Of low birth

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ignōbĭlis, e, adj. [in-nobilis (gno-)], unknown.

Lit., in gen. (mostly anteclass.): ubi ego Sosia nolim esse, tu esto sane Sosia;

nunc, quando ego sum, vapulabis, ni hinc abis, ignobilis,

Plaut. Am. 1, 1, 284:

quis hic est qui oculis meis ob viam ignobilis obicitur?

id. Ps. 2, 1, 18:

peregrina facies hominis atque ignobilis,

id. ib. 4, 2, 9.—

Esp.

Unknown to fame, not renowned, undistinguished, obscure (class.):

quod inglorius sit atque ignobilis ad supremum diem perventurus,

Cic. Tusc. 3, 24, 57:

humilis in plebe et ideo ignobilis puerpera,

Plin. 7, 36, 36, § 121:

non ignobilis dicendi magister,

Cic. Brut. 91, 315:

ignobilis aevum exigeret,

Verg. A. 7, 776:

maritus,

unknown, App. M. 5, p. 160:

ignobilissimi artifices,

Plin. 35, 4, 10, § 28: civitas ignobilis atque humilis Eburonum, obscure and insignificant, * Caes. B. G. 5, 28, 1:

facies,

Plaut. Ps. 4, 2, 9:

vinum ignobilius,

Plin. 23, 1, 20, § 34:

M. Fulcinius Romae argentariam non ignobilem fecit,

Cic. Caecin. 4, 10.—

Of low birth, base-born, ignoble (class.):

ex aliqua familia non ignobili,

Cic. Verr. 2, 5, 11, § 28:

virgo,

Ter. Phorm. 1, 2, 70:

vulgus,

Verg. A. 1, 149:

agmen,

Liv. 10, 20:

regnum Tulli,

Hor. S. 1, 6, 9:

hic novus Arpinas, ignobilis et modo Romae municipalis eques,

Juv. 8, 287.— Adv.: ignōbĭlĭter (late Lat.), meanly:

sepultum,

Eutr. 7, 23:

aedes fastigiata,

Sol. 56, 16.

ignōbĭlĭtas, ātis, f. [ignobilis].

Want of fame, obscurity (rare but class.):

num igitur ignobilitas aut humilitas aut etiam popularis offensio sapientem beatum esse prohibebit?

Cic. Tusc. 5, 36, 103:

virorum,

Ov. M. 6, 319:

artificis,

Plin. 34, 8, 19, § 69.—

Low birth, mean origin.

Lit. (rare but class.):

multis viris fortibus ne ignobilitas generis obiceretur,

Cic. Mur. 8, 17:

hoc propter ignobilitatem paternam minus suspecto, Platorem occidit,

Liv. 44, 30, 3.—

Transf., of things, inferior quality, badness:

vini,

Col. 3, 21, 10.

ignōtus, a, um, Part., from ignosco.

ignōtus, a, um, adj. [in-gnotus, notus].

Pass., unknown.

In gen.:

quamquam ad ignotum arbitrum me appellis: si adhibebit fidem, Etsi est ignotus, notus: si non, notus ignotissimus est,

Plaut. Rud. 4, 3, 104 sq.:

dubitabitis, judices, quin ab hoc ignotissimo Phryge nobilissimum civem vindicetis?

Cic. Fl. 17, 40:

ignoti homines et repentini quaestores celeriter facti sunt,

id. Brut. 64, 242:

homo ignotus et novus,

id. Rep. 1, 1:

nos pluribus ignotissimi gentibus,

id. ib. 1, 17:

longinqua eoque ignotior gens,

Liv. 5, 32, 5:

procedam in aciem adversus ignotos inter se ignorantesque,

Liv. 21, 43, 18; cf.

§ 13: omnes illacrimabiles Urgentur ignotique longa Nocte,

Hor. C. 4, 9, 27:

jus applicationis obscurum sane et ignotum patefactum atque illustratum est,

Cic. de Or. 1, 39, 177:

obscurioribus et ignotioribus verbis,

Quint. 7, 3, 13; cf. id. 8, 3, 73; 8, 6, 74:

haec nova et ignota ratio,

Cic. Rep. 1, 16:

alter (dies) in vulgus ignotus,

id. Att. 9, 5, 2:

ille tibi non ignotus cursus animi mei,

id. ib. 5, 15, 1:

terrae,

unknown, distant, Tib. 1, 3, 3; ib. 39; cf.: nobilis ignoto diffusus consule Bacchus, unknown, remote with respect to time, i. e. old, Luc. 4, 379.— Subst.: ignō-tum, i, n., that which is unknown. —

Prov.: ignoti nulla cupido,

Ov. A. A. 3, 397.—

In partic., pregn. (for ignobilis, II.), of low birth or condition, lowborn, base, vulgar ( poet.):

quo patre sit natus, num ignota matre inhonestus,

Hor. S. 1, 6, 36; cf.:

naso suspendis adunco Ignotos, ut me libertino patre natum,

id. ib. 6 and 24:

Achivi,

the ignoble Greeks, Ov. M. 12, 600:

progenuit tellus ignoto nomine Ligdum,

id. ib. 9, 670:

ignotis perierunt mortibus illi,

Hor. S. 1, 3, 108.—

Act. (cf. the Gr. agnôstos), unacquainted with a thing, ignorant of (very rare for ignarus, insciens, inscitus): ignotae iteris sumus, Naev. ap. Non. 124, 28:

simulacra ignotis nota faciebant,

Cic. Fam. 5, 12, 7:

producere ad ignotos (aliquem),

Cic. Verr. 2, 5, 29, § 75; Auct. Her. 3, 6, 12; cf.:

ignotos fallit, notis est derisui,

Phaedr. 1, 11, 2; so,

ignoti, faciem ejus cum intuerentur, contemnebant,

Nep. Ages. 8, 1.

ignōtus, a, um, Part., from ignosco.

ignōtus, a, um, adj. [in-gnotus, notus].

Pass., unknown.

In gen.:

quamquam ad ignotum arbitrum me appellis: si adhibebit fidem, Etsi est ignotus, notus: si non, notus ignotissimus est,

Plaut. Rud. 4, 3, 104 sq.:

dubitabitis, judices, quin ab hoc ignotissimo Phryge nobilissimum civem vindicetis?

Cic. Fl. 17, 40:

ignoti homines et repentini quaestores celeriter facti sunt,

id. Brut. 64, 242:

homo ignotus et novus,

id. Rep. 1, 1:

nos pluribus ignotissimi gentibus,

id. ib. 1, 17:

longinqua eoque ignotior gens,

Liv. 5, 32, 5:

procedam in aciem adversus ignotos inter se ignorantesque,

Liv. 21, 43, 18; cf.

