, but on the contrary:

in quo (consulatu) ego imperavi nihil, et contra patribus conscriptis et bonis omnibus parui,

Cic. Sull. 7, 21:

nunc vero cum ne pulsus quidem ita sim ut superare non possim, contraque a populo Romano semper sim defensus, etc.,

id. Dom. 33, 88; id. Fin. 2, 17, 55; id. Marcell. 6, 20; so,

et contra,

Suet. Tit. 7.—

With adversative conjunctions, at contra, sed contra, contra autem, contra vero (not verum contra, nor contra tamen).

At contra (freq.), merely a strengthened contra (v. 1. supra): huc accedit uti mellis lactisque liquores Jucundo sensu linguae tractentur in ore;

At contra taetri absinthi natura... foedo pertorqueat ora sapore,

Lucr. 2, 400:

cogunt,

id. 2, 74; 1, 366; 2, 235 et saep.: nos qui domi sumus, tibi beati videmur;

at contra nobis tu quidem... prae nobis beatus,

Cic. Fam. 4, 4, 2; id. Tusc. 1, 3, 5; id. Rosc. Am. 45, 131; id. Verr. 2, 5, 26, § 66; Sall. J. 36, 2; 4, 7; 15, 3; id. C. 12, 5:

ideo siccas aiunt Aethiopiae solitudines... At contra constat Germaniam abundare rivis,

Sen. Q. N. 3, 6, 2; 1, 3, 1; id. Ep. 100, 7; Plin. 7, 53, 54, § 186; Suet. Galb. 15; Tac. A. 4, 28.—

Sed contra, after a negative sentence (class.):

non quo acui ingenia adulescentium nollem, sed contra ingenia obtundi nolui,

Cic. de Or. 3, 24, 93; id. Att. 9, 15, 3; id. Ac. 1, 10, 35; id. Fl. 11, 26:

arma populi Romani non liberis servitutem, sed contra servientibus libertatem adferre,

Liv. 45, 18, 1:

tu ne cede malis, sed contra audentior ito,

Verg. A. 6, 95; Plin. Ep. 1, 10, 12.—PostAug. also without a preceding negation:

obiisse nostro Laium scelere autumant superi inferique: sed animus contra innocens... negat,

Sen. Oedip. 765; Symm. Ep. 6, 81.—

Contra autem (rare;

in Cic. only where different subjects have contrasted predicates in dependent clauses): quia pacis est insigne toga, contra autem arma tumultus atque belli,

Cic. Pis. 30, 73.—In later writers = contra alone:

sub septemtrione aedificia... conversa ad calidas partes oportere fieri videntur. Contra autem sub impetu solis meridiani regionibus conversa ad septemtrionem... sunt facienda,

Vitr. 6, 1, 2; Gell. 14, 2, 19; Dig. 7, 1, 25, § 3; 34, 3, 25.—

Contra vero (very rare;

not in Cic.), used for contra: contra vero quercus infinitam habet aeternitatem,

Vitr. 2, 9, 8; 6, 1, 3; Cels. 3, 6 fin. —

Atqui contra, App. Mag. p. 287, 24.—

With disjunctive conjunctions, aut contra, vel contra, seu contra, or on the contrary, or conversely (always without change of subject).

Aut contra:

num aut scriptum neget, aut contra factum infitietur?

Cic. Part. Or. 38, 133: quae (mens) aut languescit... aut contra tumescit, etc., Quint. 1, 2, 18:

si imbres defuere, aut contra abundavere,

Plin. 17, 24, 37, § 228.—

Vel contra:

hinc enim quaestiones oriuntur: Injuriam fecisti, sed quia magistratus, majestatis actio est? Vel contra: Licuit... quia magistratus?

Quint. 5, 10, 40; 9, 4, 96; Suet. Galb. 3; Dig. 35, 2, 56, § 4; 8, 4, 6.—

Seu contra:

seu tristis veniam, seu contra laetus amicis,

Prop. 1, 11, 25.—

With causal conjunctions, nam contra (very rare;

never contra enim): falso queritur de natura sua genus humanum quod, etc. Nam contra, reputando, neque majus aliud, neque praestabilius invenies,

Sall. J. 1, 1; Quint. 1, 1, 1; 9, 2, 23. —

In late Lat., e contra (also one word, ēcontrā) = contra,

In the meaning, the contrary (D. 1.):

aliis vero econtra videtur,

Hier. Ep. 12.—

Et econtra = et contra (E. 3. a.):

honestiorum provectu et econtra suppliciis,

Aur. Vict. Caes. 39, 45.—For quod contra, v. II. E. 1. c.—

With emphatic particles.

Quin contra, nay on the contrary, opposing an affirmative sentence to a preceding negative statement (quin etiam amplifies without opposition; sed contra opposes without amplification; quin contra both opposes and amplifies);

not before Livy: num qui enim socordius rempublicam administrari post Calvi tribunatum... quam? etc. Quin contra patricios aliquot damnatos... neminem plebeium,

Liv. 6, 37, 8; 31, 31, 9; 35, 26, 10; 37, 15, 3.—

Immo contra (post-Aug.).

= no, on the contrary, refuting opinions, after questions and in the form of a dialogue:

existimas nunc me detrahere tibi multas voluptates?... Immo contra, nolo tibi umquam deesse laetitiam,

Sen. Ep. 23, 3; Dig. 33, 7, 5; 33, 7, 29.—

= sed contra, but on the contrary:

proinde ne submiseris te, immo contra fige stabilem gradum,

Sen. Cons. Marc. 5, 6; id. Cons. Polyb. 15, 2; cf. prep.:

immo contra ea,

Liv. 41, 24, 8; cf. II. E. 1. b. infra.—

Item contra = an emphatic et contra (very rare):

quoniam... beate vivere alii in alio, vos in voluptate ponitis, item contra miseriam in dolore, etc.,

Cic. Fin. 2, 27, 86; cf. I. A. 3. g supra.

With a comparative clause introduced by ac, atque, or quam, representing a logical or moral opposition (contra atque debuit = non ita ut debuit; cf. Cic. Or. 3, 19, 70); cf. prep., II. C. 3. g, and II. E. 2. infra.

Of logical opposition, contrary to, different from, otherwise than; in the best prose only with atque or ac.

With atque:

item, contra atque apud nos, fieri ad Elephantinem ut neque ficus neque vites amittant folia,

Varr. R. R. 1, 7, 6:

simulacrum Jovis, contra atque ante fuerat, ad orientem convertere,

Cic. Cat. 3, 8, 20; id. Sull. 24, 69:

judicium suscepturos contra atque omnis Italia populusque Romanus judicavisset,

Caes. B. C. 3, 12; id. B. G. 4, 13; Plin. 12, 19, 43, § 95.—

With ac:

itaque contra est ac dicitis,

Cic. Fin. 4, 15, 41:

vides, omnia fere contra ac dicta sint evenisse,

id. Div. 2, 24, 53; so id. Verr. 2, 4, 6, § 11; id. Or. 40, 137:

cum contra ac Deiotarus sensit victoria belli judicaret,

id. Phil. 11, 13, 34:

Petreius ubi videt, Catilinam, contra ac ratus erat, magna vi tendere, etc.,

Sall. C. 60, 5.—

With ac and atque:

si denique aliquid non contra ac liceret factum diceretur, sed contra atque oporteret,

Cic. Balb. 3, 7.—

With quam (post-Aug.):

cui contra quam proposuerat aliqua cesserunt,

Sen. Ira, 3, 6, 5; Plin. 10, 53, 74, § 149; 11, 21, 24, § 72; Gell. 6 (7), 8, 6:

contra quam licet,

id. 1, 3, 19; Sil. 15, 107.—

Of moral opposition of acts contrary to rules and principles (cf. II. 3. g infra); so always with quam:

mater Aviti, generi sui, contra quam fas erat, amore capta,

contrary to the divine law, Cic. Clu. 5, 12:

ut senatus, contra quam ipse censuisset, ad vestitum rediret,

contrary to its own resolution, id. Pis. 8, 18:

contra quam ista causa postulasset,

id. Caecin. 24, 67:

contra quam sanctum legibus est,

Liv. 30, 19, 9; Cic. Leg. 2, 5, 11; id. Q. Fr. 1, 1, 1, § 2; id. Dom. 46, 122:

contraque faciunt quam polliceri videntur,

Auct. Her. 4, 3, 6; Cic. de Or. 2, 20, 86.

Prep. with acc., before, against, facing, towards, opposite to, contrary to (acc. to many scholars not ante-class.; cf. Hand, Turs. II. p. 108; but found Plaut. Ps. 1, 2, 24 Fleck., a line omitted by Lorenz as a gloss; id. Pers. 1, 1, 13 Ritschl; Att. ap. Non. p. 469, 15, or Trag. Rel. v. 476 Rib.; cf. also Plaut. Poen. 5, 6, 18; Cato, R. R. 18, 1, and v. I. A. 1. a. b, and I. A. 1. b. a supra).

Local uses.

Opposite, over against, facing.

Of countries and places (mostly of those separated by water;

adversus and e regione mostly of places opposite by land): insulae natura triquetra, cujus unum latus est contra Galliam,

Caes. B. G. 5, 13; 3, 9; 4, 20:

ad insulam quae est contra Massiliam,

id. B. C. 1, 56; 3, 23:

Rhodios, pacatis contra insulam suam terris, etc.,

Liv. 37, 15, 7; 3, 26, 8:

Carthago Italiam contra,

Verg. A. 1, 13; 5, 124; Ov. M. 14, 17:

insulae quae contra Tauri promuntorium inopportune navigantibus objacent, Chelidoniae nominantur,

Mel. 2, 7; Plin. 3, 26, 30, § 151; 6, 28, 32, § 152; 5, 7, 7, § 41; Tac. A. 3, 1; id. H. 2, 17.—

Of the heavenly bodies:

donique (luna) eum (sc. solem) contra pleno bene lumine fulsit,

Lucr. 5, 708:

contra Volucris rostrum posita est Lyra,

Vitr. 9, 4, 5; Sen. Q. N. 1, 5, 9; 1, 8, 3; Plin. 2, 31, 31, § 99; 5, 10, 10, § 56.—So, tertium (latus Britanniae) est contra septem triones, opposite ( facing); hence, contra meridiem and contra ortus (instead of ad or adversus meridiem, etc.), facing the south and east, Plin. 6, 24, 24, § 85; 17, 2, 2, § 22. —So of a person standing in the sunlight:

cum minima umbra (i. e. a sole) contra medium fiet hominem,

Plin. 18, 33, 76, § 327; cf.:

contra mediam faciem meridies erit,

id. 18, 33, 76, § 326.—

Of opposite ends of a line.

Of the diameter of the earth: esse e regione nobis e contraria parte terrae qui adversis vestigiis stent contra nostra vestigia, quos antipodas vocatis, Cic. Ac. 2, 39, 123.—

Of a line drawn:

contra autem E littera I erit ubi secat circinationem linea,

opposite the point E will be the letter I, Vitr. 9, 7, 4.—

Of buildings, etc.:

contra hoc aviarium est aliud minus in quo quae mortuae sunt aves curator servare solet,

Varr. R. R. 3, 5, 5; Vitr. 5, 6, 3; 3, 5, 15:

(statuam) quae fuerit contra Jovis Statoris aedem in vestibulo Superbi domus,

Plin. 34, 6, 13, § 29:

contra medium fere porticum diaeta paulum recedit,

Plin. Ep. 5, 6, 20; 2, 17, 5; Suet. Aug. 44.—

Of places on the human body:

id quod contra stomachum est,

Cels. 4, 5 (4, 12 med.); 7, 7;

4, 20 (13).—Of the direction of the intestines, etc.: ea... contra medium alvum orsa,

Cels. 4, 1 fin. —

Of actions, opposite, towards, against, facing (syn.:

adversus, ad, e regione,

Caes. B. G. 7, 61).

In gen.:

quamvis subito... quamque Rem contra speculum ponas, apparet imago,

Lucr. 4, 156: Democritus... clipeum constituit contra exortum Hyperionis, Laber. ap. Gell. 10, 17, 4:

et contra magnum potes hos (i.e. oculos) attollere solem, Nec tremis...?

Prop. 1, 15, 37; Col. 7, 3, 8:

rex constiterat contra pedites,

Curt. 10, 9, 13; 9, 5, 1:

ne contra septentrionem paveris,

Plin. 18, 33, 76, § 330; 28, 6, 19, § 69:

contra solem varie refulgens,

placed in the sun, id. 37, 10, 63, § 173; 10, 54, 75, § 151; 37, 6, 22, § 83;

37, 7, 25, § 95: cum terrestres volucres contra aquam clangores dabunt,

id. 18, 35, 87, § 363; 19, 8, 39, § 131.—

Dependent on verbs of motion (very rare without the idea of hostility):

(Dinocrates) incessit contra tribunal regis jus dicentis,

towards, Vitr. 2, praef. 1.—So trop., of actions done for a purpose:

lege Cornelia de sicariis tenetur qui, cum in magistratu esset, eorum quid fecerit contra hominis necem quod legibus permissum non sit,

Dig. 48, 8, 4.—

Appositively, with the predicate: (elephanti) tanta narratur clementia contra minus validos, ut, etc., if fronting weaker animals, if brought in contact with them (not to be connected with clementia), Plin. 8, 7, 7, § 23.—Similarly: dum... fidens non est contra feram, if fronting the animal (not dependent on fidens), Plin. 8, 16, 21, § 57.—

Against an opposing action, etc.:

contra vim atque impetum fluminis conversa,

Caes. B. G. 4, 17, 5:

cum plateae contra directos ventos erunt conformatae,

Vitr. 1, 6, 8:

ut contra ventum gregem pascamus,

Col. 7, 3, 12; Sen. Q. N. 2, 31, 2; Plin. 29, 3, 12, § 52; 17, 2, 2, § 21; 8, 16, 21, § 54:

contra fluminum impetus aggeribus,

id. 35, 14, 48, § 169:

capite in sole contra pilum peruncto,

id. 27, 4, 5, § 17; 18, 35, 88, § 364; Varr. ap. Plin. 7, 20, 19, § 83; Sil. 14, 352; Dig. 9, 2, 29, § 4. [p. 455] — Trop.:

contra fortunam tenendus est cursus,

Sen. Prov. 5, 9.—Prov.:

contra stimulum calces,

kick against the pricks, Isid. Orig. 1, 36, 28 (al. calcitres); cf. Amm. 18, 5, 1.—

Of local actions with hostile intent.

