subtlety

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ăcūmĕn, ĭnis, n. [acuo], a point to prick or sting with; diff. fr. cacumen, which designates merely the summit or extremity of a thing, Doed. Syn. 2, 108.

Lit.: tum clupei resonunt et ferri stridit acumen, Enn. ap. Prisc. p. 838 P. (Ann. v. 369 ed. Vahl.):

coni,

Lucr. 4, 431:

nasi,

id. 6, 1193 (i.e. the pointed contraction of the nose before death; cf. Bentl. ad Hor. S. 1, 3, 29):

stili,

Cic. de Or. 1, 33:

ferrum Diana volanti abstulerat jaculo: lignum sine acumine venit,

Ov. M. 8, 353; 3, 84.—Hence, also, the sting of an animal:

scorpii,

Cic. Arat. 685:—auspicium ex acuminibus, a military omen of victory, when the spears stuck in the ground suddenly begin to burn or shine at the points, Cic. Div. 2, 36, 77, and id. N. D. 2, 3; cf. Liv. 22, 1; 43, 13.—In Plin., of the taste: sharpness or pungency, 14, 20, 25.—

Fig., of the mind, like acies.

Acuteness, shrewdness, keenness, acumen:

sermonis leporem, ingeniorum acumen, dicendi copiam,

Cic. Fl. 4; so Nep. Alc. 11; Plin. 2, 27, 27, § 97.—Also without a gen.:

ubi est acumen tuum?

Cic. Tusc. 1, 6; so Lucr. ap. Cic. Fam. 5, 14, 2: Empedocles an Stertinium deliret acumen, Hor. Ep. 1, 12, 20.— Poet. also in plur.:

serus Graecis admovit acumina chartis,

Hor. Ep. 2, 1, 161.—

Cunning, subtlety:

argutiae et acumen Hyperidis,

Cic. Or. 31; so id. de Or. 2, 63.—Also in plur.:

dialectici ipsi se compungunt suis acuminibus,

id. de Or. 2, 38:

meretricis acumina,

Hor. Ep. 1, 17, 55. —Hence,

argūtĭae, ārum (the sing. argutia, ae, is rare and only among later writers; cf. Charis. p. 20, and Phocae Ars, p. 1708 P.), f. [argutus].

That which is clear to the senses, vigor of expression, liveliness, animation; of works of art: Parrhasius primus symmetriam picturae dedit, primus argutias vultūs, elegantiam capilli, etc., Plin. 35, 10, 36, §

37: argutiae operum,

id. 34, 18, 19, § 65.—Of the quick motion of the fingers (cf. argutus):

nulla mollitia cervicum, nullae argutiae digitorum,

Cic. Or. 18, 59.—Of the chattering notes of the nightingale, Plin. 10, 29, 43, § 85.—Of chattering discourse, Plaut. Bacch. 1, 2, 19; id. Most. 1, 1, 2.—

Transf. to mental qualities.

Brightness, acuteness, wit, genius:

hujus (C. Titii) orationes tantum argutiarum, tantum urbanitatis habent, ut paene Attico stilo scriptae esse videantur. Easdem argutias in tragoedias transtulit,

Cic. Brut. 45, 167:

Demosthenes nihil Lysiae subtilitate cedit, nihil argutiis et acumine Hyperidi,

id. Or. 31, 110. —

Slyness, subtlety, cunning, shrewdness in speech or action:

sed nihil est quod illi (Graeci) non persequantur suis argutiis,

Cic. Lael. 13, 45:

cujus loquacitas habet aliquid argutiarum,

id. Leg. 1, 2, 7.—In this signif. also in the sing.:

importuna atque audax argutia,

Gell. 3, 1, 6:

levis et quasi dicax argutia,

id. 12, 2 (cf. argutiola); Pall. Insit. prooem. 1; so App. M. 1, 1.

praescriptĭo, ōnis, f. [praescribo].

A writing before or in front, a prefixing in writing; hence, meton., a title, inscription, preface, introduction, commencement:

praescriptio legis,

Cic. Agr. 2, 9, 22:

tribuniciae potestatis,

Tac. A. 1, 7.—

Trop.