§ 13: omnes illacrimabiles Urgentur ignotique longa Nocte,

Hor. C. 4, 9, 27:

jus applicationis obscurum sane et ignotum patefactum atque illustratum est,

Cic. de Or. 1, 39, 177:

obscurioribus et ignotioribus verbis,

Quint. 7, 3, 13; cf. id. 8, 3, 73; 8, 6, 74:

haec nova et ignota ratio,

Cic. Rep. 1, 16:

alter (dies) in vulgus ignotus,

id. Att. 9, 5, 2:

ille tibi non ignotus cursus animi mei,

id. ib. 5, 15, 1:

terrae,

unknown, distant, Tib. 1, 3, 3; ib. 39; cf.: nobilis ignoto diffusus consule Bacchus, unknown, remote with respect to time, i. e. old, Luc. 4, 379.— Subst.: ignō-tum, i, n., that which is unknown. —

Prov.: ignoti nulla cupido,

Ov. A. A. 3, 397.—

In partic., pregn. (for ignobilis, II.), of low birth or condition, lowborn, base, vulgar ( poet.):

quo patre sit natus, num ignota matre inhonestus,

Hor. S. 1, 6, 36; cf.:

naso suspendis adunco Ignotos, ut me libertino patre natum,

id. ib. 6 and 24:

Achivi,

the ignoble Greeks, Ov. M. 12, 600:

progenuit tellus ignoto nomine Ligdum,

id. ib. 9, 670:

ignotis perierunt mortibus illi,

Hor. S. 1, 3, 108.—

Act. (cf. the Gr. agnôstos), unacquainted with a thing, ignorant of (very rare for ignarus, insciens, inscitus): ignotae iteris sumus, Naev. ap. Non. 124, 28:

simulacra ignotis nota faciebant,

Cic. Fam. 5, 12, 7:

producere ad ignotos (aliquem),

Cic. Verr. 2, 5, 29, § 75; Auct. Her. 3, 6, 12; cf.:

ignotos fallit, notis est derisui,

Phaedr. 1, 11, 2; so,

ignoti, faciem ejus cum intuerentur, contemnebant,

Nep. Ages. 8, 1.

Justīnus, i, m., Justin.

A Roman historian in the second century of the Christian era, who made an abstract of the historical work of Trogus Pompeius.—

Justinus I., a Roman emperor of low birth (a swine-herd) in the sixth century of the Christian era. —

Justinus II., a Roman emperor in the latter half of the sixth century. —Hence, Justīnĭānus, a, um, adj., of or belonging to the emperor Justin: labores, Coripp. Laud. Just. 1, 263.—

A philosopher who defended the Christians under Antoninus Pius, called also Justin Martyr, Hier. Ep. 70, 4 al.

nĕbŭlo, ōnis, m. [nebula], a paltry, worthiess fellow, an idle rascal, a sorry wretch: nugator ac nebulo, Lucil. ap. Non. 19, 3; Ter. Eun. 4, 7, 15:

nos ab isto nebulone facetius eludimur, quam putamus,

Cic. Rosc. Am. 44, 128:

nebulones Alcinoique juventus,

Hor. Ep. 1, 2, 28:

vappa ac nebulo,

id. S. 1, 1, 104; cf. id. ib. 1, 2, 12: nebulo lucifugus (perh. on account of the etymology of the word), a scoundrel that shuns the light, Lucil. ap. Non. 19, 2.—In apposition with homo:

vulgus nebulonum hominum,

Gell. 1, 2, 7; 16, 6, 12.—

Acc. to Acron ad Hor. S. 1, 2, 12, nebulo also signifies a man of low birth; on which account slaves were also called nebulones.

tĕnē̆brae, ārum (collat. form tĕnē̆bra, ae, Lampr. Commod. 16; App. M. 5, p. 167, 25), f. [akin to Sanscr. tamisra, dark; cf. timere], darkness (stronger than obscuritas, and weaker than caligo; freq. and class.).

Lit.

In gen.:

veluti pueri omnia caecis In tenebris metuant,

Lucr. 2, 56:

tempestas atque tenebrae Coperiunt maria ac terras,

id. 6, 491:

cum obscurato sole tenebrae factae essent repente,

Cic. Rep. 1, 16, 25; cf.:

nos tenebras cogitemus tantas, quantae, etc.,

id. N. D. 2, 38, 96:

tetrae tenebrae et caligo,

id. Agr. 2, 17, 44;

v. caligo: tenebras et solitudinem nacti,

id. Fin. 3, 11, 38:

incultu, tenebris, odore foeda atque terribilis ejus (Tulliani) facies est,

Sall. C. 55, 4:

ipsis noctis tenebris,

Quint. 10, 6, 1:

obtentā densantur nocte tenebrae,

Verg. G. 1, 248:

neve velit (Sol) tenebras inducere rebus,

Ov. M. 2, 395:

tacitae,

Sen. Med. 114. —

In partic.

The darkness of night, night:

redire luce, non tenebris,

Cic. Phil. 2, 30, 76:

classem in statione usque ad noctem tenuit: primis tenebris movit,

Liv. 31, 23, 4:

somnus qui faciat breves tenebras,

Mart. 10, 47, 11:

tenebris,

during the night, Tib. 1, 6, 59; 2, 1, 76; Ov. Am. 1, 6, 10:

tenebris obortis,

Nep. Eum. 9, 5:

per tenebras,

Luc. 2, 686:

(me) videt pulsis Aurora tenebris,

Ov. M. 7, 703:

effulget tenebris Aurora fugatis,

id. ib. 2, 144.—

The darkness or dimness of a swoon, a swoon:

tenebrae oboriuntur, genua inedia succidunt,

Plaut. Curc. 2, 3, 30; Verg. A. 11, 824; Ov. M. 2, 181; 12, 136; id. Tr. 1, 3, 91; id. H. 13, 23; Luc. 3, 735; Plin. 7, 6, 5, § 41.—

The darkness of death, death-shades ( poet. and rare):

juro, Me tibi ad extremas mansuram tenebras,

Prop. 2, 20 (3, 13), 17; cf.:

(urbes) ad Erebi profundos hiatus abactae, aeternis tenebris occultantur,

Amm. 17, 7, 13; cf. also in a play upon this signif. and that of B. 1.: certum'st mihi ante tenebras (i. e. noctem) tenebras (i. e. mortem) persequi, Plaut. Ps. 1, 1, 88.—

Blindness ( poet. and very rare):

occidit extemplo lumen tenebraeque sequuntur,

Lucr. 3, 415:

tenebras et cladem lucis ademptae Obicit,

Ov. M. 3, 515; 3, 525; Stat. Th. 4, 407. —

Transf., concr., a dark, gloomy place.

A dark bathing-place:

Grylli,

Mart. 2, 14, 13 (cf. id. 1, 60, 3).—

A prison, dungeon:

clausi in tenebris, cum maerore et luctu morte graviorem vitam exigunt,

Sall. J. 14, 15: in atras et profundas tenebras eum claudebant, Tubero ap. Gell. 6, 4, 3. —

Lurking-places, haunts:

emersus ex diuturnis tenebris lustrorum ac stuprorum,

Cic. Sest. 9, 20:

demonstres, ubi sint tuae tenebrae,

Cat. 55, 2.—

Dark or poor lodgings:

quanti nunc tenebras unum conducis in annum,

Juv. 3, 225. —

The infernal regions:

tenebrae malae Orci,

Cat. 3, 13:

infernae,

Verg. A. 7, 325; Hor. C. 4, 7, 25:

Stygiae,

Verg. G. 3, 551:

quid Styga, quid tenebras timetis?