Lit.:

quae vis Coclitem contra omnes hostium copias tenuit?

Cic. Par. 1, 2, 12:

Pompeium Cartejae receptum scribis: jam igitur contra hunc exercitum (sc. constitit),

id. Att. 15, 20, 3:

pertimescam, credo, ne mihi non liceat contra vos in contione consistere,

to face you, id. Agr. 1, 8, 25; Lepidus ap. Cic. Fam. 10, 34, 1; Caes. B. C. 1, 26:

a fronte contra hostem pedum quindecim fossam fieri jussit,

id. ib. 1, 41; 1, 42; id. B. G. 7, 62:

Tullus adversus Veientem hostem derigit suos: Albanos contra legionem Fidenatium collocat,

Liv. 1, 27, 5; 24, 41, 5; 38, 4, 5; Verg. A. 12, 279; Front. Strat. 2, 2, 13; 2, 3, 17.—Appositively, with a local verb understood:

terribilis haec contra fugientes belua est, fugax contra insequentes,

i. e. if fronting, if placed opposite, Plin. 8, 25, 38, § 92.—

Trop.:

castra sunt in Italia contra populum Romanum in Etruriae faucibus collocata,

Cic. Cat. 1, 2, 5; id. Mil. 1, 2; Quint. 7, 7, 5:

tum contra hanc Romam illa altera Roma quaeretur,

will be as a rival against this Rome, Cic. Agr. 2, 22, 86:

cui rationi contra homines barbaros atque imperitos locus fuisset, hac ne ipsum quidem sperare, etc.,

Caes. B. G. 1, 40:

(Cicero) plerumque contra inimicos atque obtrectatores plus vindicat sibi,

when fronting adversaries, Quint. 11, 1, 23.—

In partic.

Stare contra aliquem (opp. stare ab aliquo); usu. implying hostility; mostly trop., to stand against, to be arrayed against, to face, oppose:

quod contra hoc exemplum nulla staret eorum ratio,

Auct. Her. 4, 5, 7:

contra populi studium,

Cic. Brut. 34, 126:

contra civium perditorum... dementiam a senatu et a bonorum causa,

id. ib. 79, 273; so,

a mendacio contra veritatem,

id. Inv. 1, 3, 4:

contra cives in acie,

id. Att. 16, 11, 2:

et adversi contra stetit ora juvenci,

opposite, Verg. A. 5, 477; 5, 414:

haec enim (ratio) sola... stat contra fortunam,

Sen. Ep. 14, 4, 2: contra leonem etiam stetit, fronted, i. e. hunted, Spart. Carac. 5 fin. —

Contra aliquem ire:

aut saevos Libyae contra ire leones,

Stat. Th. 9, 16.— Trop.:

uti contra injurias armati eatis,

Sall. J. 31, 6:

interritus (sapiens) et contra illa (mala) ibit et inter illa,

Sen. Ep. 59, 8; cf.: contra venire, II. B. 1. c. b infra, and v. also II. B. 2. b. and II. B. 1. b. infra.—

Transf.,

To persons placed together for comparison:

C. vero Caesar, si foro tantum vacasset, non alius ex nostris contra Ciceronem nominaretur,

Quint. 10, 1, 114:

CORONATO CONTRA OMNES SCAENICOS,

Inscr. Grut. p. 331, n. 4.—

To things compared, as if weighed against each other as to their value, strength, etc.

Lit. (very rare):

quamcunque vis rem expende, et contra aquam statue... Si gravior est, leviorem rem... feret, etc.,

Sen. Q. N. 3, 25, 5.—

Prop.:

cujus (i. e. generis humani) causa videtur cuncta alia genuisse natura, magna saeva mercede contra tanta sua munera,

Plin. 7, 1, 1, § 1:

qui amicus esse coepit quia expedit, placebit ei aliquod pretium contra amicitiam,

Sen. Ep. 9, 9:

numquam ulli fortiores cives fuerunt quam qui ausi sunt eum contra tantas opes ejus... condemnare,

Cic. Fam. 7, 2, 3:

tantum studium bonorum in me exstitisse, contra incredibilem contentionem clarissimi et potentissimi viri,

id. ib. 7, 2, 2; Planc. ap. Cic. Fam. 10, 9, 3:

nomen prorogans nostrum et memoriam extendens contra brevitatem aevi,

as a compensation for, Plin. 2, 63, 63, § 154.—So esp., valere contra, to weigh against, counterbalance, avail or prevail against: non vereor ne meae vitae modestia parum valitura sit contra falsos rumores, Matius ap. Cic. Fam. 11, 28, 8:

(illa facta) pro periculo potius quam contra salutem valere debere,

Cic. Part. Or. 35, 120; id. Off. 3, 29, 104:

contrane lucrum nil valere Pauperis ingenium?

Hor. Epod. 11, 11; Sen. Ben. 4, 15, 1; id. Cons. Helv. 5, 5; so,

robur habere contra: si contra unamquamlibet partem fortunae satis tibi roboris est,

id. ib. 13, 2;

so of counterchecks: in Creta decem qui cosmoe vocantur, ut contra consulare imperium tribuni plebis, sic illi contra vim regiam constituti,

Cic. Rep. 2, 33, 58.—Of antidotes: cimicum natura contra serpentium morsus valere dicitur, item contra venena omnia, Plin. 29, 4, 17, § 61.—Hence,

Colloq., aliquid contra aurum est, something is worth gold, is superb, both predicatively and attributively (cf.: auro contra, I. A. 2. supra): hujusce pomaria in summa Sacra Via ubi poma veneunt, contra aurum imago, a spectacle for gold, i. e. a magnificent sight, Varr. R. R. 1, 2, 10 MSS. (al. aliter):

numcubi hic vides citrum... num quod emblema aut lithostratum? quae illic omnia contra aurum,

superb, id. ib. 3, 2, 4 MSS. (Schneid. omits aurum, ex conj.):

oneravi vinum, et tunc erat contra aurum,

Petr. 7, 6.—

Transf., of replies, with aiebat, inquit, etc.; both in friendly and inimical sense; esp., contra ea, contra haec, = the adv. contra:

contra ea Titurius sero facturos clamitabat, etc.,

Caes. B. G. 5, 29:

contra ea Verginius unum Ap. Claudium et legum expertem et, etc., aiebat,

Liv. 3, 57, 1; 24, 45, 4:

quae contra breviter fata est vates,

Verg. A. 6, 398:

contra quod disertus Tu impie fecisti inquit, etc.,

Quint. 7, 1, 53 (cf.: contra ea, II. E. 1. infra).

Denoting hostility or disadvantage.

With verbs of hostile action.

Of physical exertion:

pugnavere et tertio consulatu ejus viginti (elephanti) contra pedites quingentos,

Plin. 8, 7, 7, § 22:

proelium Afri contra Aegyptios primi fecere fustibus,

id. 7, 56, 57, § 200; 8, 40, 61, § 142. —

Referring to warfare (usu. adversus), bellum gerere (rarely for cum or adversus; but contra patriam, contra aras, etc., not cum patria, etc.; cf.

bellum, II. A. 1. e.): a quo prohibitos esse vos contra Caesarem gerere bellum (opp. pro),

Cic. Lig. 8, 25; id. Phil. 5, 10, 27; Liv. Ep. 129.—With bellum suscipere:

contra Antonium,

Cic. Phil. 8, 2, 5; so,

contra patriam,

id. Sull. 20, 58:

pugnare contra patriam,

id. ib. 25, 70:

contra conjuges et liberos,

Sen. Ben. 5, 15, 5:

armatum esse contra populum Romanum,

Cic. Prov. Cons. 13, 32.—With arma ferre (freq.), Cic. Phil. 2, 29, 72; 13, 21, 47; Liv. 28, 28, 15; Nep. Att. 4, 2; Tib. 1, 6, 30; Ov. M. 4, 609; 13, 269; id. P. 1, 1, 26.—With arma sumere or capere, Cic. Rab. Perd. 6, 19; id. Phil. 4, 1, 2; 4, 3, 7:

armis contendere contra,

Caes. B. G. 2, 13:

arma alicui dare (trop.),

Cic. Phil. 2, 21, 53:

aciem instruere (trop.),

Liv. 25, 4, 4:

exercitum comparare,

Cic. Phil. 3, 6, 14; 4, 1, 2:

exercitum instruere,

id. Cat. 2, 11, 24:

exercitum ducere and adducere,

id. Phil. 4, 2, 5; 3, 4, 11:

exercitum contra Philippum mittere,

id. Inv. 1, 12, 17:

naves ducere contra,

Hor. Epod. 4, 19:

ducere contra hostes,

Liv. 1, 27, 4:

florem Italiae educere contra,

Cic. Cat. 2, 11, 24:

proficisci contra,

to march against, Liv. 1, 11, 3; 8, 2, 5:

auxilium ferre Rutulis contra Latinos,

Plin. 14, 12, 14, § 88:

juvare aliquem contra,

Caes. B. C. 1, 35:

consilium inire contra Sequanos,

to take hostile measures against, id. B. G. 6, 12.—

Of legal contention (more freq. adversus, except with verbs of saying).

In gen., with agere or causam agere, to act as counsel against a party or his attorney:

cum agerem contra hominem disertissimum nostrae civitatis,

Cic. Caecin. 33, 97; id. Brut. 63, 226; Sen. Ben. 4, 15, 3; Quint. 11, 1, 59.—Causam recipere or suscipere contra, to accept a retainer against:

(causam) quam receperam contra pueros Octavios,

Cic. Att. 13, 49, 1; Quint. 6, 1, 12; Plin. Ep. 4, 17, 1.—Adesse alicui contra, to appear, act as one's counsel against:

rogavit me Caecilius ut adessem contra Satrium,

Cic. Att. 1, 1, 3; Plin. Ep. 1, 7, 5 al.; cf.:

esse contra,

id. ib. 1, 18, 3.— Trop.: conquesturus venit;

at contra se adfuit et satisfacienti satisfecit,

Sen. Fragm. Amic. 14, 1, 89:

causam defendere contra,

against the accuser, Cic. de Or. 1, 39, 178:

statuere contra aliquem (sc. causam),

to establish a case against an adversary, id. Or. 10, 34:

actio competit contra,

Dig. 49, 14, 41:

querelam instituere contra,

ib. 5, 2, 21, § 1:

bonorum possessionem petere contra,

ib. 5, 2, 23:

jus obtinere contra,

Cic. Quint. 9, 34:

pugnare contra,

to struggle against the accuser, id. Sull. 17, 49; id. Verr. 1, 11, 33:

id quod mihi contra illos datum est,

i. e. a local advantage over, id. Tull. 14, 33:

judicare contra aliquem,

id. Fl. 20, 48; Dig. 21, 2, 55; 5, 2, 14; Just. Inst. 4, 17, 2:

pronuntiare contra,

Paul. Sent. 5, 34, 2: dare sententiam contra, Dig. 21, 2, 56, § 1:

decernere contra,

Cic. Fl. 31, 76:

appellare contra aliquem,

Dig. 49, 1, 3; 49, 5, 6; cf.:

contra sententiam,

Cod. Just. 7, 62, 32, § 2.—Sentire contra aliquem, to have an opinion unfavorable to:

cur vos (cum) aliquid contra me sentire dicatis, etc.,

Cic. Caecin. 27, 79.—

Venire contra aliquem, to appear as counsel for one's adversary:

quid tu, Saturi, qui contra hunc venis, existimas aliter?

Cic. Rosc. Com. 6, 18; id. Mur. 4, 9; id. Phil. 8, 6, 18.—Venire contra rem alicujus, to give advice damaging one's interests:

contra rem suam me venisse questus est,

Cic. Phil. 2, 2, 3.—

With dicere and other verbs of saying. (aa) Of a lawyer pleading against a lawyer:

ipse ille Mucius, quid in illa causa cum contra te diceret, attulit quod? etc.,

Cic. de Or. 1, 57, 244:

cum ille contra me pro Sex. Naevio diceret,

id. Brut. 60, 2, 7; id. de Or. 2, 7, 30; id. Rosc. Am. 15, 45; id. Div. in Caecil. 14, 44; id. Planc. 2, 5; id. Brut. 26, 102; so,

causam dicere,

id. Or. 2, 23, 98:

causam perorare,

id. Quint. 24, 77.—(bb) Of a lawyer's pleading against the parties: dic mihi, M. Pinari, num si contra te dixero mihi male dicturus es? Servil. ap. Cic. de Or. 2, 65, 261; 3, 34, 138; 1, 14, 60; id. Or. 35, 123; Quint. 11, 1, 57; cf. with ellipsis of acc.:

quorum alter pro Aufldia, contra dixit alter,

id. 10, 1, 22.—(ng) Of a party against a lawyer:

si Gaditani contra me dicerent,

if the Gaditani were my adversaries, Cic. Balb. 17, 38.—(dd) Of witnesses and experts, and the pleadings against them:

si decressent legationem quae contra istum diceret,

Cic. Verr. 2, 2, 4, § 12: contra testes dicere (opp. a testibus or pro testibus). Auct. Her. 2, 6, 9; Cic. de Or. 2, 27, 118 (cf.:

testimonium in aliquem dicere,

id. Sull. 17, 48; Quint. 7, 4, 36):

contra juris consultos dicere,

against their legal opinions, Cic. Caecin. 24, 69.—So of witnesses in scientific questions:

contra testes dicendum est,

Sen. Q. N. 7, 16, 1.—(ee) Dicere or contendere aliquid contra aliquem, to maintain a point against:

cum interrogamus adversarios... quid contra nos dici possit,

Auct. Her. 4, 23, 33:

tamenne vereris ut possis hoc contra Hortensium contendere?