A pretext, excuse, pretence:

ut honestā praescriptione rem turpissimam tegerent,

Caes. B. C. 3, 32.—

A precept, order, rule, law:

dummodo illa praescriptio moderatioque teneatur,

Cic. Cael. 18, 42:

hanc normam, hanc regulam, hanc praescriptionem esse naturae, a quā, etc.,

id. Ac. 2, 46, 140:

rationis,

id. Tusc. 4, 9, 22:

in hac praescriptione semi-horae,

id. Rab. Perd. 2, 6:

sine praescriptione generis aut numeri,

without previous limitation, Tac. A. 6, 15.—

In law, an exception, objection, demurrer:

aut intentio, aut praescriptio habet controversiam,

Quint. 7, 5, 2:

praescriptionem alicui opponere,

Dig. 44, tit. 1, 11.—

Esp., a limitation of the subject-matter in a suit, by a form of words:

praescriptiones autem appellatas ab eo, quod ante formulas praescribuntur,

Gai. Inst. 4, 132; cf. id. ib. 4, 130 sqq.—

Transf., a philosophical objection, a subtlety, sophism:

exceptiones et praescriptiones philosophorum,

Sen. Ep. 48, 12.—

Limitation as to time, prescription, Dig. 18, 1, 76.

scrūpŭlus ( scrīŭplum, etc., v. infra, B.), i, m. dim. [scrupus].

Lit., a small sharp or pointed stone:

ater scrupulus,

Sol. 7.—

Transf.

T. t., the smallest division of weight (the 24th part of an ounce), a scruple; in this sense the neutr. collat. form scrīpŭlum (less commonly scrū-pŭlum; also written, because of a fancied derivation from scriptum, scriptŭlum, scriptlum) is most freq.: scriptulum, quod nunc vulgo sine t dicunt, Varro ap. Plautin. dixit. Idem tertio Annali. Is (nummus argenteus) quattuor scriptulis major fuit quam nunc est, Charis. p. 81:

si ibi auri scrupulum imponatur, etc.,

Vitr. 7, 8 med.:

scripula octo,

Col. 12, 28, 1:

picis sex scripula,

id. 12, 23, 2; Cic. Att. 4, 16, 13:

quinque marathri scrupula,

Ov. Med. Fac. 92:

scripulum nostri dixere priores,

Rhem. Fan. Pond. 8 sq.:

ita ut scripulum valeret sestertiis vicenis,

Plin. 33, 3, 13, § 47:

scrupulum,

Val. Max. 4, 4, 9:

scriptula,

Mart. 4, 89, 3; 10, 55, 3.—

Of other measures.

The twenty-fourth part of an uncia of land (the 288th part of a jugerum), Varr. R. R. 1, 10, 2; Col. 5, 1, 8.—

The twenty-fourth part of an hour:

QVAE HIC DORMIT VIXIT ANN. XXI. MENS. III. HOR. IV. SCRVPVLOS VI.,

Inscr. Fabr. p. 97, 219 (ap. Orell. 4718, n. 1); M. Aur. ap. Front. Ep. ad Caes. 2, 9.—

Of any other very small measure, Front. Aquaed. 26; Plin. 2, 10, 7, § 48.—

Trop., a pricking, stinging, uneasy sensation; hence,

Uneasiness, difficulty, trouble, anxiety, doubt, scruple (class.):

hunc sibi ex animo scrupulum, qui se dies noctesque stimulat ac pungit, ut evellatis postulat,

Cic. Rosc. Am. 2, 6:

sui scripulus tenuissimus residere aliquis videbitur,

id. Har. Resp. 5, 11:

mihi unus scrupulus restat,

Ter. And. 5, 4, 37:

qui fuit in re hac scrupulus,

id. Phorm. 5, 8, 30:

injeci scrupulum homini,

id. Ad. 2, 2, 20; id. Phorm. 5, 7, 61; cf.:

nummi potius addantur quam ullus sit scrupulus,

Cic. Att. 2, 4, 1; App. M. 1, p. 107, 5; cf.:

hic tum injectus est hominibus scrupulus et quaedam dubitatio, quidnam esset actum,

Cic. Clu. 28, 76; Suet. Claud. 37:

exime hunc mihi scrupulum, cui par esse non possum,

Plin. Ep. 3, 17, 2; cf. id. ib. 6, 8, 7:

omnis surculus... sine scrupulo egregie inseritur,

without scruple, without hesitation, Col. 5, 11, 1; Vulg. 1 Reg. 25, 31:

scrupulus non mediocris me carpebat,

App. M. 6, p. 184, 11.—With gen.:

domesticarum sollicitudinum aculeos omnes et scrupulos occultabo,

Cic. Att. 1, 18, 2:

reus scrupulo quaestionis liberatur,

App. Mag. p. 305 med. —

A painfully minute examination, a subtlety, Gell. 5, 15, 9.

scrūpŭlus ( scrīŭplum, etc., v. infra, B.), i, m. dim. [scrupus].

Lit., a small sharp or pointed stone:

ater scrupulus,

Sol. 7.—

Transf.