Ov. M. 15, 154.—

Trop., darkness, gloom, obscurity of the mind, of fame, of fortune, fate, etc. (class.):

isti tantis offusis tenebris ne scintillam quidem ullam nobis ad dispiciendum reliquerunt,

Cic. Ac. 2, 19, 61:

obducere tenebras rebus clarissimis,

id. ib. 2, 6, 16; cf.:

omnibus fulgore quodam suae claritatis tenebras obduxit,

Quint. 10, 1, 72: quas tu mihi tenebras cudis? what darkness are you raising about me? i. e. what trick are you playing me? Plaut. Ep. 3, 4, 40:

tenebras dispulit calumniae,

Phaedr. 3, 10, 42:

quae jacerent omnia in tenebris, nisi litterarum lumen accederet,

obscurity, concealment, Cic. Arch. 6, 14:

vestram familiam abjectam et obscuram e tenebris in lucem evocavit,

id. Deiot. 11, 30; cf.: o tenebrae, o lutum, o sordes (Piso)! obscurity, i. e. low birth, baseness, id. Pis. 26, 62; id. Att. 7, 11, 1: vitae, gloomy fate or fortunes, Lucr. 2, 15:

qui tibi aestus, qui error, qui tenebrae erunt,

Cic. Div. in Caecil. 14, 45:

in illis rei publicae tenebris caecisque nubibus et procellis,

id. Dom. 10, 24:

ex superioris anni caligine et tenebris lucem in re publicā dispicere,

id. Red. in Sen. 3, 5:

si quid tenebrarum offudit exilium,

id. Tusc. 3, 34, 82:

tamquam si offusa rei publicae sempiterna nox esset, ita ruebant in tenebris omniaque miscebant,

id. Rosc. Am. 32, 91.

tĕnē̆brae, ārum (collat. form tĕnē̆bra, ae, Lampr. Commod. 16; App. M. 5, p. 167, 25), f. [akin to Sanscr. tamisra, dark; cf. timere], darkness (stronger than obscuritas, and weaker than caligo; freq. and class.).

Lit.

In gen.:

veluti pueri omnia caecis In tenebris metuant,

Lucr. 2, 56:

tempestas atque tenebrae Coperiunt maria ac terras,

id. 6, 491:

cum obscurato sole tenebrae factae essent repente,

Cic. Rep. 1, 16, 25; cf.:

nos tenebras cogitemus tantas, quantae, etc.,

id. N. D. 2, 38, 96:

tetrae tenebrae et caligo,

id. Agr. 2, 17, 44;

v. caligo: tenebras et solitudinem nacti,

id. Fin. 3, 11, 38:

incultu, tenebris, odore foeda atque terribilis ejus (Tulliani) facies est,

Sall. C. 55, 4:

ipsis noctis tenebris,

Quint. 10, 6, 1:

obtentā densantur nocte tenebrae,

Verg. G. 1, 248:

neve velit (Sol) tenebras inducere rebus,

Ov. M. 2, 395:

tacitae,

Sen. Med. 114. —

In partic.

The darkness of night, night:

redire luce, non tenebris,

Cic. Phil. 2, 30, 76:

classem in statione usque ad noctem tenuit: primis tenebris movit,

Liv. 31, 23, 4:

somnus qui faciat breves tenebras,

Mart. 10, 47, 11:

tenebris,

during the night, Tib. 1, 6, 59; 2, 1, 76; Ov. Am. 1, 6, 10:

tenebris obortis,

Nep. Eum. 9, 5:

per tenebras,

Luc. 2, 686:

(me) videt pulsis Aurora tenebris,

Ov. M. 7, 703:

effulget tenebris Aurora fugatis,

id. ib. 2, 144.—

The darkness or dimness of a swoon, a swoon:

tenebrae oboriuntur, genua inedia succidunt,

Plaut. Curc. 2, 3, 30; Verg. A. 11, 824; Ov. M. 2, 181; 12, 136; id. Tr. 1, 3, 91; id. H. 13, 23; Luc. 3, 735; Plin. 7, 6, 5, § 41.—

The darkness of death, death-shades ( poet. and rare):

juro, Me tibi ad extremas mansuram tenebras,

Prop. 2, 20 (3, 13), 17; cf.:

(urbes) ad Erebi profundos hiatus abactae, aeternis tenebris occultantur,

Amm. 17, 7, 13; cf. also in a play upon this signif. and that of B. 1.: certum'st mihi ante tenebras (i. e. noctem) tenebras (i. e. mortem) persequi, Plaut. Ps. 1, 1, 88.—

Blindness ( poet. and very rare):

occidit extemplo lumen tenebraeque sequuntur,

Lucr. 3, 415:

tenebras et cladem lucis ademptae Obicit,

Ov. M. 3, 515; 3, 525; Stat. Th. 4, 407. —

Transf., concr., a dark, gloomy place.

A dark bathing-place:

Grylli,

Mart. 2, 14, 13 (cf. id. 1, 60, 3).—

A prison, dungeon:

clausi in tenebris, cum maerore et luctu morte graviorem vitam exigunt,

Sall. J. 14, 15: in atras et profundas tenebras eum claudebant, Tubero ap. Gell. 6, 4, 3. —

Lurking-places, haunts:

emersus ex diuturnis tenebris lustrorum ac stuprorum,

Cic. Sest. 9, 20:

demonstres, ubi sint tuae tenebrae,

Cat. 55, 2.—

Dark or poor lodgings:

quanti nunc tenebras unum conducis in annum,

Juv. 3, 225. —

The infernal regions:

tenebrae malae Orci,

Cat. 3, 13:

infernae,

Verg. A. 7, 325; Hor. C. 4, 7, 25:

Stygiae,

Verg. G. 3, 551:

quid Styga, quid tenebras timetis?

Ov. M. 15, 154.—

Trop., darkness, gloom, obscurity of the mind, of fame, of fortune, fate, etc. (class.):

isti tantis offusis tenebris ne scintillam quidem ullam nobis ad dispiciendum reliquerunt,

Cic. Ac. 2, 19, 61:

obducere tenebras rebus clarissimis,

id. ib. 2, 6, 16; cf.:

omnibus fulgore quodam suae claritatis tenebras obduxit,

Quint. 10, 1, 72: quas tu mihi tenebras cudis? what darkness are you raising about me? i. e. what trick are you playing me? Plaut. Ep. 3, 4, 40:

tenebras dispulit calumniae,

Phaedr. 3, 10, 42:

quae jacerent omnia in tenebris, nisi litterarum lumen accederet,

obscurity, concealment, Cic. Arch. 6, 14:

vestram familiam abjectam et obscuram e tenebris in lucem evocavit,

id. Deiot. 11, 30; cf.: o tenebrae, o lutum, o sordes (Piso)! obscurity, i. e. low birth, baseness, id. Pis. 26, 62; id. Att. 7, 11, 1: vitae, gloomy fate or fortunes, Lucr. 2, 15:

qui tibi aestus, qui error, qui tenebrae erunt,

Cic. Div. in Caecil. 14, 45:

in illis rei publicae tenebris caecisque nubibus et procellis,

id. Dom. 10, 24:

ex superioris anni caligine et tenebris lucem in re publicā dispicere,

id. Red. in Sen. 3, 5:

si quid tenebrarum offudit exilium,

id. Tusc. 3, 34, 82:

tamquam si offusa rei publicae sempiterna nox esset, ita ruebant in tenebris omniaque miscebant,

id. Rosc. Am. 32, 91.

hŭmĭlis, e, adj. [humus; like chamalos from chamai, on the ground, i. e.], low, lowly, small, slight (class.; esp. freq. in the trop. signif.).