Cic. Quint. 25, 78. —

Of literary adversaries, mostly with verbs of saying and writing:

cum scriberem contra Epicurios,

Cic. Att. 13, 38, 1:

contra Epicurum satis superque dictum est,

id. N. D. 2, 1, 2:

contra Brutum,

id. Tusc. 5, 8, 21:

contra Academiam,

id. Ac. 2, 19, 63; id. Fin. 1, 1, 2; 5, 8, 22; id. Tusc. 5, 11, 32; 5, 30, 84; id. Ac. 2, 4, 17:

contra autem omnia disputatur a nostris,

id. Off. 2, 2, 8.—

Of public and political adversaries (syn. adversus and in).

In gen.:

sentire contra,

Cic. Mil. 2, 5:

pugnare contra bonos,

id. Sull. 25, 71:

contra eos summa ope nitebatur nobilitas,

Sall. C. 38, 2; Cic. Sest. 19, 42; 52, 112:

(tribuni) qui aut contra consulem, aut pro studio ejus pugnabant,

Liv. 39, 32, 12.—

Of political speaking:

cum (Cato) eo ipso anno contra Serv. Galbam ad populum summa contentione dixisset,

Cic. Brut. 20, 80; so id. Imp. Pomp. 17, 53; Cael. ap. Cic. Fam. 8, 9, 1.—

Of hostile or criminal acts in gen. (syn.:

adversus, in): inire consilia contra,

Cic. Rosc. Am. 38, 110; id. Cat. 1, 7, 18:

manum comparare contra aliquem,

id. Sull. 24, 68:

conjurationem facere,

id. ib. 4, 12:

congredi,

id. Lig. 3, 9; Sall. J. 64, 4:

aliquid contra imperatorem moliri,

Just. Inst. 4, 18, 3:

nec dolor armasset contra sua viscera matrem,

against her own offspring Ov. R. Am. 59.—Facere contra (more freq. with abstr. objects; cf. II. C. 1. f. b infra): nunc te contra Caesarem facere summae stultitiae est, to take parts against, Cael. ap. Cic. Fam. 8, 16, 2:

eae (res) contra nos ambae faciunt,

operate against us, id. Quint. 1, 1.—With verbs of saying, etc.:

homo disertus non intellegit, eum quem contra dicit laudari a se?

Cic. Phil. 2, 8, 18; 2, 1, 2; 2, 21, 51; Sen. Ep. 15, 3, 70:

epigramma quod contra quamdam Gelliam scripsit,

Lampr. Alex. Sev. 38:

disputare contra deos, in two signif.: contra deum licet disputare liberius,

to accuse, reproach a god, Cic. N. D. 3, 31, 76; but: mala et impia consuetudo est contra deos disputandi, to reason against the gods, i. e. against their existence, id. ib. 2, 67, 168.—

Predicatively, with esse (videri, etc.), against, injurious to, unfavorable, prejudicial, to one's disadvantage: ut [p. 456] ex senatusconsulto neque cujus intersit, neque contra quem sit intellegi possit, Cic. Mur. 32, 68; id. de Or. 3, 20, 75; 2, 74, 299; 2, 81, 330; id. Sull. 13, 39; Sen. Ben. 6, 31, 6:

licentiam malis dare certe contra bonos est,

injurious to, Quint. 4, 2, 75:

res contra nos est, of unfavorable chances in a lawsuit,

id. 4, 66, 1; 4, 2, 75; 5, 13, 32.—Often, contra aliquem = quod est contra aliquem, referring to indef. pronouns or adjectives:

nihil contra me fecit odio mei = nihil quod esset contra me,

Cic. Har. Resp. 3, 5; id. Off. 3, 31, 112:

quibus (temporibus) aliquid contra Caesarem Pompeio suaserim,

id. Phil. 2, 10, 24.—

Added adverb. to the predicate, mostly referring to purpose, with hostile intent, for the purpose of some hostile act, in order to oppose, in opposition:

Caesarine eam (provinciam) tradituri fuistis, an contra Caesarem retenturi?

or keep it against Caesar, Cic. Lig. 7, 23:

sero enim resistimus ei quem per annos decem aluimus contra nos,

id. Att. 7, 5, 5:

judicium illud pecunia esse temptatum non pro Cluentio, sed contra Cluentium,

id. Clu. 4, 9; id. Imp. Pomp. 17, 52; id. Ac. 2, 28, 92:

cum quae facitis ejusmodi sint ut ea contra vosmet ipsos facere videamini,

id. Rosc. Am. 36, 104; Sen. Ep. 3, 7, 3: Curio se contra eum totum parat, i. e. to speak against him, Cael. ap. Cic. Fam. 8, 8, 10; Caes. B. C. 1, 85 ter; Sen. Q. N. 1, 7, 1; Plin. 16, 39, 74, § 192; Plin. Pan. 41.—So with the force of a temporal clause:

fidem meam quam essent contra Massam Baebium experti,

in the suit against, Plin. Ep. 3, 4, 4.—

Dependent on adjectives (rare):

contra se ipse misericors,

to his own injury, Phaedr. 4, 18, 3:

severissimus judex contra fures,

Lampr. Alex. Sev. 28.—

With nouns.

Acc. to 1. b.:

ut quam maximae contra Hannibalem copiae sint,

Cic. Inv. 1, 12, 17; cf. Vell. 2, 76, 3.—

Acc. to 1. c. and 1. e.; so esp., oratio contra (cf.: oratio in).

Oratio contra (never in), of an address against the counsel of a party or against the prosecutor:

quid in omni oratione Crassus vel apud centumviros contra Scaevolam, vel contra accusatorem Brutum, cum pro Cn. Plancio diceret?

Cic. de Or. 2, 54, 220; cf.:

Cato pro se contra Cassium = in oratione contra,

Gell. 10, 15, 3; so,

haec perpetua defensio contra Scaevolam,

Cic. de Or. 2, 54, 221:

orationem illam egregiam quam (Aeschines) in Ctesiphontem contra Demosthenem dixerat,

id. ib. 3, 56, 213.—

Of an address against the party, either in judicial or political affairs:

unam orationem contra Gracchum reliquit,

Cic. Brut. 26, 99:

(Demosthenis) oratio contra Leptinem... contra Aeschinem falsae legationis,

id. Or. 31, 111; Gell. 10, 24, 10; 10, 18, 91; Cic. Brut. 46, 169; Quint. 12, 10, 61; Cic. de Or. 2, 11, 45; id. Brut. 44, 164; Gell. 13, 25 (24), 15; cf. Quint. 4, 3, 13; 11, 2, 25.—

Acc. to 1. f.:

contra patres concitatio et seditio,

Cic. Brut. 14, 56.—Of animals:

contra volpium genus communibus inimicitiis,

Plin. 10, 76, 96, § 207.

With inanimate and abstract objects.

Directly dependent on verbs (cf. B. 1.).

Of physical or moral exertion:

cum fulmina contra Tot paribus streperet clipeis,

Verg. A. 10, 567:

pugnandum tamquam contra morbum, sic contra senectutem,

Cic. Sen. 11, 35:

contra verum niti,

Sall. J. 35, 8:

contra fortunam luctari,

Sen. Ben. 7, 15, 2; id. Brev. Vit. 10, 1; id. Ep. 78, 15; 99, 32; cf. Cic. Off. 1, 31, 110.—

Of warfare (lit. and trop.):

bellum contra aras, focos, vitam fortunasque gerere,

Cic. Phil. 3, 1, 1:

bellum gerimus... contra arma verbis,

id. Fam. 12, 22, 1.—So of logical contradictions:

artificis autem est invenire in actione adversarii quae semet ipsa pugnent,

Quint. 5, 13, 30.—

Of legal contention.

Of the actions of the counsel or prosecutor: dicere, or perorare, agere contra aliquid, to plead against, contest something:

contra argumenta, rumores, tabulas, quaestiones (opp. ab argumentis, etc.),

Auct. Her. 2, 6, 9 sqq.; Cic. de Or. 2, 27, 118:

contra ratiocinationem,

id. Inv. 2, 50, 153: contra scriptum dicere, to contest, controvert a written law or a document, id. ib. 2, 47, 138; 2, 48, 143; id. Brut. 39, 145; Quint. 7, 7, 1:

contra caput dicere,

to plead against life, Cic. Quint. 13, 44 (cf.:

servum in caput domini interrogare,

Paul. Sent. 1, 1, 34; 5, 16, 5 and 8; 5, 46, 3): contra libertatem agere, Dig. 40, 12, 26.—Pregn.:

contra rerum naturam, contraque consuetudinem hominum dicere (opp. contra nos dicere),

Cic. Rosc. Am. 15, 45.—

Of judicial decisions contradicting documents, etc.:

contra tabulas judicare,

Cic. de Or. 2, 70, 281:

contra testamentum,

Dig. 2, 17, § 1:

contra sententiam dicere,

ib. 49, 8, 1, § 2.—

Admittere aliquem contra bona, to admit a petition for bonorum possessio (cf.:

inmittere in bona),

Dig. 38, 2, 3, § 6.—

Of antagonism in literary and ethical questions.

To contend that something is false:

dicere, disputare, disserere contra opinionem or sententiam,

Cic. Tusc. 1, 4, 8; 5, 19, 55; id. de Or. 3, 18, 67; id. Fin. 5, 4, 10; id. Ac. 2, 18, 60; Sen. Ira, 1, 3, 3; id. Ep. 87, 5; 102, 5 (cf.:

in sententiam dicere,

in support of an opinion, Caes. B. G. 1, 45):

contra sensus dicere,

Cic. Ac. 2, 31, 101:

contra rhetoricen dicere,

Quint. 2, 17, 40.—

Of criticism, hostility to principles, etc.:

contra Iliadem et Odysseam scribere,

Vitr. 7, praef. 8:

contra quorum disciplinam ingenium ejus exarserat,

Cic. Tusc. 5, 29, 83.—

Ethically:

contra voluptatem dicere,

that pleasure is a moral evil, Cic. Fin. 5, 8, 21:

contra mortem loqui,

that death is no evil, Sen. Ep. 82, 7;

in both senses: contra vitia, pericula, fortunam, ambitionem,

id. ib. 100, 10:

contra fortunam gloriari,

that fortune has no power over him, Cic. Tusc. 5, 9, 26; Sen. Ep. 26, 5.—

Of public and political acts and speeches:

contra potentiam accusatorum dicere,

Cic. Brut. 44, 164:

contra legem dicere or verba facere,

id. Imp. Pomp. 15, 53; Liv. 34, 8, 1:

rogationem ferre contra coloniam ( = contra legem de colonia deducenda),

Cic. Clu. 51, 140; Auct. Her. 1, 17, 21; Plin. 8, 17, 24, § 64.—

Of hostility, injury, wrongs, etc.

In gen.:

senatusconsulto quod contra dignitatem tuam fieret,

directed against, Cic. Fam. 12, 29, 2:

contra rem publicam se commovere,

id. Cat. 1, 26; 1, 3, 7:

incitari,

id. Sest. 47, 100:

consilia inire,

id. Agr. 2, 3, 8:

conjurationem facere,

Sall. C. 30, 6:

contra salutem urbis incitari,

Cic. Cat. 3, 8, 20:

cogitare aliquid contra salutem,

id. ib. 3, 9, 21: contra voluntatem or studium dicere, to oppose one's will in a speech:

esse aliquem in civitate qui contra ejus (Chrysogoni) voluntatem dicere auderet,

id. Rosc. Am. 22, 60; id. Phil. 1, 11, 28; id. de Or. 3, 34, 138; id. Mur. 4, 10; Tac. H. 2, 91:

ne quid contra aequitatem contendas, ne quid pro injuria,

do not array yourself against equity, Cic. Off. 2, 20, 71.— Trop.:

quis non contra Marii arma, contra Suliae proscriptionem irascitur? ( = Mario propter arma, Sullae propter proscriptionem),

Sen. Ira, 2, 2, 3.—

In partic.: facere contra aliquid (syn. adversus), to commit an offence against, to transgress, etc.:

si quis ad Antonium profectus esset... senatus existimaturum eum contra rem publicam fecisse,

Cic. Phil. 8, 11, 33; id. Mil. 5, 13; 6, 14; id. Off. 3, 10, 43; 3, 25, 95; S. C. ap. Cael. ap. Cic. Fam. 8, 8, 6; Liv. 25, 4, 7; so,

contra salutem rei publicae facere,

Cic. Dom. 38, 102:

contra majestatem,

against the emperor, Dig. 48, 4, 5:

contra leges,

Cic. Dom. 18, 48; id. Vatin. 7, 18; id. Fin. 2, 17, 55; id. Mur. 32, 67; id. de Or. 3, 19, 70; cf. id. Clu. 34, 92; id. Mur. 32, 68; id. Dom. 14, 38; id. Phil. 10, 6, 13; Gai Inst. 4, 121:

contra edictum (praetoris),

Cic. Verr 2, 3, 10, § 25; Dig. 39, 1, 20, § 1:

contra foedus,

Cic. Balb. 6, 16:

contra jusjurandum ac fidem,

id. Off. 3, 10, 43; id. Lael. 3, 30, 74; id. Verr. 2, 3, 3, § 7; Prop. 3, 30, 44 (2, 32, 44).—And ironically:

tune contra Caesaris nutum (sc. facies)?

Cic. Att. 14, 10, 1.—Rarely contra ea facere = contra facere, adverb. (cf. I. B. 8. and II. E. 1. b.):

corpus in civitatem inferri non licet... et qui contra ea fecerit, extra ordinem punitur,

Paul. Sent. 1, 21, 2; 1, 21, 12.—

Predicatively with esse (usu. impers.), in violation of, in conflict with, contrary to (cf. 3. g).

