a disputed point

quaestĭo, ōnis, f. [quaero], a seeking.

In gen. (Plautin.):

cave, fuas mi in quaestione,

lest you suffer yourself to be to seek, lest I have to look after you, Plaut. Pers. 1, 1, 52:

tibi ne in quaestione essemus,

id. Capt. 2, 2, 3; id. Ps. 2, 2, 68.—

In partic., an inquiry, investigation, a questioning, question, subject of inquiry:

quaestio est appetitio cognitionis, quaestionisque finis inventio,

Cic. Ac. 2, 8, 26; 2, 36, 115:

quae veri simillima (sententia sit), magna quaestio est,

id. Tusc. 1, 11, 23; id. Fin. 2, 11, 34:

rem in disceptationem quaestionemque vocare,

to investigate, id. de Or. 3, 32, 129:

res in quaestione versatur,

is under investigation, id. Clu. 58, 159:

de moribus ultima fiet quaestio,

Juv. 3, 141:

res in quaestionem venit,

comes under investigation, Quint. 5, 14, 16:

modo aliquam quaestionem poëticam ei proponeret,

Nep. Att. 20, 2; cf. Cic. Att. 7, 19 fin.; Sen. Ben. 5, 8, 6; id. Ep. 48, 1; Suet. Tib. 56:

quaestionem instituere,

to institute an investigation, Quint. 7, 1, 6:

quaestionem solvere,

Sen. Ep. 48, 11; Quint. 5, 10, 26.—

A public judicial investigation, examination by torture, a criminal inquiry, inquisition; the crime is usu. constr. with de:

cum praetor quaestionem inter sicarios exercuisset,

instituted a trial for assassination, Cic. Fin. 2, 16, 54:

verberibus ac tormentis quaestionem habuit pecuniae publicae,

id. Phil. 11, 2, 5:

quaestionem mortis paternae de servis paternis habere,

id. Rosc. Am. 28, 78:

quaestionem fugitare,

id. ib. 28, 78:

servos in quaestionem polliceri,

id. ib. 28, 77:

quaestionem ferre in aliquem,

to appoint, institute, make a motion for, id. de Or. 1, 53, 227:

habere ex aliquo,

Liv. 33, 28:

facere alicui,

against any one, Dig. 34, 3, 20:

quaestionem de furto constituere,

Cic. Clu. 64, 181:

quaestionem instituere de morte alicujus,

id. ib. 64, 181:

quaestionem de morte viri habere,

id. ib. 65, 182;

63, 176: quaestionem habere de servis in caput filii,

id. ib. 63, 176:

ad quaestionem abripi,

to examination by torture, id. ib. 33, 89:

alicui servum in quaestionem ferre,

id. ib. 64, 181:

postulare servum in quaestionem,

id. ib. 64, 181:

quaestiones severius exercere,

Liv. 9, 34:

quaestioni praeesse,

to conduct a trial as judge, Cic. Rosc. Am. 4, 11: quaestiones perpetuae, the inquisitions concerning certain crimes (repetundarum, majestatis, de falso, de sicariis, de injuriis, etc.), conducted annually, after 605 A. U. C., by a standing commission, and presided over by the prætor, Cic. Brut. 27, 106:

judex quaestionis,

the director of the criminal court under the presidency of the prætor, id. Clu. 54, 148; 33, 89; id. Brut. 76, 264:

quaestiones extraordinariae,

trials out of the common course, held under a special commission, Liv. 39, 14; so,

quaestio nova,

Cic. Mil. 5, 13:

A QVAESTIONIBVS,

an attendant in examinations, a torturer, inquisitor, Inscr. Grut. 545, 6; 560, 1. —

Transf.