Lit.:

arbores et vites et ea quae sunt humiliora neque se tollere a terra altius possunt,

Cic. Tusc. 5, 13, 37; cf.:

turrim humilem parvamque fecerant,

Caes. B. C. 2, 8, 1 sq.:

humilior munitio,

id. ib. 3, 63, 2:

(naves) humiliores quam quibus in nostro mari uti consuevimus,

id. B. G. 5, 1, 2:

humiles habitare casas,

Verg. E. 2, 29:

domus,

Hor. C. 3, 1, 22:

postes,

Ov. M. 8, 639:

arcus,

id. ib. 3, 30:

arae,

Val. Fl. 3, 426:

virgas humilis mordere salicti,

Juv. 11, 67:

Forentum,

low, situated in the plain, Hor. C. 3, 4, 16; so,

Myconos,

Ov. M. 7, 463:

Italia,

Verg. A. 3, 522:

humillimo solo aqua diutissime immorata,

Just. 2, 1 med.:

avi similis, quae circum litora, circum Piscosos scopulos humilis volat aequora juxta,

flies low, Verg. A. 4, 255; cf.:

decisis humilis pennis,

Hor. Ep. 2, 2, 50:

potest ex deformi humilique corpusculo exire formosus animus ac magnus,

small, diminutive, Sen. Ep. 66:

brevi atque humili corpore homines,

Gell. 19, 13, 3; Curt. 7, 4:

humiles Cleonae,

little, petty, Ov. M. 6, 417 (in Ptolem. polis ou megalê):

Troja,

id. ib. 15, 424:

ipse humili designat moenia fossa,

i. e. slight, shallow, Verg. A. 7, 157; so,

fossa,

Tac. A. 1, 61; cf.

radix,

Plin. Ep. 8, 20, 5.

Trop.

As respects rank, birth, fortune, worth, consideration, etc., low, base, mean, humble, obscure, poor, needy, insignificant (cf.:

supplex, summissus, demissus, abjectus): ut si parentibus nati sint humilibus,

Cic. Lael. 17, 90:

humiles nati (shortly after: trivio conceptus et educatus stercore),

Phaedr. 1, 27, 2: humiles et obscuri homines, Cic. Div. 1, 40, 88; id. Quint. 31, 95:

humillimus homo de plebe,

Liv. 3, 19, 9; cf.:

humilis in plebe et ideo ignobilis puerpera,

Plin. 7, 36, 36, § 121:

ne latos fines parare studeant potentioresque humiliores possessionibus expellant,

Caes. B. G. 6, 22, 3:

humiliores, opp. opulentiores,

Hirt. B. G. 8, 51 fin.:

hos Suevi vectigales sibi fecerunt ac multo humiliores infirmioresque redegerunt,

Caes. B. G. 4, 3 fin.: homines humiles, opp. amplissimi viri, Balb. et Opp. ap. Cic. Att. 9, 8, A, 1:

satis superque humilis est, qui, etc.,

Liv. 3, 53, 9:

junge tuis humiles, ambitiose, manus,

of the servants, Ov. A. A. 2, 254:

civitas ignobilis atque humilis,

Caes. B. G. 5, 28, 1:

humilem sane relinquunt et minime generosum, ut ita dicam, ortum amicitiae,

Cic. Lael. 9, 29:

Viridomarus, quem Caesar ex humili loco ad summam dignitatem perduxerat,

Caes. B. G. 7, 39, 1:

qui cogitationes suas abjecerunt in rem tam humilem atque contemptam,

Cic. Lael. 9, 32; cf.:

nihil abjectum, nihil humile cogitant,

id. Fin. 5, 20, 57:

aut nulla aut humili aliqua arte praediti,

id. Arch. 5, 10:

humiles et sordidae curae,

Plin. Ep. 1, 3, 3:

rei pictor,

Plin. 35, 10, 37, § 120 (dub.;

Jan. floridissimus): humilis atque obsoletus vestitus,

Nep. Ages. 8:

agna,

poor, humble, Hor. C. 2, 17, 32:

fortuna,

Juv. 6, 287:

domus,

id. 11, 171.—Hence, subst.: hŭmĭle, is, n., that which is humble or base, a low station:

ex humili potens,

Hor. C. 3, 30, 12:

quales ex humili magna ad vestigia rerum extollit Fortuna,

Juv. 3, 39.—

Prov.: Humiles laborant ubi potentes dissident,

Phaedr. 1, 30, 1.—

Of low, mean language: iambus frequentissimus est in iis, quae demisso atque humili sermone dicuntur. Cic. Or. 58, 196:

sermo,

Hor. A. P. 229; cf.:

neque humilem et abjectam orationem nec nimis altam et exaggeratam probat,

Cic. Or. 57, 192:

verbum,

id. Brut. 79, 274:

humilia et vulgaria verba,

Quint. 10, 1, 9:

translatio,

id. 8, 6, 5:

si quis sublimia humilibus misceat,

id. 8, 3, 60:

quae humilia circa res magnas, apta circa minores videntur,

id. 8, 3, 18:

humile et quotidianum sermonis genus,

id. 11, 1, 6:

of the author himself: Macer... humilis,

i. e. commonplace, id. 10, 1, 87:

nil parvum aut humili modo, Nil mortale loquar,

Hor. C. 3, 25, 17.—

Of mind or character, low, mean, base, abject:

qui umquam apparitor tam humilis? tam abjectus?

Cic. Phil. 2, 32, 82:

ut ille tum humilis, ut demissus erat!

id. Att. 2, 21, 3:

humillimus assentator,

Vell. 2, 83, 1:

neque nos simus tam humiles, ut quae laudamus inutilia credamus,

Quint. 11, 1, 13:

privata deduci superbo Non humilis mulier triumpho,

Hor. C. 1, 37, 32:

succumbere doloribus eosque humili animo imbecilloque ferre miserum est,

Cic. Fin. 1, 15, 49:

animi,

Lucr. 6, 52:

si prece et obsecratione humili ac supplici utemur,

Cic. Inv. 1, 16, 22; 1, 56 init.; cf.:

fracto animo, atque humili aliquem supplicare,

id. Planc. 20, 50:

humillimae preces, Suet. Vit. Luc.: pavor,

Verg. G. 1, 331; cf.

metus,

Val. Fl. 3, 394.—Hence, adv.: hŭmĭlĭter, low, deeply.

Lit. (so post-Aug. and very rare):

in loco clivoso humilius rami arborum servandisunt, in plano altius,

Pall. 3, 13, 3:

eadem facta claritate vel obscuritate facientium vel tolluntur altissime vel humillime deprimuntur,

very deeply, Plin. Ep. 6, 24, 1. —

Trop. (acc. to II. B.), basely, meanly, abjectly, humbly (class.):

non est ausus elate et ample loqui, cum humiliter demisseque sentiret,

Cic. Tusc. 5, 9, 24:

aut servit humiliter, aut superbe dominatur,

Liv. 24, 25, 8:

servire alicui,

id. 45, 32, 5:

audacter territas, humiliter placas,

Auct. Her. 4, 20, 28:

animose paupertatem ferre, humiliter infamiam,

Sen. Ep. 120 med.

hŭmĭlis, e, adj. [humus; like chamalos from chamai, on the ground, i. e.], low, lowly, small, slight (class.; esp. freq. in the trop. signif.).