With esse expressed as the predicate:

hominem hominis incommodo suum augere commodum magis est contra naturam quam mors,

Cic. Off. 3, 5, 21; id. Fin. 3, 9, 31; id. N. D. 3, 13, 33; Sen. Ep. 5, 4; Plin. 7, 8, 6, § 45:

contra leges or legem est,

Cic. Pis. 13, 30; id. Mur. 32, 67:

contra officium est,

id. Off. 3, 10, 43; 1, 10, 32; 1, 6, 19; cf. id. Lael. 11, 39; id. Off. 3, 15, 63; Liv. 6, 40, 5; Sen. Q. N. 2, 37, 2; Gai Inst. 3, 157; Dig. 30, 1, 112, § 3; 16, 3, 1, § 7.—With ellipsis of object (naturam), Cic. Fin. 5, 29, 89; cf.:

adeo res ista non habet ullam moram quae contra causas ignium sit,

unfavorable to the formation of fire, Sen. Q. N. 2, 26, 7.—

With verbal predicate, referring to an indef. pron. or adj., with esse understood:

scis hunc... nihil umquam contra rem tuam cogitasse ( = nihil quod contra rem tuam esset),

Cic. Rosc. Am. 50, 147; id. Mil. 5, 13:

aliquid contra animum audiendi,

something against our liking, Sen. Const. 19, 2.—So mostly with facere:

si quid Socrates aut Aristippus contra morem consuetudinemque fecerint,

Cic. Off. 1, 41, 148; id. Att. 3, 23, 2; 2, 22, 2; id. Off. 3, 15, 63; Sall. C. 15, 1; Dig. 8, 2, 11; 8, 2, 17; 35, 1, 79, § 2. —

Contra officium, substantively, = id quod contra officium est:

Sic inter recte factum atque peccatum, officium et contra officium, media locabat quaedam,

Cic. Ac. 1, 10, 37.—

Adverbially with the predicate.

In order to oppose, in opposition to, with hostile intent (cf. B. 3.):

eidem illam proscriptionem capitis mei contra salutem rei publicae rogatam esse dicebant,

that the proposal of the law was an attack on the republic, Cic. Prov. Cons. 19, 45; id. Rab. Perd. 12, 35; id. Phil. 10, 10, 22:

imperator contra postulata Bocchi nuntios mittit,

to reply to the demands, Sall. J. 83, 3; 25, 6; so,

advocare contra,

Sen. Cons. Polyb. 12, 4; id. Ep. 15, 2, 52:

si contra mortem te praeparaveris,

to meet death, id. ib. 11, 3, 8.—

With the force of a clause of manner, injuriously to, etc.:

quibus contra valetudinis commodum laborandum est,

Cic. Mur. 23, 47; Suet. Aug. 78:

contra hominis salutem,

with danger to a man's life, Cod. Just. 7, 62, 29.—

In gen., of conflict with some rule or principle, contrary to, in violation of, without regard to ( = ita ut contra sit; cf. 2. supra; very freq. from the class. period;

syn. adversus): ceperitne pecunias contra leges P. Decius,

Cic. de Or. 2, 31, 136; id. Verr. 2, 1, 4, § 10; id. Fl. 34, 86:

pecuniam contra leges auferre,

id. Verr. 1, 18, 56; 2, 1, 10, § 27; 2, 5, 18, § 46; id. Har. Resp. 26, 56:

contra legem,

id. Rab. Perd. 3, 8; id. Dom. 16, 41:

contra jus fasque,

id. Har. Resp. 16, 34; id. Quint. 6, 28:

contra jus,

Liv. 5, 4, 14; id. Dom. 13, 55; id. Verr. 2, 5, 13, § 34:

contra jus gentium,

Liv. 4, 32, 5; 9, 10, 10; 21, 25, 7; 5, 36, 6;

6, 1, 6: contra juris rigorem,

Dig. 40, 5, 24, § 10 et saep.:

contra testimonium aliquid judicare,

without regard to, Cic. Brut. 31, 117:

aliquid contra verecundiam disputare,

contrary to the rules of decency, id. Off. 1, 35, 128:

aliquid contra fidem constituere,

Quint. 5, 13, 34:

quae majores nostri contra lubidinem animi sui recte atque ordine fecere,

contrary to the dictates of passion, Sall. C. 51, 4; id. J. 33, 1; cf. of logical opposition, II. E. 2. infra.—

Dependent on substt.

Of physical strife:

scit ille imparem sibi luctatum contra nexus (draconis),

Plin. 8, 12, 12, § 33. —

Of warfare:

imperatorum copia contra tuum furorem,

Cic. Mur. 39, 83:

Parthorum gloria contra nomen Romanum,

Liv. 9, 18, 6: in castris perditorum contra patriam, Planc. ap. Cic. Fam. 10, 23, 6.—

Of legal contention:

causa contra scriptum,

Cic. Inv. 2, 46, 135.—

Of political speaking:

divina M. Tullii eloquentia contra leges agrarias,

Quint. 2, 16, 7; 9, 3, 50; Gell. 18, 7, 7.—

Of literary opposition:

Caesaris vituperatio contra laudationem meam,

Cic. Att. 12, 40, 1.—

Of hostility, etc.:

cujus factum, inceptum, conatumve contra patriam,

Cic. Cat. 2, 12, 27:

ullum factum dictumve nostrum contra utilitatem vestram,

Liv. 6, 40, 5.—

Of injury:

vitae cupiditas contra rem publicam,

Cic. Planc. 37, 90: contra serpentes venenum, fatal to serpents, or as a defence against serpents, Plin. 7, 2, 2, § 15.—

Of violation, disregard, etc. (cf. 3. g):

iter contra senatus auctoritatem,

Cic. Phil. 2, 19, 48:

contra consuetudinem somnium,

Plin. 10, 77, 98, § 211:

bonorum possessio contra tabulas,

Dig. 37, 4, 3, § 13; Gai Inst. 3, 41.—

Dependent on adjectives (very rare; cf.

II. D. 2. c. infra): contraque patris impii regnum impotens, avum resolvam,

Sen. Herc. Fur. 966.

Of defence, protection, and resistance (syn.: adversus, ab).

Against persons.

Dependent on verbs:

cum populus Romanus suam auctoritatem vel contra omnes qui dissentiunt possit defendere,

Cic. Imp. Pomp. 22, 63: si ego consul rem publicam [p. 457] contra te et gregales tuos defendissem, id. Sest. 52, 111; 22, 49; 8, 20; id. Fam. 11, 27, 7; id. Phil. 2, 18, 45:

contra quem multum omnes boni providerunt,

provided a great defence, id. Mur. 38, 81: formula qua utitur patronus contra libertum qui eum in jus vocat, as a defence against, Gai Inst. 4, 46. —And of protection of plants against injurious animals:

contra haec animalia proderit, si, etc.,

Pall. 10, 3, 2.—

Dependent on adjectives, mostly participial:

paratus contra,

Cic. Mil. 21, 56:

nihil satis firmum contra Metellum,

Sall. J. 80, 1:

contra potentes nemo est munitus satis,

Phaedr. 2, 6, 1.—

Against inanimate and abstract things.

Dependent on verbs:

contra avium morsus munitur vallo aristarum,

Cic. Sen. 15, 51:

propugnaculum, quo contra omnes meos impetus usurum se putat,

id. Verr. 2, 3, 16, § 40; 2, 5, 39, § 102:

publicam causam contra vim armatam suscipere,

id. Dom. 34, 91; id. Quint. 30, 94; id. Leg. 3, 3, 9:

contra tantas difficultates providere,

Sall. J. 90, 1; 76, 4; so,

contra ea,

id. ib. 57, 5:

patricii vi contra vim resistunt,

Liv. 3, 13, 4; Plin. 14, 2, 4, § 28; Tac. Agr. 45; Sen. Prov. 4, 12; id. Const. 5, 4.—

Dependent on substt.:

suffragia contra oppugnationem vestrae majestatis,

Cic. Rab. Perd. 12, 35:

defensio contra vim,

id. Mil. 5, 14:

patronus justitiae fuit contra orationem Phili,

id. Lael. 7, 25; Plin. 29, 2, 9, § 30; 14, 3, 4, § 40:

contra labores patientia,

id. 23, 1, 22, § 37.—

Dependent on adjectives (in Cic. freq. with P. a. predicatively used; otherwise very rare;

in later prose freq.): nec est quidquam Cilicia contra Syriam munitius,

against an attack from the side of Syria, Cic. Fam. 14, 4, 4:

ut nullius res tuta, nullius domus clausa, nullius vita saepta, nullius pudicitia munita contra tuam cupiditatem posset esse,

id. Verr. 2, 5, 15, § 39; id. Fin. 1, 16, 51; id. Mil. 25, 67; id. Tusc. 5, 8, 19; 5, 27, 76:

vir contra audaciam firmissimus,

id. Rosc. Am. 30, 85; Sall. J. 33, 2; 28, 5:

fortis contra dolorem,

Sen. Ep. 98, 18; Quint. 12, 1, 10:

callosus,

Plin. 11, 37, 54, § 147; 14, 2, 4, § 23:

far contra hiemes firmissimum,

id. 18, 8, 19, § 83:

equus tenax contra vincula,

Ov. Am. 3, 4, 13:

contraque minantia fata pervigil,

Claud. I. Cons. Stil. 1, 284.—

Of remedies against sickness and its causes, poison, etc.; so only in Plin.; in Pall. only of preventives and of protection against hurtful animals, and against mental perturbations in gen.; cf. infra (syn. ad in Cat., Cic., Cels., Col.; adversus only in Celsus, who also has in with abl.).

Dependent on verbs:

cujus et vinum et uva contra serpentium ictus medetur,

Plin. 14, 18, 22, § 117; 7, 2, 2, § 13:

prodest et contra suspiria et tussim,

id. 20, 13, 50, § 128:

valet potum contra venena,

id. 28, 7, 21, § 74; 29, 4, 22, § 71; 29, 4, 26, § 81; 28, 8, 27, § 98; 16, 37, 71, § 180; 35, 6, 14, § 34; 28, 6, 18, §§ 65-67.—

Dependent on substt.:

remedium contra morsus,

Plin. 8, 32, 50, § 118; 10, 59, 79, § 163:

contra venena esse omnia remedio,

id. 16, 44, 95, § 251; 17, 24, 37, § 240; 7, 1, 1, § 4.—

Dependent on adjectives:

vinum quod salutare contra pestilentiam sit,

Pall. 11, 14, 17.—

Appositively, as a remedy:

cujus lacteum succum miris laudibus celebrat... contra serpentes et venena,

Plin. 5, 1, 1, § 16; 29, 4, 26, § 83. —So of remedies against affections:

Tiberium tonante caelo coronari ea (lauro) solitum ferunt contra fulminum metus,

Plin. 15, 30, 40, § 135; cf. Sen. Ira, 2, 21, 1; id. Tranq. 5. 1.

Of logical opposition.

With a neuter demonstrative (contra ea, contra haec, contra quae, quod contra = contra, adv.).

The contrary, the reverse (very rare; cf.

I. D. 1.): sed mihi contra ea videtur,

but to me the contrary seems true, Sall. J. 85, 1:

omnia quae contra haec sunt, omnia quae contra sunt,

and vice versa, Quint. 5, 10, 90. —

Contra ea, on the contrary, in logical antithesis (not in Cic. and Sall.; once in Caes. and Quint.; several times in Liv. and Nep.; cf.: contra ea, in other uses, II. A. 2. e. a, II. D. 2. a., II. A. 3. d., II. C. 1. f.):

omnes arderent cupiditate pugnandi... contra ea Caesar... spatiumque interponendum... putabat ( = at contra),

but Caesar on the contrary, Caes. B. C. 3, 74: superbe ab Samnitibus... legati prohibiti commercio sunt;

contra ea benigne ab Siculorum tyrannis adjuti,

Liv. 4, 52, 6; 2, 60, 1; 21, 20, 6;

44, 43, 5: pater... Thracem me genuit, contra ea mater Atheniensem,

Nep. Iphicr. 3, 4; id. praef. 6; id. Alcib. 8, 1.—And after a question, with immo (cf. I. E. 5. b.):

an infirmissimi omnium... (sumus)? Immo contra ea vel viribus nostris, vel, etc., tuti (sumus),

Liv. 41, 24, 8.—

Quod contra, by anastrophe (v. F. 1.), contrary to which, whereas, while on the contrary (only once in Lucr. and three times in Cic.):

illud in his rebus vereor ne forte rearis, Inpia te rationis inire elementa viamque indugredi sceleris: quod contra saepius illa Religio peperit scelerosa atque impia facta,

whereas on the contrary, Lucr. 1, 81:

cujus a me corpus crematum est, quod contra decuit ab illo meum (sc. cremari),

Cic. Sen. 23, 84:

quod contra oportebat delicto dolere, correctione gaudere,

id. Lael. 24, 90 (B. and K. place a comma after oportebat; cf.

Nauck ad loc.): reliquum est ut eum nemo judicio defenderit: quod contra copiosissime defensum esse contendi,

id. Quint. 28, 87 (many consider contra in all these passages as an adverb; cf. Hand, Turs. II. p. 121 sq.; some explain quod as an ancient ablative, = qua re;

v. Ritschl,

Plaut. Exc. p. 57, Munro ad Lucr. 1, 82).—

With an abstract noun, with the force of the adverb contra with ac or atque (I. F. 1.), contrary to, contrary to what, etc. (esp. in Sall., not in Cic.; cf. praeter): celeriter contraque omnium opinionem confecto itinere, contrary to the opinion ( = contra ac rati erant), Caes. B. G. 6, 30:

contra opinionem Jugurthae ad Thalam perveniunt,

Sall. J. 75, 9; Hirt. B. G. 8, 40.—Contra spem either contrary to the opinion, or against the hope:

Metellus contra spem suam laetissume excipitur ( = contra ac ratus, veritus est),

Sall. J. 88, 1; so,

cetera contra spem salva invenit,

Liv. 9, 23, 17:

contra spem omnium L. Furium optavit,

id. 6, 25, 5; Curt. 8, 4, 45;

but: at Jugurtha contra spem nuntio accepto ( = contra ac speraverat),

Sall. J. 28, 1; Liv. 24, 45, 3:

postquam... Jugurtha contra timorem animi praemia sceleris adeptum sese videt,

Sall. J. 20, 1:

ipse in Numidiam procedit, ubi contra belli faciem tuguria plena hominumque... erant ( = contra ac in bello evenire solet),

id. ib. 46, 5:

contra famam,

Plin. 13, 22, 43, § 126; 7, 53, 54, § 180:

segniterque et contra industriam absconditae formicae,

slowly, and in a manner different from their usual activity, id. 18, 35, 88, § 364.—Of persons:

frigidam potionem esse debere, contra priores auctores, Asclepiades confirmavit,

contrary to the opinion of the former physicians, Cels. 4, 26 (19).