The court, the judges:

dimittere eo tempore quaestionem,

Cic. Verr. 2, 2, 30, § 74:

totam quaestionem a severitate ad clementiam transtulit,

Val. Max. 8, 1, 6.—

The subject of investigation, the matter, case, question:

perdifficilis et perobscura quaestio est de naturā deorum,

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

dividere totam de dis immortalibus quaestionem in partis quattuor,

id. ib. 2, 1, 3:

quaestio proposita,

Quint. 9, 2, 39.—

In partic., in rhet.

The rhetorical subject of debate: quaestionum duo sunt genera: alterum infinitum, alterum definitum. Definitum est, quod hupothesin Graeci, nos causam: infinitum, quod thesin illi appellant, nos propositum possumus nominare, Cic. Top. 21, 79. —

The main point in a disputed matter, the issue in a cause: quaestio est quae ex conflictione causarum gignitur controversia, hoc modo: Non jure fecisti: jure feci. Causarum autem haec est conflictio, in quā constitutio constat;

ex eā igitur nascitur controversia, quam quaestionem dicimus, hoc modo: jurene fecerit,

Cic. Inv. 1, 13, 18; cf. id. ib. 1, 6, 8.—

A question, a disputed point, quaestio est, it is doubtful, may be disputed:

sapientia efficit sapientis sola per se: beatos efficiat necne sola per se quaestio est,

Cic. Top. 15, 60; id. Tusc. 4, 13, 29; id. Inv. 2, 20, 60:

quaestio est, an, etc.,

Quint. 7, 3, 22; cf.:

nulla quaestio est,

Aug. Retract. 1, 19, 6; cf.

also: in quaestione est,

Plin. 11, 17, 18, § 57; 10, 22, 27, § 52:

quaestionis est immensae,

id. 7, 28, 29, § 101; 28, 2, 3, § 10.

discrīmen, ĭnis, n. [contr. from discerimen à discerno; cf. crimen from cerno], lit., that which separates or divides two things from each other (for syn. cf.: differentia, discrepantia, diversitas, distantia); hence,

Lit., an intervening space, interval, distance, division, separation:

cum (duo maria) pertenui discrimine separarentur,

Cic. Agr. 2, 32, 87:

minimum quos inter et hostem Discrimen murus clausaque porta facit,

Ov. Pont. 1, 8, 62:

aequo discrimine,

Lucr. 5, 690; Verg. A. 5, 154:

parvum leti,

Ov. M. 7, 426; Verg. A. 9, 143:

dare discrimina costis,

i. e. to separate them, id. ib. 10, 382:

quae (sc. littera F) inter discrimina dentium efflanda est,

Quint. 12, 10, 29:

agminum,

Curt. 4, 12 fin.:

ungulae,

Col. 6, 15 fin.:

comae,

Ov. A. A. 2, 302; and in like manner poet.: telluris pectitae, i. e. furrow, Col. Poët. 10, 94; Claud. Nupt. Honor. 103:

medium luci,

Grat. Cyneg. 486.—Hence, med. t. t., the dividing membrane, the midriff, diaphragm, Cael. Aur. Tard. 2, 11, 127; 5, 10, 124 al.—

Trop. (so most frequent).

In gen., a distinction, difference: amabat omnes, nam discrimen non facit, Lucil. ap. Non. 282, 27:

iste, qui omnia jura pretio exaequasset omniumque rerum delectum atque discrimen pecunia sustulisset,

Cic. Verr. 2, 2, 50; cf.:

officia tollebantur delectu omni et discrimine remoto,

id. Fin. 4, 25, 69:

sit hoc discrimen inter gratiosos cives atque fortes, ut illi, etc.,

id. Balb. 21 fin.:

sine ullo sexus discrimine,

Suet. Calig. 8; cf.:

rapti per agros viatores sine discrimine liberi servique,

id. Aug. 32:

omisso sui alicuique discrimine,

Liv. 5, 55:

divinarum humanarumque rerum,

id. 5, 40:

recti pravique,

Quint. 12, 3, 7:

vocum,

id. 1, 5, 25; cf.

so of the different tones of the strings: septem discrimina vocum,

Verg. A. 6, 646 et saep.— Poet.:

tenues parvi discriminis umbrae,

i. e. of easy gradation, Ov. M. 6, 62. —

In partic.