Lit.:

arbores et vites et ea quae sunt humiliora neque se tollere a terra altius possunt,

Cic. Tusc. 5, 13, 37; cf.:

turrim humilem parvamque fecerant,

Caes. B. C. 2, 8, 1 sq.:

humilior munitio,

id. ib. 3, 63, 2:

(naves) humiliores quam quibus in nostro mari uti consuevimus,

id. B. G. 5, 1, 2:

humiles habitare casas,

Verg. E. 2, 29:

domus,

Hor. C. 3, 1, 22:

postes,

Ov. M. 8, 639:

arcus,

id. ib. 3, 30:

arae,

Val. Fl. 3, 426:

virgas humilis mordere salicti,

Juv. 11, 67:

Forentum,

low, situated in the plain, Hor. C. 3, 4, 16; so,

Myconos,

Ov. M. 7, 463:

Italia,

Verg. A. 3, 522:

humillimo solo aqua diutissime immorata,

Just. 2, 1 med.:

avi similis, quae circum litora, circum Piscosos scopulos humilis volat aequora juxta,

flies low, Verg. A. 4, 255; cf.:

decisis humilis pennis,

Hor. Ep. 2, 2, 50:

potest ex deformi humilique corpusculo exire formosus animus ac magnus,

small, diminutive, Sen. Ep. 66:

brevi atque humili corpore homines,

Gell. 19, 13, 3; Curt. 7, 4:

humiles Cleonae,

little, petty, Ov. M. 6, 417 (in Ptolem. polis ou megalê):

Troja,

id. ib. 15, 424:

ipse humili designat moenia fossa,

i. e. slight, shallow, Verg. A. 7, 157; so,

fossa,

Tac. A. 1, 61; cf.

radix,

Plin. Ep. 8, 20, 5.

Trop.

As respects rank, birth, fortune, worth, consideration, etc., low, base, mean, humble, obscure, poor, needy, insignificant (cf.:

supplex, summissus, demissus, abjectus): ut si parentibus nati sint humilibus,

Cic. Lael. 17, 90:

humiles nati (shortly after: trivio conceptus et educatus stercore),

Phaedr. 1, 27, 2: humiles et obscuri homines, Cic. Div. 1, 40, 88; id. Quint. 31, 95:

humillimus homo de plebe,

Liv. 3, 19, 9; cf.:

humilis in plebe et ideo ignobilis puerpera,

Plin. 7, 36, 36, § 121:

ne latos fines parare studeant potentioresque humiliores possessionibus expellant,

Caes. B. G. 6, 22, 3:

humiliores, opp. opulentiores,

Hirt. B. G. 8, 51 fin.:

hos Suevi vectigales sibi fecerunt ac multo humiliores infirmioresque redegerunt,

Caes. B. G. 4, 3 fin.: homines humiles, opp. amplissimi viri, Balb. et Opp. ap. Cic. Att. 9, 8, A, 1:

satis superque humilis est, qui, etc.,

Liv. 3, 53, 9:

junge tuis humiles, ambitiose, manus,

of the servants, Ov. A. A. 2, 254:

civitas ignobilis atque humilis,

Caes. B. G. 5, 28, 1:

humilem sane relinquunt et minime generosum, ut ita dicam, ortum amicitiae,

Cic. Lael. 9, 29:

Viridomarus, quem Caesar ex humili loco ad summam dignitatem perduxerat,

Caes. B. G. 7, 39, 1:

qui cogitationes suas abjecerunt in rem tam humilem atque contemptam,

Cic. Lael. 9, 32; cf.:

nihil abjectum, nihil humile cogitant,

id. Fin. 5, 20, 57:

aut nulla aut humili aliqua arte praediti,

id. Arch. 5, 10:

humiles et sordidae curae,

Plin. Ep. 1, 3, 3:

rei pictor,

Plin. 35, 10, 37, § 120 (dub.;

Jan. floridissimus): humilis atque obsoletus vestitus,

Nep. Ages. 8:

agna,

poor, humble, Hor. C. 2, 17, 32:

fortuna,

Juv. 6, 287:

domus,

id. 11, 171.—Hence, subst.: hŭmĭle, is, n., that which is humble or base, a low station:

ex humili potens,

Hor. C. 3, 30, 12:

quales ex humili magna ad vestigia rerum extollit Fortuna,

Juv. 3, 39.—

Prov.: Humiles laborant ubi potentes dissident,

Phaedr. 1, 30, 1.—

Of low, mean language: iambus frequentissimus est in iis, quae demisso atque humili sermone dicuntur. Cic. Or. 58, 196:

sermo,

Hor. A. P. 229; cf.:

neque humilem et abjectam orationem nec nimis altam et exaggeratam probat,

Cic. Or. 57, 192:

verbum,

id. Brut. 79, 274:

humilia et vulgaria verba,

Quint. 10, 1, 9:

translatio,

id. 8, 6, 5:

si quis sublimia humilibus misceat,

id. 8, 3, 60:

quae humilia circa res magnas, apta circa minores videntur,

id. 8, 3, 18:

humile et quotidianum sermonis genus,

id. 11, 1, 6:

of the author himself: Macer... humilis,

i. e. commonplace, id. 10, 1, 87:

nil parvum aut humili modo, Nil mortale loquar,

Hor. C. 3, 25, 17.—

Of mind or character, low, mean, base, abject:

qui umquam apparitor tam humilis? tam abjectus?

Cic. Phil. 2, 32, 82:

ut ille tum humilis, ut demissus erat!

id. Att. 2, 21, 3:

humillimus assentator,

Vell. 2, 83, 1:

neque nos simus tam humiles, ut quae laudamus inutilia credamus,

Quint. 11, 1, 13:

privata deduci superbo Non humilis mulier triumpho,

Hor. C. 1, 37, 32:

succumbere doloribus eosque humili animo imbecilloque ferre miserum est,

Cic. Fin. 1, 15, 49:

animi,

Lucr. 6, 52:

si prece et obsecratione humili ac supplici utemur,

Cic. Inv. 1, 16, 22; 1, 56 init.; cf.:

fracto animo, atque humili aliquem supplicare,

id. Planc. 20, 50:

humillimae preces, Suet. Vit. Luc.: pavor,

Verg. G. 1, 331; cf.

metus,

Val. Fl. 3, 394.—Hence, adv.: hŭmĭlĭter, low, deeply.