T. t., the smallest division of weight (the 24th part of an ounce), a scruple; in this sense the neutr. collat. form scrīpŭlum (less commonly scrū-pŭlum; also written, because of a fancied derivation from scriptum, scriptŭlum, scriptlum) is most freq.: scriptulum, quod nunc vulgo sine t dicunt, Varro ap. Plautin. dixit. Idem tertio Annali. Is (nummus argenteus) quattuor scriptulis major fuit quam nunc est, Charis. p. 81:

si ibi auri scrupulum imponatur, etc.,

Vitr. 7, 8 med.:

scripula octo,

Col. 12, 28, 1:

picis sex scripula,

id. 12, 23, 2; Cic. Att. 4, 16, 13:

quinque marathri scrupula,

Ov. Med. Fac. 92:

scripulum nostri dixere priores,

Rhem. Fan. Pond. 8 sq.:

ita ut scripulum valeret sestertiis vicenis,

Plin. 33, 3, 13, § 47:

scrupulum,

Val. Max. 4, 4, 9:

scriptula,

Mart. 4, 89, 3; 10, 55, 3.—

Of other measures.

The twenty-fourth part of an uncia of land (the 288th part of a jugerum), Varr. R. R. 1, 10, 2; Col. 5, 1, 8.—

The twenty-fourth part of an hour:

QVAE HIC DORMIT VIXIT ANN. XXI. MENS. III. HOR. IV. SCRVPVLOS VI.,

Inscr. Fabr. p. 97, 219 (ap. Orell. 4718, n. 1); M. Aur. ap. Front. Ep. ad Caes. 2, 9.—

Of any other very small measure, Front. Aquaed. 26; Plin. 2, 10, 7, § 48.—

Trop., a pricking, stinging, uneasy sensation; hence,

Uneasiness, difficulty, trouble, anxiety, doubt, scruple (class.):

hunc sibi ex animo scrupulum, qui se dies noctesque stimulat ac pungit, ut evellatis postulat,

Cic. Rosc. Am. 2, 6:

sui scripulus tenuissimus residere aliquis videbitur,

id. Har. Resp. 5, 11:

mihi unus scrupulus restat,

Ter. And. 5, 4, 37:

qui fuit in re hac scrupulus,

id. Phorm. 5, 8, 30:

injeci scrupulum homini,

id. Ad. 2, 2, 20; id. Phorm. 5, 7, 61; cf.:

nummi potius addantur quam ullus sit scrupulus,

Cic. Att. 2, 4, 1; App. M. 1, p. 107, 5; cf.:

hic tum injectus est hominibus scrupulus et quaedam dubitatio, quidnam esset actum,

Cic. Clu. 28, 76; Suet. Claud. 37:

exime hunc mihi scrupulum, cui par esse non possum,

Plin. Ep. 3, 17, 2; cf. id. ib. 6, 8, 7:

omnis surculus... sine scrupulo egregie inseritur,

without scruple, without hesitation, Col. 5, 11, 1; Vulg. 1 Reg. 25, 31:

scrupulus non mediocris me carpebat,

App. M. 6, p. 184, 11.—With gen.:

domesticarum sollicitudinum aculeos omnes et scrupulos occultabo,

Cic. Att. 1, 18, 2:

reus scrupulo quaestionis liberatur,

App. Mag. p. 305 med. —

A painfully minute examination, a subtlety, Gell. 5, 15, 9.

sollertĭa ( sōlert-), ae, f. [sollers], skill, shrewdness, quickness of mind, ingenuity, dexterity, adroitness, expertness, etc. (class.;

syn.: acumen, subtilitas, scientia): data est quibusdam bestiis machinatio quaedam atque sollertia,

Cic. N. D. 2, 48, 123:

nulla ars imitari sollertiam naturae potest,

id. ib. 1, 33, 92:

Chaldaei sollertiā ingeniorum antecellunt,

id. Div. 1, 41, 91; cf.:

est genus (Gallorum) summae sollertiae,

Caes. B. G. 7, 22:

hominum adhibita sollertia,

id. B. C. 2, 8 fin.:

ingenii sollertia,

shrewdness, Sall. J. 7, 7:

in hac re tanta inest ratio atque sollertia,

knowledge and skill, Cic. Rep. 1, 16, 25; so (with ratio) Tac. G. 30:

ut artis pariat sollertia,

Claud. Rapt. Pros. 3, 33:

in omni re fugienda est talis sollertia,

such subtlety, Cic. Off. 1, 10, 33:

mirari non modo diligentiam sed enim sollertiam ejus,

id. Sen. 17, 59:

quae tua formosos cepit sollertia?

Tib. 1, 4, 3:

omnia conando docilis sollertia vicit,

Manil. 1, 95; Luc. 8, 283:

placuit sollertia tempore etiam adjuta,

the ingenious plan, Tac. A. 14, 4.— Plur.:

egregiis ingeniorum sollertiis ex aevo collocatis,

Vitr. 7 praef. med. —

With gen. obj.:

(honestum) aut in perspicientiā veri sollertiāque versatur, aut, etc. (shortly after: perspicere et explicare rationem),

the perception and intelligent development of the true, Cic. Off. 1, 5, 14:

agendi cogitandique sollertia,

adroitness, quickness, id. ib. 1, 44, 157:

judicandi,

id. Opt. Gen. 4, 11:

belli,

Sil. 6, 309.

subtīlĭtas ( supt-), ātis, f. [subtilis], fineness, thinness, slenderness, minuteness (syn. tenuitas).