Sometimes by anastrophe after its noun.

In prose, after relatives, esp. in Cic.:

quos contra disputant,

Cic. Ac. 2, 15, 47:

quem contra dicit,

id. Phil. 2, 8, 18 (v. II. B. 1. f.):

quem contra veneris,

id. Mur. 4, 9:

quas contra, praeter te, etc.,

id. Vatin. 7, 18:

eos ipsos quos contra statuas,

id. Or. 10, 34:

quos contra me senatus armavit,

id. Att. 10, 8, 8:

quam contra multa locutus est,

Sen. Ep. 82, 7, Plin. Ep. 1, 23, 3; Claud. in Rufin. 1, 332; v. also E. 1. c. supra.—

After other words ( poet. and in post-Aug. prose):

hunc igitur contra mittam contendere causam,

Lucr. 4, 471:

dicere eos contra,

id. 4, 484:

donique eum contra,

id. 5, 708:

agmina contra,

Verg. A. 12, 279:

magnum Alciden contra,

id. ib. 5, 414:

Paridem contra,

id. ib. 5, 370:

Italiam contra,

id. ib. 1, 13:

deos contra,

Ov. P. 1, 1, 26:

Messania moenia contra,

id. M. 14, 17:

litora Calabriae contra,

Tac. A. 3, 1.

I) prep.

A. with dative.

I. Of motion;

1) towards, against;

Otkell laut at Skamkatli, bowed down to S.;

hann sneri egginni at Ásgrími, turned the edge against A.;

2) close atup to;

Brynjólfr gengr alit at honum, quite up to him;

þeir kómust aldri at honum, they could never get near him, to close quarters with him;

3) to, at;

koma at landi, to come to land;

ganga at dómi, to go into court;

4) along (= eptir);

ganga at stræti, to walk along the street;

dreki er niðr fór at ánni (went down the river) fyrir strauminum;

refr dró hörpu at ísi, on the ice;

5) denoting hostility;

renna (sœkja) at e-m, to rush at, assault;

gerði þá at þeim þoku mikla, they were overtaken by a thick fog;

6) around;

vefja motri at höfði sér, to wrap a veil round one’s head;

bera grjót at e-m, to heap stones upon the body;

7) denoting business, engagement;

ríða at hrossum, at sauðum, to go looking after horses, watching sheep;

fara at landskuldum, to go collecting rents.

II. Of position, &c.;

1) denoting presence at, near, by, upon;

at kirkju, at church;

at dómi, in court;

at lögbergi, at the hill of laws;

2) denoting participation in;

vera at veizlu, brullaupi, to be at a banquet, wedding;

vera at vígi, to be an accessory in man-slaying;

3) ellipt., vera at, to be about, to be busy at;

kvalararnir, er at vóru at pína hann, who were tormenting him;

var þar at kona nökkur at binda (was there busy dressing) sár manna;

4) with proper names of places (farms);

konungr at Danmörku ok Noregi, king of;

biskup at Hólum, bishop of Holar;

at Helgafelli, at Bergþórshváli;

5) used ellipt. with a genitive, at (a person’s) house;

at hans (at his house) gisti fjölmenni mikit;

at Marðar, at Mara’s home;

at hins beilaga Ólafs konungs, at St. Olave’s church;

at Ránar, at Ran’s (abode).

III. Of time;

1) at, in;

at upphafi, at first, in the beginning;

at skilnaði, at parting, when they parted;

at páskum, at Easter;

at kveldi, at eventide;

at þinglausnum, at the close of the Assembly;

at fjöru, at the ebb;

at flœðum, at the floodtide;

2) adding ‘komanda’ or ‘er kemr’;

at ári komanda, next year;

at vári, er kemr, next spring;

generally with ‘komanda’ understood;

at sumri, hausti, vetri, vári, next summer, &c.;

3) used with an absolute dative and present or past part.;

at sér lifanda, duing his lifetime;

at öllum ásjándum, in the sight of all;

at áheyranda höfðingjanum, in the hearing of the chief;

at upprennandi sólu, at sunrise;

at liðnum sex vikum, after six weeks are past;

at honum önduðum, after his death;

4) denoting uninterrupted succession, after;

hverr at öðrum, annarr at öðrum, one after another;

skildu menn at þessu, thereupon, after this;

at því (thereafter) kómu aðrar meyjar.

IV. fig. and in various uses;

1) to, into, with the notion of destruction or change;

brenna (borgina) at ösku, to burn to ashes;

verða at ormi, to become a snake;

2) for, as;

gefa e-t at gjöf, as a present;

eiga e-n at vin, to have one as friend;

3) by;

taka sverð at hjöltum, by the hilt;

draga út björninn at hlustunum, by the ears;

kjósa at afli, álitum, by strength, appearrance;

4) as regards as to;

auðigr at fé, wealthy in goods;

vænn (fagr) at áliti, fair of face;

5) as a law term, on the grounds of, by reason of;

ryðja ( to challenge) dóm at mægðum, kvið at frændsemi;

6) as a paraphrase of a genitive;

faðir, móðir at barni (= barns, of a child);

aðili at sök = aðili sakar;

7) with adjectives denoting colour, size, age, of;

hvítr, svartr, rauðr at lit, while, black, red of colour;

mikill, lítill at stœrð, vexti, tall, small of stature;

tvítugr at aldri, twenty years of age;

kýr at fyrsta, öðrum kálfi, a cow that has calved once, twice;

8) determining the source from which anything comes, of, from;

Ari nam ok marga frœði at Þuríði (from her);

þiggja, kaupa, geta, leigja e-t at e-m, to receive, buy, obtain, borrow a thing from one;

hafa veg (virðing) styrk at e-m, to derive honour, power, from one;

9) according, to, after (heygðr at fornum sið);

at ráði allra vitrustu manna, by the advice of;

at landslögum, by the law of the land;

at vánum, as was to be expected;

at leyfi e-s, by one’s leave;

10) in adverbial phrases;

gróa (vera grœddr) at heilu, to be quite healed;

bíta af allt gras at snøggu, quite bare;

at fullu, fully;

at vísu, surely;

at frjálsu, freely;

at eilífu, for ever and ever;

at röngu, at réttu, wrongly, rightly;

at líku, at sömu, equally, all the same;

at mun, at ráði, at marki, to a great extent.

B. with acc., after, upon (= eptir);

sonr á at taka arf at föður sinn, to take the inheritance after his father;

eiga féránsdóm at e-n, to hold a court of execution upon a person;

at þat (= eptir þat), after that, thereafter;

connected with a past part. or a., at Gamla fallinn, after the fall of Gamli;

at Hrungni dauðan, upon the death of Hrungnir.

1) as the simple mark of the infinitive, to;

at ganga, at ríða, at hlaupa, to walk, to ride, to run;

2) in an objective sense;

hann bauð þeim at fara, sitja, he bade (ordered) them to go, sit;

gefa e-m at eta, at drekka, to give one to eat, to drink;

3) denoting design or purpose, in order to (hann gekk í borg at kaupa silfr).

1) demonstrative particle before a comparative, the, all the, so much the;

hón grét at meir, she wept the more;

þykkir oss at líkara, all the more likely;

þú ert maðr at verri (so much the worse), er þú hefir þetta mælt;

2) rel. pron., who, which, that (= er);

þeir allir, at þau tíðindi heyrðu, all those who heard;

sem þeim er títt, at ( as is the custom of those who) kaupferðir reka.

conj., that;

1) introducing a subjective or objective clause;

þat var einhverju sinni, at Höskuldr hafði vinaboð, it happened once that H.;

vilda ek, at þú réðist austr í fjörðu, I should like you to go;

2) relative to svá, denoting proportion, degree;

svá mikill lagamaðr, at, so great a lawyer, that;

3) with subj., denoting end or purpose, in order that (skáru þeir fyrir þá (viz. hestana) melinn, at þeir dœi eigi af sulti);

4) since, because, as (= því at);

5) connected with þó, því, svá;

þó at (with subj.), though, although;

því at, because, for;

svá at, so that;

6) temp., þá at (= þá er), when;

þegar at (= þegar er), as soon as;

þar til at (= þar til er), until, till;

áðr at (= á. en), before;

7) used superfluously after an int. pron. or adv.;

Ólafr spurði, hvern styrk at hann mundi fá honum, what help he was likely to give him;

in a relative sense; með fullkomnum ávexti, hverr at (which) þekkr ok þægiligr mun verða.

negative verbal suffix, = ata; var-at, was not.

n. an incited conflict or fight ( see etja);

odda at, Yggs at, battle.

* * *

and að, prep., often used ellipt. dropping the case and even merely as an adverb, [Lat. ad; Ulf. at = πρός and παρά, A. S. ät; Engl. at; Hel. ad = apud; O. H. G. az; lost in mod. Germ., and rare in Swed. and Dan.; in more freq. use in Engl. than any other kindred language, Icel. only excepted]:—the mod. pronunciation and spelling is að (aþ); this form is very old, and is found in Icel. vellum MSS. of the 12th century, e. g. aþ, 623. 60; yet in earlier times it was sounded with a tenuis, as we may infer from rhymes, e. g. jöfurr hyggi at | hve ek yrkja fat, Egill: Sighvat also makes it rhyme with a t. The verse by Thorodd—þar vastu at er fjáðr klæðið þvat (Skálda 162)—is hardly intelligible unless we accept the spelling with an aspirate (að), and say that þvað is = þvá = þváði, lavabat; it may be that by the time of Thorodd and Ari the pure old pronunciation was lost, or is ‘þvat’ simply the A. S. þvât, secuit? The Icelanders still, however, keep the tenuis in compounds before a vowel, or before h, v, or the liquids l, r, thus—atyrða, atorka, athöfn, athugi, athvarf, athlægi; atvinna, atvik; atlaga, atlíðanði ( slope), atriði, atreið, atróðr: but aðdjúpr, aðfinsla (critic), aðferð, aðkoma, aðsókn, aðsúgr (crowding), aðgæzla. In some words the pronunciation is irregular, e. g. atkvæði not aðkv-; atburðr, but aðbúnaðr; aðhjúkran not athjúkran; atgörvi not aðgörfi. At, to, towards; into; against; along, by; in regard to; after.

Mostly with dat.; rarely with acc.; and sometimes ellipt.—by dropping the words ‘home,’ ‘house,’ or the like—with gen.

WITH DAT.

A. LOC.

I. WITH MOTION; gener. the motion to the borders, limits of an object, and thus opp. to frá:

1. towards, against, with or without the notion of arrival, esp. connected with verbs denoting motion (verba movendi et eundi), e. g. fara, ganga, koma, lúta, snúa, rétta at…; Otkell laut at Skamkatli, O. louted (i. e. bowed down) towards S., Nj. 77, Fms. xi. 102; sendimaðrinn sneri ( turned) hjöltum sverðsins at konungi, towards the king, i. 15; hann sneri egginni at Ásgrími, turned the edge towards A., Nj. 220; rétta e-t at e-m, to reach, hand over, Ld. 132; ganga at, to step towards, Ísl. ii. 259.

2. denoting proximity, close up to, up to; Brynjólfr gengr … allt at honum, B. goes quite up to him, Nj. 58; Gunnarr kom þangat at þeim örunum, G. reached them even there with his arrows, 115; þeir kómust aldri at honum, they could never get near him, to close quarters, id.; reið maðr at þeim (up to them), 274; þeir höfðu rakit sporin allt at ( right up to) gammanum, Fms. i. 9; komu þeir at sjó fram, came down to the sea, Bárð. 180.

3. without reference to the space traversed, to or at; koma at landi, to land, Ld. 38, Fms. viii. 358; ríða at dyrum, Boll. 344; hlaupa at e-m, to run up to, run at, Fms. vii. 218, viii. 358; af sjáfarganginum er hann gekk at landinu, of the surf dashing against the shore, xi. 6; vísa ólmum hundi at manni, to set a fierce hound at a man, Grág. ii. 118; leggja e-n at velli, to lay low, Eg. 426, Nj. 117; hníga at jörðu, at grasi, at moldu, to bite the dust, to die, Njarð. 378; ganga at dómi, a law term, to go into court, of a plaintiff, defendant, or bystander, Nj. 87 (freq.)

4. denoting a motion along, into, upon; ganga at stræti, to walk along the street, Korm. 228, Fms. vii. 39; at ísi, on the ice, Skálda 198, Fms. vii. 19, 246, viii. 168, Eb. 112 new Ed. (á is perh. wrong); máttu menn ganga bar yfir at skipum einum, of ships alone used as a bridge, Fas. i. 378; at höfðum, at nám, to trample on the slain on the battle-field, Lex. Poët.; at ám, along the rivers; at merkiósum, at the river’s mouth, Grág. ii. 355; at endilöngu baki, all along its back, Sks. 100.

5. denoting hostility, to rush at, assault; renna at, hlaupa at, ganga, fara, ríða, sækja, at e-m, (v. those words), whence the nouns atrenna, athlaup, atgangr, atför, atreið, atsókn, etc.

β. metaph., kom at þeim svefnhöfgi, deep sleep fell on them, Nj. 104. Esp. of weather, in the impers. phrase, hríð, veðr, vind, storm görir at e-m, to be overtaken by a snow storm, gale, or the like; görði þá at þeim þoku mikla, they were overtaken by a thick fog, Bárð. 171.

6. denoting around, of clothing or the like; bregða skikkju at höfði sér, to wrap his cloak over his head, Ld. 62; vefja motri at höfði sér, to wrap a snood round her head, 188; sauma at, to stick, cling close, as though sewn on; sauma at höndum sér, of tight gloves, Bs. i. 453; kyrtill svá þröngr sem saumaðr væri at honum, as though it were stitched to him, Nj. 214; vafit at vándum dreglum, tight laced with sorry tags, id.; hosa strengd fast at beini, of tight hose, Eg. 602; hann sveipar at sér iðrunum ok skyrtunni, he gathers up the entrails close to him and the skirt too, Gísl. 71; laz at síðu, a lace on the side, to keep the clothes tight, Eg. 602.