Lit. (so post-Aug. and very rare):

in loco clivoso humilius rami arborum servandisunt, in plano altius,

Pall. 3, 13, 3:

eadem facta claritate vel obscuritate facientium vel tolluntur altissime vel humillime deprimuntur,

very deeply, Plin. Ep. 6, 24, 1. —

Trop. (acc. to II. B.), basely, meanly, abjectly, humbly (class.):

non est ausus elate et ample loqui, cum humiliter demisseque sentiret,

Cic. Tusc. 5, 9, 24:

aut servit humiliter, aut superbe dominatur,

Liv. 24, 25, 8:

servire alicui,

id. 45, 32, 5:

audacter territas, humiliter placas,

Auct. Her. 4, 20, 28:

animose paupertatem ferre, humiliter infamiam,

Sen. Ep. 120 med.

sordĭdus, a, um, adj. [sordeo], dirty, unclean, foul, filthy, squalid, sordid (class.).

Lit. (syn.: squalidus, obscenus): vestem squalam et sordidam, Enn. ap. Non. 504, 6 (Trag. v. 370 Vahl.):

amictus,

Verg. A. 6, 301; cf.:

sordidior toga,

Mart. 1, 104, 5:

mappa,

Hor. Ep. 1, 5, 22; Mart. 7, 20, 8:

lana,

Ov. A. A. 3, 222:

fumus,

Hor. C. 4, 11, 11:

at pol nitent, haud sordidae videntur ambae,

Plaut. Bacch. 5, 2, 6:

servolicolae,

id. Poen. 1, 2, 55:

nati,

Hor. C. 2, 18, 28; cf.:

magnos duces Non indecoro pulvere sordidos,

id. ib. 2, 1, 22:

puer sordidissimus dentibus,

Petr. 64, 6 et saep.—Esp.:

sordido in loco sedere,

Val. Max. 9, 13, 2.— Transf., of mourners, clad in mourning, Cic. Mur. 40, 86.— Poet.:

Auctumnus calcatis sordidus uvis,

Ov. M. 2, 29; id. F. 4, 897;

Col. poët. 10, 44: terga suis,

sooty, dingy, Ov. M. 8, 648.—Prov.: saepe est etiam sub palliolo sordido sapientia, wisdom is often hid under a ragged cloak, Caecil. ap. Cic. Tusc. 3, 23, 56.—

Transf., low, base, mean, as to birth, rank, or condition; poor, humble, small, paltry (syn.:

illiberalis, infimus): causam commisisse homini egenti, sordido, sine honore, sme censu,

Cic. Fl. 22, 52; id. Att. 8, 4, 2; id. Leg. 3, 16, 35; Hor. C. 1, 28, 14.— Sup.:

sordidissimus quisque,

Liv. 1, 47, 11:

familiae sordidissima pars,

Petr. 132, 3; cf.:

loco non humili solum sed etiam sordido ortus,

Liv. 22, 25, 18:

a sordidis initiis ad summa crevere,

Just. 2, 6, 2:

sordidum et obscurum Macedonum nomen,

id. 6, 9, 7:

genus alicujus,

id. 22, 1, 1:

panis,

Plaut. As. 1, 2, 16; Sen. Ep. 18, 5:

villula,

Cic. Att. 12, 27, 1; cf.

tecta,

Luc. 4, 396:

sedes,

id. 5, 9:

lar villae,

Mart. 12, 57, 2:

rura (with humiles casae),

Verg. E. 2, 28:

aratra,

Claud. IV. Cons. Hon. 414;

hence also, otia, i. e. ruris,

Mart. 1, 56, 4 —

Trop., low, mean, base, abject, vile, despicable, disgraceful (syn. turpis).

In gen., Cic. Phil. 1, 8, 20:

iste omnium turpissimus et sordidissimus,

id. Att. 9, 9, 3:

multo homo sordidissimus,

id. Scaur. 2, § 23:

homo furiosus ac sordidus,

id. Q. Fr. 1, 1, 6, § 19:

nec minus laetabor, cum te semper sordidum, quam si paulisper sordidatum viderem,

id. Pis. 41, 99:

illiberales et sordidi quaestus mercenariorum omnium, quorum operae, non quorum artes emuntur... Sordidi etiam putandi, qui mercantur a mercatoribus, quod statim vendant, etc.... Opifices omnes in sordidā arte versantur, etc.... mercatura autem, si tenuis est, sordida putanda est, etc.,

id. Off. 1, 42, 150:

lucrum,

Quint. 1, 2, 16 sq.; cf.: sordidissima ratio et inquinatissima, Cic. Off. 2, 6, 21:

qui (oratores) ne sordidiores quidem (artis) repudiarint (opp. praeclarissimas),

id. de Or. 3, 32, 128:

virtus repulsae nescia sordidae,

Hor. C. 3, 2, 17:

adulterium,

Liv. 1, 58:

nomen,

Quint. 8, 3, 21:

verba,

id. 8, 3, 17; 8, 3, 49; 2, 5, 10:

multa,

id. 2, 12, 7:

omnia, id 10, 1, 9: homines nullā re bonā dignos, cum quibus comparari sordidum, confligere autem miserum et periculosum sit,

Cic. Rep. 1, 5, 9; id. Off. 2, 14, 50; cf.:

qui pecuniam praeferre amicitiae sordidum existiment,

id. Lael. 17, 63.—

In partic., mean, niggardly, penurious, sordid (cf. parcus):

ita sordidus, ut se Non umquam servo melius vestiret,

Hor. S. 1, 1, 96; 1, 1, 65; 1, 2, 10; 2, 3, 164; Quint. 5, 13, 26; Plin. Ep. 2, 6, 1 (opp. sumptuosus):

perjurium,

Phaedr. 4, 19, 23:

cupido,

Hor. C. 2, 16, 16; cf. Cic. Off. 1, 42, 150 supra.—Hence, adv.: sordĭdē.

Lit., dirtily, foully:

per plateas tractus est sordidissime,

through the deepest mire, Lampr. Heliog. 33 med. —

Transf., meanly, basely:

quo sordidius et abjectius nati sunt,

Tac. Or. 8.—

Trop.

Vulgarly, unbecomingly, poorly:

loquitur laute et minime sordide,

Plaut. Mil. 4, 2, 11:

dicere,

Cic. de Or. 2, 83, 339:

contionari,

id. Att. 15, 2, 2:

declamare (opp. splendide atque ornate),

Suet. Rhet. 6; Gell. 15, 4, 3.—

Meanly, stingily, penuriously, sordidly:

nimis illum sordide Simonidi dixisse, se dimidium ejus ei, quod pactus esset, pro illo carmine daturum,

Cic. de Or. 2, 86, 352:

facere aliquid (opp. largissime),

Suet. Dom. 9:

gerere proconsulatum,

Plin. Ep. 3, 9, 2.

hŭmĭlĭtas, ātis, f. [humilis], lowness (acc. to humilis, I.).

Lit.:

naves omnes actuarias imperat fieri, quam ad rem humilitas multum adjuvat (shortly before: naves paulo facit humiliores),

Caes. B. G. 5, 1, 3:

arborum,

Sall. J. 49, 5:

aliorum animalium ea est humilitas, ut cibum terrestrem rostris facile contingant,

low stature, Cic. N. D. 2 47, 122:

sidera multum inter se aut altitudine aut humilitate distantia,

id. Tusc. 5, 24, 69:

quanta humilitate luna feratur, terram paene contingens,

id. Div. 2, 43, 91.—

Trop.