With respect to disputed matters, which are to be distinguished between, and thus decided upon, the decisive point, turning-point, critical moment, determination, decision:

quoniam res in id discrimen adducta est, utrum ille poenas rei publicae luat, an nos serviamus,

to this point, Cic. Phil. 3, 11, 29; cf.:

ea res nunc in discrimine versatur, utrum... an, etc.,

id. Quint. 30, 92; Liv. 29, 17:

vicit disciplina militaris, vicit imperii majestas, quae in discrimine fuerunt, an ulla post hanc diem essent,

id. 8, 35, 4: haec et his similia haud in magno equidem ponam discrimine, shall not regard as of great moment, id. praef. §

8: postquam adesse discrimen ultimum belli animadvertit,

id. 44, 23:

instant enim (adversarii) et saepe discrimen omne committunt,

abandon the most decisive points, Quint. 6, 4, 17 et saep.— Poet.:

experiar, deus hic, discrimine aperto, An sit mortalis,

the test, Ov. M. 1, 222.—

Transf., a dangerous, decisive moment, crisis, dangerous condition; risk, danger, hazard:

in ipso discrimine periculi aliquem destituere,

Liv. 6, 17; so,

periculi,

id. 8, 24: in summo rem esse discrimine, * Caes. B. G. 6, 38, 2; cf.:

adducta est res in maximum periculum et extremum pene discrimen,

Cic. Phil. 7, 1:

salus sociorum summum in periculum ac discrimen vocatur,

id. de Imp. Pomp. 5, 12:

in extremo discrimine ac dimicatione fortunae,

id. Sull. 28:

in veteris fortunae discrimen adducitur,

id. Mur. 27, 55; cf.:

aliquem in discrimen capitis adducere,

id. Deiot. 1, 2; so,

capitis,

Quint. 11, 1, 49:

si ei subito sit allatum periculum discrimenque patriae,

Cic. Off. 1, 43, 154:

rem publicam in discrimen committere,

Liv. 8, 32; 33, 7; cf.:

fuitque dies illa tenebrarum et discriminis,

Vulg. Esth. 11, 8.

vinco, vīci, victum, 3, v. a. and n. [perh. causat. of root ik-; Gr. eikô, to yield; but cf. per-vicax; v. Curt. Gr. Etym. p. 106], to conquer, overcome, get the better of, defeat, subdue, vanquish, be victorious, etc. (syn.: supero, debello).

Lit.

In war or battle:

jus esse belli, ut qui vicissent, iis, quos vicissent, quemadmodum vellent, imperarent, etc.,

Caes. B. G. 1, 36:

Carthaginienses navalibus pugnis,

Cic. Imp. Pomp. 18, 55:

Galliam bello,

Caes. B. G. 1, 34 fin.:

non virtute neque in acie vicisse Romanos,

id. ib. 7, 29:

id vi et virtute militum victum atque expugnatum oppidum est,

Plaut. Am. 1, 1, 36:

vicimus vi feroces,

id. ib. 1, 1, 82: aio te, Aeacida, Romanos vincere posse, Enn. ap. Cic. Div. 2, 56, 116 (Ann. v. 186 Vahl.): sicut fortis equus, spatio qui saepe supremo Vicit Olympia, Enn. ap. Cic. Sen. 5, 14 (Ann. v. 442 ib.): aliquando [p. 1992] ut vincat, ludit assidue aleam, Poët. ap. Suet. Aug. 70 fin.:

L. milia,

to win at play, August. ib. 71.—

In a lawsuit, etc., to be successful, to gain:

vincere judicio,

Cic. Rosc. Com. 18, 53:

quem tu horum nil refelles, vincam scilicet,

Ter. Phorm. 1, 2, 82; Hor. S. 1, 2, 134:

causam suam,

to win, Ov. H. 16, 76.— Pass.:

factum est: ventum est: vincimur,

Ter. Phorm. 1, 2, 85.—

In other relations, to win, prevail, be successful, gain, overcome:

sponsione,

Cic. Quint. 27, 84:

sponsionem,

id. Caecin. 31, 91:

vicit iter durum pietas,

controlled, made easy, Verg. A. 6, 688; cf. Mart. 5, 23, 5; Claud. Cons. Hon. 46:

labor omnia vicit,

Verg. G. 1, 145; cf.

difficultates, Auct. B. G. 8, 21: virgam,

to win, Verg. A. 6, 148:

vicit tamen in Senatu pars illa, quae, etc.,

Sall. J. 16, 1:

factione respectuque rerum privatarum... Appius vicit,

Liv. 2, 30, 2:

cum in senatu vicisset sententia, quae, etc.,

id. 2, 4: Othonem vincas volo, to outbid (in an auction), Cic. Att. 13, 29, 2; 13, 33, 2.—To defeat as a candidate for office:

competitorem in suffragiis,

Quint. 7, 1, 29.—

Transf., of inanimate subjects.

To overcome, overwhelm, prevail over, etc.:

(naves) neu turbine venti Vincantur,

Verg. A. 9, 92:

victa ratis,

Ov. Tr. 1, 4, 12:

flammam gurgitibus,

id. Am. 3, 6, 42:

noctem flammis,

Verg. A. 1, 727:

vincunt aequora navitae,

prevail against, get the better of, Hor. C. 3, 24, 41:

victaque concessit prisca moneta novae,

Ov. F. 1, 222:

quernaque glans victa est utiliore cibo,

id. ib. 1, 676:

corpora victa sopore,

id. ib. 1, 422; cf.:

blanda quies furtim victis obrepsit ocellis,

id. ib. 3, 19:

hi casses (linei) vel ferri aciem vincunt,

Plin. 19, 1, 2, § 11:

campum turbā vincente,

overflowing, Sil. 6, 390.—

To outlast, survive:

(aesculus) Multa virum volvens durando saecula vincit,

Verg. G. 2, 295:

vivendo mea fata,

id. A. 11, 160.—

To surmount, scale:

aëra (sagittae),

Verg. G. 2, 123; cf.:

montes ascensu,

Claud. III. Cons. Hon. 46.—

To reduce, change, etc.;

of cooking: nec viscera quisquam... potest vincere flammā,

Verg. G. 3, 560:

cochleas undis calefactas et prope victas,

Ser. Samm. Med. 319.—Of smelting ores:

metallorum primitiae nullis fornacibus victae,

Tac. H. 4, 53.—Of melting snow:

nive, quae zephyro victa tepente fluit,

Ov. F. 2, 220.—

Of digestion: pervigilio quidem praecipue vincuntur cibi,

Plin. 11, 53, 118, § 283.—

Trop.

In gen., to prevail, be superior; to convince, refute, constrain, overcome, etc.:

argumentis vincit,

Plaut. Am. 1, 1, 267:

naturam studio,

Caes. B. G. 6, 43:

vincit ipsa rerum publicarum natura saepe rationem,

Cic. Rep. 2, 33, 57; cf. id. ib. 3, 8, 13: si subitam et fortuitam orationem commentatio et cogitatio facile vincit;

hanc ipsam profecto assidua ac diligens scriptura superabit,

id. de Or. 1, 33, 150:

sapientis animus vincetur et expugnabitur?

id. Par. 4, 1, 27:

animum,

Plaut. Trin. 2, 2, 29:

non est consentaneum, qui invictum se a labore praestiterit, vinci a voluptate,

Cic. Off. 1, 20, 68:

labascit, victu'st, uno verbo, quam cito!