β. of burying; bera grjót at einum, to heap stones upon the body, Eg. 719; var gör at þeim dys or grjóti, Ld. 152; gora kistu at líki, to make a coffin for a body, Eb. 264, Landn. 56, Ld. 142.

γ. of summoning troops or followers; stefna at sér mönnum, to summon men to him, Nj. 104; stefna at sér liði, Eg. 270; kippa mönnum at sér, to gather men in haste, Ld. 64.

7. denoting a business, engagement; ríða at hrossum, at sauðum, to go looking after after horses, watching sheep, Glúm. 362, Nj. 75; fara at fé, to go to seek for sheep, Ld. 240; fara at heyi, to go a-haymaking, Dropl. 10; at veiðum, a-hunting; at fuglum, a-fowling; at dýrum, a-sbooting; at fiski, a-fishing; at veiðiskap, Landn. 154, Orkn. 416 (in a verse), Nj. 25; fara at landskuldum, to go a-collecling rents, Eg. 516; at Finnkaupum, a-marketing with Finns, 41; at féföngum, a-plundering, Fms. vii. 78; ganga at beina, to wait on guests, Nj. 50; starfa at matseld, to serve at table, Eb. 266; hitta e-n at nauðsynjum, on matters of business; at máli, to speak with one, etc., Fms. xi. 101; rekast at e-m, to pursue one, ix. 404; ganga at liði sér, to go suing for help, Grág. ii. 384.

β. of festivals; snúa, fá at blóti, veizlu, brullaupi, to prepare for a sacrificial banquet, wedding, or the like, hence at-fangadagr, Eb. 6, Ld. 70; koma at hendi, to happen, befall; ganga at sínu, to come by one’s own, to take it, Ld. 208; Egill drakk hvert full er at honum kom, drained every horn that came to him, Eg. 210; komast at keyptu, to purchase dearly, Húv. 46.

8. denoting imaginary motion, esp. of places, cp. Lat. spectare, vergere ad…, to look or lie towards; horfði botninn at höfðanum, the bight of the bay looked toward the headland, Fms. i. 340, Landn. 35; also, skeiðgata liggr at læknum, leads to the brook, Ísl. ii. 339; á þann arminn er vissi at sjánum, on that wing which looked toward the sea, Fms. viii. 115; sár þau er horft höfðu at Knúti konungi, xi. 309.

β. even connected with verbs denoting motion; Gilsáreyrr gengr austan at Fljótinu, G. extends, projects to F. from the east, Hrafh. 25; hjá sundi því, er at gengr þingstöðinni, Fms. xi. 85.

II. WITHOUT MOTION; denoting presence at, near, by, at the side of, in, upon; connected with verbs like sitja, standa, vera…; at kirkju, at church, Fms. vii. 251, K. f). K. 16, Ld. 328, Ísl. ii. 270, Sks. 36; vera at skála, at húsi, to be in, at home, Landn. 154; at landi, Fms. i. 82; at skipi, on shipboard, Grág. i. 209, 215; at oldri, at a banquet, inter pocula; at áti, at dinner, at a feast, inter edendum, ii. 169, 170; at samförum ok samvistum, at public meetings, id.; at dómi, in a court; standa (to take one’s stand) norðan, sunnan, austan, vestan at dómi, freq. in the proceedings at trials in lawsuits, Nj.; at þingi, present at the parliament, Grág. i. 142; at lögbergi, o n the hill of laws, 17, Nj.; at baki e-m, at the back of.

2. denoting presence, partaking in; sitja at mat, to sit at meat, Fms. i. 241; vera at veizlu, brullaupi, to be at a banquet, nuptials, Nj. 51, Ld. 70: a law term, vera at vígi, to be an accessory in manslaying, Nj. 89, 100; vera at e-u simply means to be about, be busy in, Fms. iv. 237; standa at máli, to stand by one in a case, Grág. ii. 165, Nj. 214; vera at fóstri, to be fostered, Fms. i. 2; sitja at hégóma, to listen to nonsense, Ld. 322; vera at smíð, to be at one’s work, Þórð. 62: now absol., vera at, to go on with, be busy at.

3. the law term vinna eið at e-u has a double meaning:

α. vinna eið at bók, at baugi, to make an oath upon the book by laying the band upon it, Landn. 258, Grág., Nj.; cp. Vkv. 31, Gkv. 3. 3, Hkv. 2. 29, etc.: ‘við’ is now used in this sense.

β. to confirm a fact (or the like) by an oath, to swear to, Grág. i. 9, 327.

γ. the law phrase, nefna vátta at e-u, of summoning witnesses to a deed, fact, or the like; nefna vátta at benjum, to produce evidence, witnesses as to the wounds, Nj., Grág.; at görð, Eg. 738; at svörum, Grág. i. 19: this summoning of witnesses served in old lawsuits the same purpose as modern pleadings and depositions; every step in a suit to be lawful must be followed by such a summoning or declaration.

4. used ellipt., vera at, to be about, to be busy at; kvalararnir er at vóru at pína hann, who were tormenting him; þar varstu at, you were there present, Skálda 162; at várum þar, Gísl. (in a verse): as a law term ‘vera at’ means to be guilty, Glúm. 388; vartattu at þar, Eg. (in a verse); hence the ambiguity of Glum’s oath, vask at þar, I was there present: var þar at kona nokkur ( was there busy) at binda sár manna, Fms. v. 91; hann var at ok smíðaði skot, Rd. 313; voru Varbelgir at ( about) at taka af, þau lög …, Fms. ix. 512; ek var at ok vafk, I was about weaving, xi. 49; þeir höfðu verit at þrjú sumur, they had been busy at it for three summers, x. 186 (now very freq.); koma at, come in, to arrive unexpectedly; Gunnarr kom at í því, G. came in at that moment; hvaðan komtú nú at, whence did you come? Nj. 68, Fms. iii. 200.

5. denoting the kingdom or residence of a king or princely person; konungr at Danmörk ok Noregi, king of…, Fms. i. 119, xi. 281; konungr, jarl, at öllum Noregi, king, earl, over all N., íb. 3, 13, Landn. 25; konungr at Dyflinni, king of Dublin, 25; but í or yfir England!, Eg. 263: cp. the phrase, sitja at landi, to reside, of a king when at home, Hkr. i. 34; at Joini, Fms. xi. 74: used of a bishop; biskup at Hólum, bishop of Hólar, Íb. 18, 19; but biskup í Skálaholti, 19: at Rómi, at Rome, Fbr. 198.

6. in denoting a man’s abode (vide p. 5, col. 1, l. 27), the prep. ‘at’ is used where the local name implies the notion of by the side of, and is therefore esp. applied to words denoting a river, brook, rock, mountain, grove, or the like, and in some other instances, by, at, e. g. at Hofi (a temple), Landn. 198; at Borg ( a castle), 57; at Helgafelli (a mountain), Eb. constantly so; at Mosfelli, Landn. 190; at Hálsi (a hill), Fms. xi. 22; at Bjargi, Grett. 90; Hálsum, Landn. 143; at Á ( river), 296, 268; at Bægisá, 212; Giljá, 332; Myrká, 211; Vatnsá, id.; þverá, Glúm. 323; at Fossi (a ‘force’ or waterfall), Landn. 73; at Lækjamoti (waters-meeting), 332; at Hlíðarenda ( end of the lithe or hill), at Bergþórshváli, Nj.; at Lundi (a grove), at Melum (sandhill), Landn. 70: the prep. ‘á’ is now used in most of these cases, e. g. á Á, á Hofi, Helgafelli, Felli, Hálsi, etc.

β. particularly, and without any regard to etymology, used of the abode of kings or princes, to reside at; at Uppsölum, at Haugi, Alreksstöðum, at Hlöðum, Landn., Fms.

γ. konungr lét kalla at stofudyrum, the king made a call at the hall door, Eg. 88; þeir kölluðu at herberginu, they called at the inn, Fms. ix. 475.

7. used ellipt. with a gen., esp. if connected with such words as gista, to be a guest, lodge, dine, sup (of festivals or the like) at one’s home; at Marðar, Nj. 4; at hans, 74; þingfesti at þess bóanda, Grág. i. 152; at sín, at one’s own home, Eg. 371, K. Þ. K. 62; hafa náttstað at Freyju, at the abode of goddess Freyja, Eg. 603; at Ránar, at Ran’s, i. e. at Ran’s house, of drowned men who belong to the queen of the sea, Ran, Eb. 274; at hins heilaga Ólafs konungs, at St. Olave’s church, Fms. vi. 63: cp. ad Veneris, εις Κίμωνος.

B. TEMP.

I. at, denoting a point or period of time; at upphafi, at first, in the beginning, Ld. 104; at lyktum, at síðustu, at lokum, at last; at lesti, at last, Lex. Poët., more freq. á lesti; at skilnaði, at parting, at last, Band. 3; at fornu, in times of yore, formerly, Eg. 267, D. I. i. 635; at sinni, as yet, at present; at nýju, anew, of present time; at eilífu, for ever and ever; at skömmu, soon, shortly, Ísl. ii. 272, v. l.

II. of the very moment when anything happens, the beginning of a term; denoting the seasons of the year, months, weeks, the hours of the day; at Jólum, at Yule, Nj. 46; at Pálmadegi, on Palm Sunday, 273; at Páskum, at Easter; at Ólafsvöku, on St. Olave’s eve, 29th of July, Fms.; at vetri, at the beginning of the winter, on the day when winter sets in, Grág. 1. 151; at sumarmálum, at vetrnáttum; at Tvímánaði, when the Double month (August) begins, Ld. 256, Grág. i. 152; at kveldi, at eventide, Eg. 3; at því meli, at that time; at eindaga, at the term, 395; at eykð, at 4 o’clock p. m., 198; at öndverðri æfi Abra hams, Ver. II; at sinni, now at once, Fms. vi. 71; at öðruhverju, every now and then.

β. where the point of time is marked by some event; at þingi, at the meeting of parliament (18th to the 24th of June), Ld. 182; at féránsdómi, at the court of execution, Grág. i. 132, 133; at þinglausnum, at the close of the parliament (beginning of July), 140; at festarmálum, eðr at eiginorði, at betrothal or nuptials, 174; at skilnaði, when they parted, Nj. 106 (above); at öllum minnum, at the general drinking of the toasts, Eg. 253; at fjöru, at the ebb; at flæðum, at flood tide, Fms. viii. 306, Orkn. 428; at hrörum, at an inquest, Grág. i. 50 (cp. ii. 141, 389); at sökum, at prosecutions, 30; at sinni, now, as yet, v. that word.

III. ellipt., or adding ‘komanda’ or ‘er kemr,’ of the future time:

1. ellipt., komanda or the like being understood, with reference to the seasons of the year; at sumri, at vetri, at hausti, at vári, next summer, winter…, Ísl. ii. 242; at miðju sumri, at ári, at Midsummer, next year, Fas. i. 516; at miðjum vetri, Fms. iv. 237,

2. adding ‘komanda’ or ‘er kemr;’ at ári komanda, Bárð. 177; at vári er kemr, Dipl. iii. 6.

IV. used with an absolute dat. and with a pres. part.:

1. with pres. part.; at morni komanda, on the coming morrow, Fms. i. 263; at sér lifanda, in vivo, in his life time, Grág. ii. 202; at þeim sofundum, illis dormientibus, Hkr. i. 234; at öllum ásjándum, in the sight of all, Fms. x. 329; at úvitanda konungi, illo nesciente, without his knowledge, 227; at áheyranda höfðingjanum, in the chief’s bearing, 235.

2. of past time with a past part. (Lat. abl. absol.); at hræjum fundnum, on the bodies being found, Grág. ii. 87; at háðum dómum ok föstu þingi, during the session, the courts being set, i. 484; at liðnum sex vikum, after six weeks past, Band. 13; at svá búnu, so goru, svá komnu, svá mæltu (Lat. quibus rebus gestis, dictis, quo facto, dicto, etc.), v. those words; at úreyndu, without trial, without put ting one to the test, Ld. 76; at honum önduðum, illo mortuo.

3. ellipt. without ‘at;’ en þessum hlutum fram komnum, when all this has been done, Eb. 132.

V. in some phrases with a slight temp, notion; at görðum gildum, the fences being strong, Gþl. 387; at vörmu spori, at once, whilst the trail is warm; at úvörum, unawares, suddenly, Nj. 95, Ld. 132; at þessu, at this cost, on that condition, Eb. 38, Nj. 55; at illum leiki, to have a narrow escape, now við illan leik, Fms. ix. 473; at því, that granted, Grág. ii. 33: at því, at pessu, thereafter, thereupon, Nj. 76.

2. denoting succession, without interruption, one after another; hverr at öðrum, annarr maðr at öðrum, aðrir at öðrum; eina konu at annarri, Eg. 91, Fms. ii. 236, vi. 25, Bs. i. 22, 625. 80, H. E. i. 522.

C. METAPH. and in various cases:

I. denoting a transformation or change into, to, with the notion of destruction; brenna at ösku, at köldum kolum, to burn to ashes, to be quite destroyed, Fms. i. 105, Edda 3, Sturl. ii. 51: with the notion of transformation or transfiguration, in such phrases as, verða at e-u, göra e-t at e-u, to turn it into:

α. by a spell; verða at ormi, to become a snake, Fms. xi. 158; at flugdrekum, Gullþ. 7; urðu þau bönd at járni, Edda 40.

β. by a natural process it can often be translated by an acc. or by as; göra e-n at urðarmanni, to make him an outlaw, Eg. 728; græða e-n at orkumlamanni, to heal him so as to maim him for life, of bad treatment by a leech, Eb. 244: in the law terms, sár görist at ben, a wound turning into a ben, proving to be mortal, Grág., Nj.; verða at ljúgvætti, to prove to be a false evidence, Grág. i. 44; verða at sætt, to turn into reconciliation, Fms. i. 13; göra e-t at reiði málum, to take offence at, Fs. 20; at nýjum tíðindum, to tell as news, Nj. 14; verða fátt at orðum, to be sparing of words, 18; kveðr (svá) at orði, to speak, utter, 10; verða at þrifnaði, to geton well, Fms. vii. 196: at liði, at skaða, to be a help or hurt to one; at bana, to cause one’s death, Nj. 223, Eg. 21, Grág. ii. 29: at undrum, at hlátri, to become a wonder, a laughing-stock, 623. 35, Eg. 553.