Of rank, birth, or influence, lowness, meanness, insignificance: malorum turba quaedam, paupertas, ignobilitas, humilitas, solitudo, etc., Cic. Tusc. 5, 10, 29:

propter humilitatem et obscuritatem,

id. Off. 2, 13, 45:

humilitatem cum dignitate contendere,

id. Rosc. Am. 47, 136:

alicujus despicere,

id. Phil. 13, 10, 23:

obicere humilitatem alicui,

Liv. 26, 31, 4:

ex humilitate sua,

Caes. B. G. 5, 25:

infima natalium,

Plin. 18, 6, 7, § 37:

generis,

Sall. J. 73, 4:

generis ac nominis,

Suet. Vesp. 4:

obliterata quoque scrutabimur, nec deterrebit quarundam rerum humilitas,

Plin. 14, 1, 1, § 7.—

Littleness of mind, meanness, baseness, abjectness:

habet levitatem laetitia gestiens, humilitatem metus,

Cic. Tusc. 3, 13, 27; id. de Or. 1, 53, 228:

et dejecto (capite) humilitas et supino arrogantia ostenditur,

Quint. 11, 3, 69; so,

opp. arrogantia,

Caes. B. C. 1, 85, 5:

saepe virtus et magnificentia plus proficit ad misericordiam commovendam quam humilitas et obsecratio,

Cic. Inv. 1, 56, 109:

summittere se in humilitatem causam dicentium,

Liv. 38, 52, 2:

asinorum,

Plin. 10, 63, 83, § 180.—

In eccl. Lat., in a good sense, opp. to pride, lowness, humility, Lact. 5, 15; Sulp. Sever. Vit. S. Mart. 2 fin. et saep.

obscūrus, a, um, adj. [Sanscr. sku, to cover, akin to Gr. skeuê, skutos, kutos; cf.: scutum, cutis], dark, darksome, dusky, shady, obscure (class.).

Lit.: unde (Acherunte) animae excitantur obscurā umbrā, in dark, shadowy forms, Poët. ap. Cic. Tusc. 1, 16, 37; so,

umbra,

Verg. A. 6, 453:

donec in obscurum coni conduxit acumen,

the obscure point of the cone, Lucr. 4, 431:

lucus,

Verg. A. 9, 87:

antrum,

Ov. M. 4, 100:

convalles,

Verg. A. 6, 139:

tabernae,

Hor. A. P. 229; cf. Liv. 10, 1, 5: aliae res obnoxiosae nocte in obscurā latent, Enn. ap. Gell. 7, 16 (17), 10 (Trag. v. 341 Vahl.):

nox,

Verg. A. 2, 420; cf.:

per occasum solis, jam obscurā luce,

Liv. 24, 21:

caelum,

Hor. C. 1, 7, 15:

nimbus,

Verg. A. 12, 416:

nubes,

id. G. 4, 60:

ferrugo,

i. e. black, id. ib. 1, 467:

dentes,

Juv. 6, 145.— Poet.: funda, dark, i. e. invisible, Val. Fl. 6, 193; cf.

mamma,

i. e. hidden, covered, id. 3, 52, 6:

aquae,

i. e. turbid, Ov. F. 4, 758.— Subst.: obscūrum, i, n., dim light, twilight:

in obscuro, advesperascente die,

Vulg. Prov. 7, 9; but commonly the dark, darkness, obscurity:

sub obscurum noctis,

Verg. G. 1, 478:

lumen,

i. e. darkness visible, Sall. J. 21, 2.— obscū-rum, adverb.:

obscurum nimbosus dissidet aër,

Luc. 5, 631.—

Transf., to the person who is in the dark, darkling, unseen:

ibant obscuri solā sub nocte per umbram,

Verg. A. 6, 268:

obscurus in ulvā Delitui,

id. ib. 2, 135.—

Trop.

In gen., dark, obscure, indistinct, unintelligible:

Heraclitus... Clarus ob obscuram linguam,

Lucr. 1, 639: valde Heraclitus obscurus (cf. the Gr. appellation of Heraclitus, ho skoteinos), Cic. Div. 2, 64, 133:

quid? poëta nemo, nemo physicus obscurus?

id. ib.:

obscurā de re tam lucida pango carmina,

Lucr. 1, 933; 4, 8:

brevis esse laboro, Obscurus fio,

Hor. A. P. 25:

reperta Graiorum,

Lucr. 1, 136:

obscurum et ignotum jus,

Cic. de Or. 1, 39, 177:

cur hoc tam est obscurum atque caecum?

id. Agr. 2, 14, 35:

nolo plebem Romanam obscurā spe et caecā expectatione haerere,

uncertain, id. ib. 2, 25, 66.— Comp., Quint. 11, 3, 60.— Sup.:

videre res obscurissimas,

Cic. de Or. 2, 36, 153.— Subst.:

causae in obscuro positae,

Cels. 1 praef. —

In partic., rhet. t. t.: obscurum genus causae, obscure, i. e. intricate, involved, Gr. dusparakolouthêton, Cic. Inv. 1, 15, 20:

(causae privatae) sunt multo saepe obscuriores,

id. de Or. 2, 24, 100.—

Not known, unknown, not recognized:

forma,

Ov. M. 3, 475:

P Ilas,

i. e. disguised, under another form, id. ib. 6, 36.—Esp. of rank and station, obscure, ignoble, mean, low:

non est obscura tua in me benevolentia,

Cic. Fam. 13, 70: Caesaris in barbaris erat nomen obscurius, * Caes. B. C. 1, 61:

Pompeius humili atque obscuro loco natus,

of an obscure, ignoble family, Cic. Verr. 2, 5, 70, § 181:

obscuris orti majoribus,

from obscure ancestors, id. Off. 1, 32, 116:

clarus an obscurus,

Quint. 5, 10, 26; cf.:

si nobilis obscurum se vocet,

id. 11, 1, 21; 2, 3, 9:

non obscurus professor et auctor,

id. 2, 15, 36:

natus haud obscuro loco,

Sall. C. 23, 1.— Neutr. absol.:

in obscuro vitam habere,

Sall. C. 51, 12:

vitam per obscurum transmittere,

in obscurity, Sen. Ep. 19, 3:

saepe mandatum initio litis in obscuro est,

kept back, Gai. Inst. 4, 84.—

Of character, close, secret, reserved:

obscurus et astutus homo,

Cic. Off. 3, 13, 5 (for which:

sin me astutum et occultum lubet fingere,

id. Fam. 3, 10, 8):

plerumque modestus Occupat obscuri speciem,

Hor. Ep. 1, 18, 94:

Tiberium obscurum adversus alios, sibi uni incautum intectumque efficeret,

Tac. A. 4, 1:

obscurum odium,

Cic. Fam. 3, 10, 6.— Comp.:

natura obscurior,

Tac. Agr. 42.— Adv.: ob-scūrē, darkly, obscurely (class.).

Lit.: aut nihil superum aut obscure admodum cernimus, very darkly, Cic. Fragm. ap. Non. 474, 28.—

Trop.