Ter. Eun. 1, 2, 98:

eludet, ubi te victum senserit,

id. ib. 1, 1, 10:

illius stultitiā victa ex urbe tu migres?

id. Hec. 4, 2, 13:

adulescentulus saepe eadem audiendo victus est,

id. Heaut. 1, 1, 62:

peccavi, fateor, vincor,

id. ib. 4, 1, 31:

victus patris precibus lacrimisque,

Liv. 23, 8, 4:

divūm pater victus tuis vocibus,

Hor. C. 4, 6, 21:

est qui vinci possit,

id. S. 1, 9, 55:

pietas Victa furore,

id. C. 3, 27, 36:

victus amore pudor,

Ov. Am. 3, 10, 29:

filia victa in lacrimas,

Tac. A. 1, 57:

victus animi respexit,

Verg. G. 4, 491:

triumphantes de lege victā et abrogatā,

Liv. 34, 3, 9.— With ut:

ergo negatum, vincor, ut credam miser,

am constrained, compelled, Hor. Epod. 17, 27.—

In partic.

To overmatch in some quality, to surpass, exceed, excel, = superare:

stellarum globi terrae magnitudinem facile vincebant,

Cic. Rep. 6, 16, 16:

opinionem vicit omnium, quae, etc.,

id. Ac. 2, 1, 1:

exspectationem omnium,

id. Verr. 2, 5, 5, § 11:

eam (noctem) edepol etiam multo haec (nox) vicit longitudine,

Plaut. Am. 1, 1, 125:

morum immanitate vastissimas vincit beluas,

Cic. Rep. 2, 26, 48:

quamlibet mulierculam Vincere mollitiā,

Hor. Epod. 11, 24:

odio qui posset vincere Regem,

id. S. 1, 7, 6:

scribere, quod Cassi opuscula vincat,

id. Ep. 1, 4, 3; cf.:

qualia (praecepta) vincunt Pythagoran,

id. S. 2, 4, 2.— Poet. with inf.: vir nulli victus vel ponere castra vel junxisse ratem, etc., excelled by none in pitching a camp, etc., Sil. 5, 552; 6, 141.—

To prove triumphantly, show or demonstrate conclusively.

With obj.-clause:

quid nunc? vincon' argumentis te non esse Sosiam?

Plaut. Am. 1, 1, 277:

profecto ita esse, et praedico, vero vincam,

id. Most. 1, 2, 12:

vince deinde, bonum virum fuisse Oppianicum,

Cic. Clu. 44, 124: dicendo vincere non postulo, Matius ap. Cic. Fam. 11, 28, 4:

vincet enim stultos ratio insanire nepotes,

Hor. S. 2, 3, 225.—

With ut:

nec vincet ratio hoc, tantundem ut peccet idemque Qui, etc.,

Hor. S. 1, 3, 115.—

Absol.:

si doceo non ab Avito, vinco ab Oppianico,

Cic. Clu. 23, 64.—

With respect to something disputed, to prevail, gain one's point, carry the day. So only in the expressions,

Vicimus:

cui si esse in urbe tuto licebit, vicimus,

Cic. Att. 14, 20, 3:

rumpantur iniqui. Vicimus: assiduas non tulit illa preces,

Prop. 1, 8, 28: vicimus exclamat;

mecum mea vota feruntur,

Ov. M. 6, 513:

vicimus et meus est,

id. ib. 4, 356.—

Vincite, viceris, vincerent, have it your own way, just as you like, carry your point, an expression of reluctant assent:

vincite, si ita vultis,

Caes. B. G. 5, 30; Ov. M. 8, 509:

vincerent ac sibi haberent, dummodo scirent,

Suet. Caes. 1 fin.:

viceris,

Ter. And. 5, 3, 21.—

To treat worthily, set forth with dignity ( poet.):

nec sum animi dubius, verbis ea vincere magnum Quam sit,

Verg. G. 3, 289; cf.:

vincere verbis,

Lucr. 5, 733.