II. denoting capacity, where it may be translated merely by as or for; gefa at Jólagjöf, to give for a Christmas-box, Eg. 516; at gjöf, for a present; at erfð, at láni, launum, as an inheritance, a loan; at kaupum ok sökum, for buying and selling, Ísl. ii. 223, Grág. i. 423; at solum, ii. 204; at herfangi, as spoil or plunder; at sakbótum, at niðgjöldum, as a compensation, weregeld, i. 339, ii. 171, Hkr. ii. 168; taka at gíslingu, to take as an hostage, Edda 15; eiga e-n at vin, at óvin, to have one as friend or foe, illt er at eiga þræl at eingavin, ‘tis ill to have a thrall for one’s bosom friend (a proverb), Nj. 77; fæða, eiga, at sonum (syni), to beget a son, Edda 8, Bs. i. 60 (but eiga at dóttur cannot be said); hafa möttul at yfirhöfn, Fms. vii. 201; verða nökkut at manni (mönnum), to turn out to be a worthy man; verða ekki at manni, to turn out a worthless person, xi. 79, 268.

2. in such phrases as, verða at orðum, to come towards, Nj. 26; var þat at erindum, Eg. 148; hafa at veizlum, to draw veizlur ( dues) from, Fms. iv. 275, Eg. 647; gora e-t at álitum, to take it into consideration, Nj. 3.

III. denoting belonging to, fitting, of parts of the whole or the like; vóru at honum (viz. the sword) hjölt gullbúin, the sword was ornamented with a hilt of gold, Ld. 330; umgörð at ( belonging to) sverði, Fs. 97 (Hs.) in a verse; en ef mór er eigi at landinu, if there be no turf moor belonging to the land, Grág. ii. 338; svá at eigi brotnaði nokkuð at Orminum, so that no harm happened to the ship Worm, Fms. x. 356; hvatki er meiðir at skipinu eðr at reiðinu eðr at viðum, damage done t o …, Grág. ii. 403; lesta ( to injure) hús at lásum, við eðr torfi, 110; ef land hefir batnað at húsum, if the land has been bettered as to its buildings, 210; cp. the phrase, göra at e-u, to repair: hamlaðr at höndum eðr fótum, maimed as to hands or feet, Eg. 14; heill at höndum en hrumr at fótum, sound in band, palsied in foot, Fms. vii. 12; lykill at skrá, a key belonging, fitting, to the latch; hurð at húsi; a key ‘gengr at’ ( fits) skrá; and many other phrases. 2. denoting the part by which a thing is held or to which it belongs, by; fá, taka at…, to grasp by …; þú tókt við sverði hans at hjöltunum, you took it by the bill, Fms. i. 15; draga út björninn at hlustum, to pull out the bear by the ears, Fas. ii. 237; at fótum, by the feet, Fms. viii. 363; mæla ( to measure) at hrygg ok at jaðri, by the edge or middle of the stuff, Grág. i. 498; kasta e-m at höfði, head foremost, Nj. 84; kjósa e-n at fótum, by the feet alone, Edda 46; hefja frændsemi at bræðrum, eða at systkynum, to reckon kinship by the brother’s or the sister’s side, Grág. i. 28; kjósa at afli, at álitum, by strength, sight, Gs. 8, belongs rather to the following.

IV. in respect of, as regards, in regard to, as to; auðigr at fé, wealthy of goods, Nj. 16, 30, 51; beztir hestar at reið, the best racehorses, 186; spekingr at viti, a man of great intellect, Ld. 124; vænn (fagr) at áliti, fair of face, Nj. 30, Bs. i. 61; kvenna vænst at ásjónu ok vits munum, of surpassing beauty and intellect, Ld. 122; fullkominn at hyggju, 18; um fram aðra menn at vinsældum ok harðfengi, of surpassing popularity and hardihood, Eb. 30.

2. a law term, of challenging jurors, judges, or the like, on account of, by reason of; ryðja ( to challenge) at mægðum, guðsifjum, frændsemi, hrörum …; at leiðarlengd, on account of distance, Grág. i. 30, 50, Nj. (freq.)

3. in arithm. denoting proportion; at helmingi, þriðjungi, fjórðungi, tíunda hluta, cp. Lat. ex asse, quadrante, for the half, third… part; máttr skal at magni (a proverb), might and main go together, Hkr. ii. 236; þú munt vera at því mikill fræðimaðr á kvæði, in the same proportion, as great, Fms. vi. 391, iii. 41; at e-s hluta, at… leiti, for one’s part, in turn, as far as one is con cerned, Grág. i. 322, Eg. 309, Fms. iii. 26 (freq.): at öðrum kosti, in the other case, otherwise (freq.) More gener., at öllu, öngu, in all (no) respects; at sumu, einhverju, nokkru, partly; at flestu, mestu, chiefly.

4. as a paraphrase of a genitive; faðir, móðir at barni (= barns); aðili at sök (= sakar a.); morðingi at barni (= barns), faðerni at barni (barns); illvirki at fé manna (cp. Lat. felo de se), niðrfall at sökum (saka), land gangr at fiskum (fiska), Fms. iv. 274, Grág. i. 277, 416, N. G. L. i. 340, K. Þ. K. 112, Nj. 21.

5. the phrase ‘at sér,’ of himself or in himself, either ellipt. or by adding the participle görr, and with the adverbs vel, ilia, or the like; denoting breeding, bearing, endowments, character …; væn kona, kurteis ok vel at sér, an accomplished, well-bred, gifted lady, Nj. I; vitr maðr ok vel at sér, a wise man and thoroughly good in feeling and bearing, 5; þú ert maðr vaskr ok vel at þér, 49; gerr at sér, accomplished, 51; bezt at sér görr, the finest, best bred man, 39, Ld. 124; en þó er hann svá vel at sér, so generous, Nj. 77; þeir höfðingjar er svá vóru vel at sér, so noble-minded, 198, Fms. i. 160: the phrase ‘at sér’ is now only used of knowledge, thus maðr vel að sér means clever, a man of great knowledge; illa að sér, a blockhead.

6. denoting relations to colour, size, value, age, and the like; hvitr, svartr, grár, rauðr … at lit, white, swarthy, gray, red … of colour, Bjarn. 55, 28, Ísl. ii. 213, etc.; mikill, lítill, at stærð, vexti, tall, small of size, etc.; ungr, gamall, barn, at aldri, young, old, a child of age; tvítugr, þrítugr … at aldri, twenty, thirty … years of age (freq.): of animals; kyr at fyrsta, öðrum … kálfi, a cow having calved once, twice…, Jb. 346: value, amount, currency of money, kaupa e-t at mörk, at a mark, N. G. L. 1. 352; ok er eyririnn at mörk, amounts to a mark, of the value of money, Grág. i. 392; verðr þá at hálfri murk vaðmála eyrir, amounts to a half a mark, 500.

β. metaph. of value, connected with verbs denoting to esteem, hold; meta, hafa, halda at miklu, litlu, vettugi, engu, or the like, to hold in high or low esteem, to care or not to care for (freq.): geta e-s at góðu, illu, öngu, to mention one favourably, unfavourably, indifferently … (freq.), prop. in connection with. In many cases it may be translated by in; ekki er mark at draumum, there is no meaning in dreams, no heed is to be paid to dreams, Sturl. ii. 217; bragð er at þá barnið finnr, it goes too far, when even a child takes offence (a proverb): hvat er at því, what does it mean? Nj. 11; hvert þat skip er vöxtr er at, any ship of mark, i. e. however small, Fms. xi. 20.

V. denoting the source of a thing:

1. source of infor mation, to learn, perceive, get information from; Ari nam ok marga fræði at Þuríði, learnt as her pupil, at her hands, as St. Paul at the feet of Gamaliel, (just as the Scotch say to speer or ask at a person); Ari nam at Þorgeiri afraðskoll, Hkr. (pref.); nema kunnáttu at e-m, used of a pupil, Fms. i. 8; nema fræði at e-m, xi. 396.

2. of receiving, acquiring, buying, from; þiggja e-t at e-m, to receive a thing at his hands, Nj. 51; líf, to be pardoned, Fms. x. 173; kaupa land at e-m, to buy it from, Landn. 72, Íb. II, (now af is more freq. in this sense); geta e-t at e-m, to obtain, procure at one’s hands, impetrare; þeirra manna er þeir megu þat geta at, who are willing to do that, Grág. i. I; heimta e-t at e-m (now af), to call in, demand (a debt, money), 279; fala e-t at e-m (now af), to chaffer for or cheapen anything, Nj. 73; sækja e-t at e-m, to ask, seek for; sækja heilræði ok traust at e-m, 98; leiga e-t at e-m (now af), to borrow, Grág. ii. 334; eiga e-t (fé, skuld) at e-m, to be owed money by any one, i. 399: metaph. to deserve of one, Nj. 113; eiga mikit at e-m, to have much to do with, 138; hafa veg, virðing, styrk, at, to derive honour, power from, Fms. vi. 71, Eg. 44, Bárð. 174; gagn, to be of use, Ld. 216; mein, tálma, mischief, disadvantage, 158, 216, cp. Eg. 546; ótta, awe, Nj. 68.

VI. denoting conformity, according to, Lat. secundum, ex, after; at fornum sið, Fms. i. 112; at sögn Ara prests, as Ari relates, on his authority, 55; at ráði allra vitrustu manna, at the advice of, Ísl. ii. 259, Ld. 62; at lögum, at landslögum, by the law of the land, Grág., Nj.; at líkindum, in all likelihood, Ld. 272; at sköpum, in due course (poet.); at hinum sama hætti, in the very same manner, Grág. i. 90; at vánum, as was to be expected, Nj. 255; at leyfi e-s, by one’s leave, Eg. 35; úlofi, Grág. ii. 215; at ósk, vilja e-s, as one likes…; at mun, id. (poet.); at sólu, happily (following the course of the sun), Bs. i. 70, 137; at því sem …, as to infer from …, Nj. 124: ‘fara, láta, ganga at’ denotes to yield, agree to, to comply with, give in, Ld. 168, Eg. 18, Fms. x. 368.

VII. in phrases nearly or quite adverbial; gróa, vera græddr, at heilu, to be quite healed, Bárð. 167, Eb. 148; bíta at snöggu, to bite it bare, Fms. xi. 6; at þurru, till it becomes dry, Eb. 276; at endilöngu, all along, Fas. ii; vinnast at litlu, to avail little, 655 x. 14; at fullu, fully, Nj. 257, Hkr. i. 171; at vísu, of a surety, surely, Ld. 40; at frjálsu, freely, 308; at líku, at sömu, equally, all the same, Hom. 80, Nj. 267; at röngu, wrongly, 686 B. 2; at hófi, temperately, Lex. Poët.; at mun, at ráði, at marki, to a great extent; at hringum, utterly, all round, (rare), Fms. x. 389; at einu, yet, Orkn. 358; svá at einu, því at einu, allt at einu, yet, however, nevertheless.

VIII. connected with comparatives of adverbs and adjectives, and strengthening the sense, as in Engl. ‘the,’ so much the more, all the more; ‘at’ heldr tveimr, at ek munda gjarna veita yðr öllum, where it may be translated by so much the more to two, as I would willingly grant it to all of you; hon grét at meir, she grat (wept) the more, Eg. 483; þykir oss at líkara, all the more likely, Fms. viii. 6; þess at harðari, all the harder, Sturl. iii. 202 C; svá at hinn sé bana at nær, Grág. ii. 117; at auðnara, at hólpnara, the more happy, Al. 19, Grett. 116 B; þess at meiri, Fms. v. 64; auvirðismaðr at meiri, Sturl. ii. 139; maðr at vaskari, id.; at feigri, any the more fey, Km. 22; maðr at verri, all the worse, Nj. 168; ok er ‘at’ firr…, at ek vil miklu heldr, cp. Lat. tantum abest… ut, Eg. 60.

β. following after a negation; eigi at síðr, no less, Nj. 160, Ld. 146; eigi… at meiri maðr, any better, Eg. 425, 489; erat héra at borgnara, any the better off for that, Fms. vii. 116; eigi at minni, no less for that, Edda (pref.) 146; eigi at minna, Ld. 216, Fms. ix. 50; ekki at verri drengr, not a bit worse for that, Ld. 42; er mér ekki son minn at bættari, þótt…, 216; at eigi vissi at nær, any more, Fas. iii. 74.

IX. following many words:

1. verbs, esp. those denoting, a. to ask, enquire, attend, seek, e. g. spyrja at, to speer (ask) for; leita at, to seek for; gæta, geyma at, to pay attention to; huga, hyggja at; hence atspurn, to enquire, aðgæzla, athugi, attention, etc.

β. verbs denoting laughter, play, joy, game, cp. the Engl. to play at …, to laugh at …; hlæja, brosa at e-u, to laugh, smile at it; leika (sér) at e-u, to play at; þykja gaman at, to enjoy; hæða, göra gys at …, to make sport at …

γ. verbs denoting assistance, help; standa, veita, vinna, hjálpa at; hence atstoð, atvinna, atverk:—mode, proceeding; fara at, to proceed, hence atför and atferli:—compliance; láta, fara at e-u, v. above:— fault; e-t er at e-u, there is some fault in it, Fms. x. 418; skorta at e-u, to fall short of, xi. 98:—care, attendance; hjúkra at, hlýja at, v. these words:—gathering, collecting; draga, reiða, flytja, fá at, congerere:—engagement, arrival, etc.; sækja at, to attack; ganga at, vera at, to be about; koma at, ellipt. to arrive: göra at, to repair: lesta at, to impair (v. above); finna at, to criticise (mod.); telja at, id.: bera at, to happen; kveða at e-m, to address one, 625. 15, (kveða at (ellipt.) now means to pronounce, and of a child to utter (read) whole syllables); falla at, of the flood-tide (ellipt.): metaph. of pains or straits surrounding one; þreyngja, herða at, to press hard: of frost and cold, with regard to the seasons; frjósa at, kólna at, to get really cold (SI. 44), as it were from the cold stiffening all things: also of the seasons themselves; hausta, vetra að, when the season really sets in; esp. the cold seasons, ‘sumra at’ cannot be used, yet we may say ‘vára að’ when the spring sets in, and the air gets mild.