Of speech, darkly, obscurely, indistinctly:

dicta,

Quint. 3, 4, 3; 4, 1, 79.— Comp.:

quae causa dicta obscurius est,

Quint. 8, 2, 24.— Sup.:

obscurissime particulā uti, Cell. 17, 13, 5: non obscurissime dicere (opp. planissime),

id. 11, 16, 9.—

Of birth, obscurely, ignobly, meanly (perh. only post-class.):

obscure natus,

Macr. S. 7, 3:

obscurissime natus,

Amm. 29, 1, 5.—

Covertly, closely, secretly:

malum obscure serpens,

Cic. Cat. 4, 3, 6:

tacite obscureque perire,

id. Quint. 15, 50:

non obscure ferre aliquid,

id. Clu. 19, 54; cf. id. Par. 6, 1, 45; Hirt. B. G. 8, 54.— Comp.:

ceteri sunt obscurius iniqui,

more secretly, Cic. Fam. 1, 5, b, 2.— Sup.:

avertere aliquid de publico quam obscurissime,

Cic. Verr. 2, 4, 24, § 53.

obscūrus, a, um, adj. [Sanscr. sku, to cover, akin to Gr. skeuê, skutos, kutos; cf.: scutum, cutis], dark, darksome, dusky, shady, obscure (class.).

Lit.: unde (Acherunte) animae excitantur obscurā umbrā, in dark, shadowy forms, Poët. ap. Cic. Tusc. 1, 16, 37; so,

umbra,

Verg. A. 6, 453:

donec in obscurum coni conduxit acumen,

the obscure point of the cone, Lucr. 4, 431:

lucus,

Verg. A. 9, 87:

antrum,

Ov. M. 4, 100:

convalles,

Verg. A. 6, 139:

tabernae,

Hor. A. P. 229; cf. Liv. 10, 1, 5: aliae res obnoxiosae nocte in obscurā latent, Enn. ap. Gell. 7, 16 (17), 10 (Trag. v. 341 Vahl.):

nox,

Verg. A. 2, 420; cf.:

per occasum solis, jam obscurā luce,

Liv. 24, 21:

caelum,

Hor. C. 1, 7, 15:

nimbus,

Verg. A. 12, 416:

nubes,

id. G. 4, 60:

ferrugo,

i. e. black, id. ib. 1, 467:

dentes,

Juv. 6, 145.— Poet.: funda, dark, i. e. invisible, Val. Fl. 6, 193; cf.

mamma,

i. e. hidden, covered, id. 3, 52, 6:

aquae,

i. e. turbid, Ov. F. 4, 758.— Subst.: obscūrum, i, n., dim light, twilight:

in obscuro, advesperascente die,

Vulg. Prov. 7, 9; but commonly the dark, darkness, obscurity:

sub obscurum noctis,

Verg. G. 1, 478:

lumen,

i. e. darkness visible, Sall. J. 21, 2.— obscū-rum, adverb.:

obscurum nimbosus dissidet aër,

Luc. 5, 631.—

Transf., to the person who is in the dark, darkling, unseen:

ibant obscuri solā sub nocte per umbram,

Verg. A. 6, 268:

obscurus in ulvā Delitui,

id. ib. 2, 135.—

Trop.

In gen., dark, obscure, indistinct, unintelligible:

Heraclitus... Clarus ob obscuram linguam,

Lucr. 1, 639: valde Heraclitus obscurus (cf. the Gr. appellation of Heraclitus, ho skoteinos), Cic. Div. 2, 64, 133:

quid? poëta nemo, nemo physicus obscurus?

id. ib.:

obscurā de re tam lucida pango carmina,

Lucr. 1, 933; 4, 8:

brevis esse laboro, Obscurus fio,

Hor. A. P. 25:

reperta Graiorum,

Lucr. 1, 136:

obscurum et ignotum jus,

Cic. de Or. 1, 39, 177:

cur hoc tam est obscurum atque caecum?

id. Agr. 2, 14, 35:

nolo plebem Romanam obscurā spe et caecā expectatione haerere,

uncertain, id. ib. 2, 25, 66.— Comp., Quint. 11, 3, 60.— Sup.:

videre res obscurissimas,

Cic. de Or. 2, 36, 153.— Subst.:

causae in obscuro positae,

Cels. 1 praef. —

In partic., rhet. t. t.: obscurum genus causae, obscure, i. e. intricate, involved, Gr. dusparakolouthêton, Cic. Inv. 1, 15, 20:

(causae privatae) sunt multo saepe obscuriores,

id. de Or. 2, 24, 100.—

Not known, unknown, not recognized:

forma,

Ov. M. 3, 475:

P Ilas,

i. e. disguised, under another form, id. ib. 6, 36.—Esp. of rank and station, obscure, ignoble, mean, low:

non est obscura tua in me benevolentia,

Cic. Fam. 13, 70: Caesaris in barbaris erat nomen obscurius, * Caes. B. C. 1, 61:

Pompeius humili atque obscuro loco natus,

of an obscure, ignoble family, Cic. Verr. 2, 5, 70, § 181:

obscuris orti majoribus,

from obscure ancestors, id. Off. 1, 32, 116:

clarus an obscurus,

Quint. 5, 10, 26; cf.:

si nobilis obscurum se vocet,

id. 11, 1, 21; 2, 3, 9:

non obscurus professor et auctor,

id. 2, 15, 36:

natus haud obscuro loco,

Sall. C. 23, 1.— Neutr. absol.:

in obscuro vitam habere,

Sall. C. 51, 12:

vitam per obscurum transmittere,

in obscurity, Sen. Ep. 19, 3:

saepe mandatum initio litis in obscuro est,

kept back, Gai. Inst. 4, 84.—

Of character, close, secret, reserved:

obscurus et astutus homo,

Cic. Off. 3, 13, 5 (for which:

sin me astutum et occultum lubet fingere,

id. Fam. 3, 10, 8):

plerumque modestus Occupat obscuri speciem,

Hor. Ep. 1, 18, 94:

Tiberium obscurum adversus alios, sibi uni incautum intectumque efficeret,

Tac. A. 4, 1:

obscurum odium,

Cic. Fam. 3, 10, 6.— Comp.:

natura obscurior,

Tac. Agr. 42.— Adv.: ob-scūrē, darkly, obscurely (class.).

Lit.: aut nihil superum aut obscure admodum cernimus, very darkly, Cic. Fragm. ap. Non. 474, 28.—

Trop.

Of speech, darkly, obscurely, indistinctly:

dicta,

Quint. 3, 4, 3; 4, 1, 79.— Comp.:

quae causa dicta obscurius est,

Quint. 8, 2, 24.— Sup.:

obscurissime particulā uti, Cell. 17, 13, 5: non obscurissime dicere (opp. planissime),

id. 11, 16, 9.—

Of birth, obscurely, ignobly, meanly (perh. only post-class.):

obscure natus,

Macr. S. 7, 3:

obscurissime natus,

Amm. 29, 1, 5.—

Covertly, closely, secretly:

malum obscure serpens,

Cic. Cat. 4, 3, 6:

tacite obscureque perire,

id. Quint. 15, 50:

non obscure ferre aliquid,

id. Clu. 19, 54; cf. id. Par. 6, 1, 45; Hirt. B. G. 8, 54.— Comp.:

ceteri sunt obscurius iniqui,

more secretly, Cic. Fam. 1, 5, b, 2.— Sup.:

avertere aliquid de publico quam obscurissime,

Cic. Verr. 2, 4, 24, § 53.