δ. in numberless other cases which may partly be seen below.

2. connected ellipt. with adverbs denoting motion from a place; norðan, austan, sunnan, vestan at, those from the north, east…; utan at, innan at, from the outside or inside.

3. with adjectives (but rarely), e. g. kærr, elskr, virkr (affectionate), vandr (zealous), at e-m; v. these words.

WITH ACC.

TEMP.: Lat. post, after, upon, esp. freq. in poetry, but rare in prose writers, who use eptir; nema reisi niðr at nið (= maðr eptir mann), in succession, of erecting a monument, Hm. 71; in prose, at þat. posthac, deinde, Fms. x. 323, cp. Rm., where it occurs several times, 2, 6, 9, 14, 18, 24, 28, 30, 35; sonr á at taka arf at föður sinn, has to take the inheritance after his father, Grág. i. 170 new Ed.; eiga féránsdóm at e-n, Grág. i. 89; at Gamla fallinn, after the death of G., Fms. x. 382; in Edda (Gl.) 113 ought to be restored, grét ok at Oð, gulli Freyja, she grat (wept) tears of gold for her lost husband Od. It is doubtful if it is ever used in a purely loc. sense; at land, Grág. (Sb.)ii. 211, is probably corrupt; at hönd = á hönd, Grág. (Sb.) i. 135; at mót = at móti, v. this word.

☞ In compounds (v. below) at- or að- answers in turn to Lat. ad- or in- or con-; atdráttr e. g. denotes collecting; atkoma is adventus: it may also answer to Lat. ob-, in atburðr = accidence, but might also be compared with Lat. occurrere.

and að, the mark of the infinitive [cp. Goth. du; A. S. and Engl. to; Germ. zu]. Except in the case of a few verbs ‘at’ is always placed immediately before the infinitive, so as to be almost an inseparable part of the verb.

I. it is used either,

1. as, a simple mark of the infinitive, only denoting an action and independent of the subject, e. g. at ganga, at hlaupa, at vita, to go, to run, to know; or,

2. in an objective sense when following such verbs as bjóða segja…, to invite, command …; hann bauð þeim at ganga, at sitja, be bade, ordered them to go, sit, or the like; or as gefa and fá; gefa e-m at drekka, at eta, to give one to drink or to eat, etc. etc.

β. with the additional notion of intention, esp. when following verba cogitandi; hann ætlaði, hafði í hyggju at fara, he had it in his mind to go (where ‘to go’ is the real object to ætlaði and hafði í hyggju).

3. answering to the Gr. ινα, denoting intention, design, in order to; hann gékk í borg at kaupa silfr, in order to buy, Nj. 280; hann sendi riddara sína með þeim at varðveita þær, 623. 45: in order to make the phrase more plain, ‘svá’ and ‘til’ are frequently added, esp. in mod. writers, ‘svá at’ and contr. ‘svát’ (the last however is rare), ‘til at’ and ‘til þess at,’ etc.

II. in the earlier times the infin., as in Greek and Lat., had no such mark; and some verbs remain that cannot be followed by ‘at;’ these verbs are almost the same in Icel. as in Engl.:

α. the auxiliary verbs vil, mun ( μέλλω), skal; as in Engl. to is never used after the auxiliaries shall, will, must; ek vil ganga, I will go; ek mun fara, (as in North. E.) I mun go; ek skal göra þat, I shall do that, etc.

β. the verbs kunna, mega, as in Engl. I can or may do, I dare say; svá hygginn at hann kunni fyrir sökum ráða, Grág. ii. 75; í öllu er prýða má góðan höfðingja, Nj. 90; vera má, it may be; vera kann þat, id.: kunnu, however, takes ‘at’ whenever it means to know, and esp. in common language in phrases such as, það kann að vera, but vera kann þat, v. above.

γ. lata, biðja, as in Engl. to let, to bid; hann lét (bað) þá fara, he let (bade) them go.

δ. þykkja, þykjast, to seem; hann þykir vera, he is thought to be: reflex., hann þykist vera, sibi videtur: impers., mér þykir vera, mibi videtur, in all cases without ‘at.’ So also freq. the verbs hugsa, hyggja, ætla, halda, to think, when denoting merely the act of thinking; but if there be any notion of intention or purpose, they assume the ‘at;’ thus hann ætlaði, hugði, þá vera góða menn, he thought them to be, acc. c. inf.; but ætlaði at fara, meant to go, etc.

ε. the verbs denoting to see, bear; sjá, líta, horfa á … ( videre); heyra, audire, as in Engl. I saw them come, I heard him tell, ek sá þá koma, ek heyrði hann tala.

ζ. sometimes after the verbs eiga and ganga; hann gékk steikja, be went to roast, Vkv. 9; eiga, esp. when a mere periphrasis instead of skal, móður sína á maðr fyrst fram færa (better at færa), Grág. i. 232; á þann kvið einskis meta, 59; but at meta, id. l. 24; ráða, nema, göra …, freq. in poetry, when they are used as simple auxiliary verbs, e. g. nam hann sér Högna hvetja at rúnum, Skv. 3. 43.

η. hljóta and verða, when used in the sense of must (as in Engl. he must go), and when placed after the infin.of another verb; hér muntu vera hljóta, Nj. 129; but hljóta at vera: fara hlýtr þú, Fms. 1. 159; but þú hlýtr at fara: verða vita, ii. 146; but verða at vita: hann man verða sækja, þó verðr (= skal) maðr eptir mann lifa, Fms. viii. 19, Fas. ii. 552, are exceptional cases.

θ. in poetry, verbs with the verbal neg. suffix ‘-at,’ freq. for the case of euphony, take no mark of the infinitive, where it would be indispensable with the simple verb, vide Lex. Poët. Exceptional cases; hvárt sem hann vill ‘at’ verja þá sök, eða, whatever he chooses, either, Grág. i. 64; fyrr viljum vér enga kórónu at bera, en nokkut ófrelsi á oss at taka, we would rather bear no crown than …, Fms. x. 12; the context is peculiar, and the ‘at’ purposely added. It may be left out ellipt.; e. g. þá er guð gefr oss finnast (= at finnast), Dipl. ii. 14; gef honum drekka (= at drekka), Pr. 470; but mostly in unclassical writers, in deeds, or the like, written nastily and in an abrupt style.

and að, conj. [Goth. þatei = οτι; A. S. þät; Engl. that; Germ, dass; the Ormul. and Scot. at, see the quotations sub voce in Jamieson; in all South-Teutonic idioms with an initial dental: the Scandinavian idioms form an exception, having all dropped this consonant; Swed. åt, Dan. at]. In Icel. the Bible translation (of the 16th century) was chiefly based upon that of Luther; the hymns and the great bulk of theol. translations of that time were also derived from Germany; therefore the germanised form það frequently appears in the Bible, and was often employed by theol. authors in sermons since the time of the Reformation. Jón Vidalin, the greatest modern Icel. preacher, who died in 1720, in spite of his thoroughly classical style, abounds in the use of this form; but it never took root in the language, and has never passed into the spoken dialect. After a relative or demonstr. pronoun, it freq. in mod. writers assumes the form eð, hver eð, hverir eð, hvað eð, þar eð. Before the prep. þú (tu), þ changes into t, and is spelt in a single word attú, which is freq. in some MS.;—now, however, pronounced aððú, aððeir, aððið …, = að þú…, with the soft Engl. th sound. It gener. answers to Lat. ut, or to the relat. pron. qui.

I. that, relative to svá, to denote proportion, degree, so…, that, Lat. tam, tantus, tot…, ut; svá mikill lagamaðr, at…, so great a lawyer, that…, Nj. 1; hárið svá mikit, at þat…, 2; svá kom um síðir því máli, at Sigvaldi, it came so far, that…, Fms. xi. 95, Edda 33. Rarely and unclass., ellipt. without svá; Bæringr var til seinn eptir honum, at hann … (= svá at), Bær. 15; hlífði honum, at hann sakaði ekki, Fas. iii. 441.

II. it is used,

1. with indic, in a narrative sense, answering partly to Gr. οτι, Lat. quod, ut, in such phrases as, it came to pass, happened that …; þat var einhverju sinni, at Höskuldr hafði vinaboð, Nj. 2; þat var á palmdrottinsdag, at Ólafr konungr gékk út um stræti, Fms. ii. 244.

2. with subj. answering to Lat. acc. with infin., to mark the relation of an object to the chief verb, e. g. vilda ek at þú réðist, I wished that you would, Nj. 57.

β. or in an oblique sentence, answering to ita ut…; ef svá kann verða at þeir láti…, if it may be so that they might…, Fms. xi. 94.

γ. with a subj. denoting design, answering to ϊνα or Lat. ut with subj., in order that; at öll veraldar bygðin viti, ut sciat totus orbis, Stj.; þeir skáru fyrir þá melinn, at þeir dæi eigi af sulti, ut ne fame perirent, Nj. 265; fyrsti hlutr bókarinnar er Kristindómsbálkr, at menn skili, in order that men may understand, Gþl. p. viii.

III. used in connection with conjunctions,

1. esp. þó, því, svá; þó at freq. contr. þótt; svát is rare and obsolete.

α. þóat, þótt (North. E. ‘thof’), followed by a subjunctive, though, although, Lat. etsi, quamquam (very freq.); þóat nokkurum mönnum sýnist þetta með freku sett… þá viljum vér, Fms. vi. 21: phrases as, gef þú mér þó at úverðugri, etsi indignae (dat.), Stj. MS. col. 315, are unclass., and influenced by the Latin: sometimes ellipt. without ‘þó,’ eigi mundi hón þá meir hvata göngu sinni, at (= þóat) hon hraeddist bana sinn, Edda 7, Nj. 64: ‘þó’ and ‘at’ separated, svarar hann þó rétt, at hann svari svá, Grág. i. 23; þó er rétt at nýta, at hann sé fyrr skorinn, answering to Engl. yet—though, Lat. attamen —etsi, K. Þ. K.

β. því at, because, Lat. nam, quia, with indic.; því at allir vóru gerfiligir synir hans, Ld. 68; því at af íþróttum verðr maðr fróðr, Sks. 16: separated, því þegi ek, at ek undrumst, Fms. iii. 201; því er þessa getið, at þat þótti, it i s mentioned because …, Ld. 68.

γ. svá at, so that, Lat. ut, ita ut; grátrinn kom upp, svá at eingi mátti öðrum segja, Edda 37: separated, so … that, svá úsvúst at …, so bad weather, that, Bs. i. 339, etc.

2. it is freq. used superfluously, esp. after relatives; hver at = hverr, quis; því at = því, igitur; hverr at þekkr ok þægiligr mun verða, Fms. v. 159; hvern stvrk at hann mundi fá, 44; ek undrumst hvé mikil ógnarraust at liggr í þér, iii. 201; því at ek mátti eigi þar vera elligar, því at þar var kristni vel haldin, Fas. i. 340.

IV. as a relat. conj.:

1. temp, when, Lat. quum; jafnan er ( est) mér þá verra er ( quum) ek fer á braut þaðan, en þá at ( quum) ek kem, Grett. 150 A; þar til at vér vitum, till we know, Fms. v. 52; þá at ek lýsta (= þá er), when, Nj. 233.

2. since, because; ek færi yðr (hann), at þér eruð í einum hrepp allir, because of your being all of the same Rape, Grág. i. 260; eigi er kynlegt at ( though) Skarphéðinn sé hraustr, at þat er mælt at…, because (since) it is a saying that…, Nj. 64.

V. in mod. writers it is also freq. superfluously joined to the conjunctions, ef að = ef, si, (Lv. 45 is from a paper MS.), meðan að = meðan, dum; nema að, nisi; fyrst að = fyrst, quoniam; eptir að, síðan að, postquam; hvárt að = hvárt, Lat. an. In the law we find passages such as, þá er um er dæmt eina sök, at þá eigu þeir aptr at ganga í dóminn, Grág. i. 79; ef þing ber á hina helgu viku, at þat á eigi fyrir þeim málum at standa, 106; þat er ok, at þeir skulu reifa mál manna, 64; at þeir skulu með váttorð þá sök sækja, 65: in all these cases ‘at’ is either superfluous or, which is more likely, of an ellipt. nature, ‘the law decrees’ or ‘it is decreed’ being understood. The passages Sks. 551, 552, 568, 718 B, at lokit (= at ek hefi lokit), at hugleitt (= at ek hefi h.), at sent (= at ek hefi sent) are quite exceptional.

and að, an indecl. relat. pronoun [Ulf. þatei = ος, ος αν, οστις, οσπερ, οιος, etc.; Engl. that, Ormul. at], with the initial letter dropped, as in the conj. at, (cp. also the Old Engl. at, which is both a conj. and a pronoun, e. g. Barbour vi. 24 in Jamieson: ‘I drede that his gret wassalage, | And his travail may bring till end, | That at men quhilc full litil wend.’ | ‘His mestyr speryt quhat tithings a t he saw.’—Wyntoun v. 3. 89.) In Icel. ‘er’ (the relat. pronoun) and ‘at’ are used indifferently, so that where one MS. reads ‘er,’ another reads ‘at,’ and vice versâ; this may easily be seen by looking at the MSS.; yet as a rule ‘er’ is much more freq. used. In mod. writers ‘at’ is freq. turned into ‘eð,’ esp. as a superfluous particle after the relative pron. hverr (hver eð, hvað eð, hverir eð, etc.), or the demonstr. sá (sá eð, þeir eð, hinir eð, etc.):—who, which, that, enn bezta grip at ( which) hafði til Íslands komið, Ld. 202; en engi mun sá at ( cui) minnisamara mun vera, 242; sem blótnaut at ( quae) stærst verða, Fms. iii. 214; þau tiðendi, at mér þætti verri, Nj. 64, etc. etc.