Lit. (mostly post-Aug.;

not in Cic.): linearum,

Plin. 35, 10, 36, § 82:

ferramentorum,

the keen edge, sharpness, id. 28, 9, 41, § 148:

inenarrabilis florum,

id. 21, 1, 1, § 1:

muliebris,

Vitr. 4, 1 med.:

immensa animalium,

Plin. 11, prooem. 1, §

1: caelandi fingendique ac tingendi,

id. 35, prooem. §

1: umoris,

id. 2, 65, 65, § 163. —

Trop.

In gen., keenness, acuteness, penetration, definiteness, exactness, subtlety, etc. (class.;

syn.: acumen, sollertia): sententiarum,

Cic. N. D. 2, 1, 1:

disputandi,

id. Tusc. 3, 23, 56:

ea subtilitas, quam Atticam appellant,

id. Brut. 17, 67:

subtilitas sermonis,

id. Rep. 1, 10, 16:

credunt plerique militaribus ingeniis subtilitatem deesse,

Tac. Agr. 9:

ingens,

Petr. 31:

tanta,

id. 38; Sen. Ep. 113, 1:

Aristoteles, vir immensae subtilitatis,

Plin. 18, 34, 77, § 335; cf.:

litterarum,

id. 2, 108, 112, § 247:

geometrica,

id. 2, 65, 65, § 164:

perversa grammaticorum,

id. 35, 3, 4, § 13:

subtilitas parcimoniae compendia invenit,

id. 17, 22, 35, § 171:

picturae summa suptilitas,

id. 35, 9, 36, § 67:

inutilis,

Sen. Ep. 65, 16:

quaedam inutilia et inefficacia ipsa subtilitas reddit,

id. ib. 82, 24: nimia, id. ib 88, 43.—

In partic., in rhet., plainness, simplicity, absence of ornament:

orationis subtilitas imitabilis quidem illa videtur esse existimanti, sed nihil est experienti minus,

Cic. Or. 23, 76; id. Brut. 84, 291:

suavitatem Isocrates, subtilitatem Lysias, vim Demosthenes habuit,

id. de Or. 3, 7, 28:

subtilitas et elegantia scriptorum,

id. Fam. 4, 4, 1.

subtīlĭtas ( supt-), ātis, f. [subtilis], fineness, thinness, slenderness, minuteness (syn. tenuitas).

Lit. (mostly post-Aug.;

not in Cic.): linearum,

Plin. 35, 10, 36, § 82:

ferramentorum,

the keen edge, sharpness, id. 28, 9, 41, § 148:

inenarrabilis florum,

id. 21, 1, 1, § 1:

muliebris,

Vitr. 4, 1 med.:

immensa animalium,

Plin. 11, prooem. 1, §

1: caelandi fingendique ac tingendi,

id. 35, prooem. §

1: umoris,

id. 2, 65, 65, § 163. —

Trop.

In gen., keenness, acuteness, penetration, definiteness, exactness, subtlety, etc. (class.;

syn.: acumen, sollertia): sententiarum,

Cic. N. D. 2, 1, 1:

disputandi,

id. Tusc. 3, 23, 56:

ea subtilitas, quam Atticam appellant,

id. Brut. 17, 67:

subtilitas sermonis,

id. Rep. 1, 10, 16:

credunt plerique militaribus ingeniis subtilitatem deesse,

Tac. Agr. 9:

ingens,

Petr. 31:

tanta,

id. 38; Sen. Ep. 113, 1:

Aristoteles, vir immensae subtilitatis,

Plin. 18, 34, 77, § 335; cf.:

litterarum,

id. 2, 108, 112, § 247:

geometrica,

id. 2, 65, 65, § 164:

perversa grammaticorum,

id. 35, 3, 4, § 13:

subtilitas parcimoniae compendia invenit,

id. 17, 22, 35, § 171:

picturae summa suptilitas,

id. 35, 9, 36, § 67:

inutilis,

Sen. Ep. 65, 16:

quaedam inutilia et inefficacia ipsa subtilitas reddit,

id. ib. 82, 24: nimia, id. ib 88, 43.—

In partic., in rhet., plainness, simplicity, absence of ornament:

orationis subtilitas imitabilis quidem illa videtur esse existimanti, sed nihil est experienti minus,

Cic. Or. 23, 76; id. Brut. 84, 291:

suavitatem Isocrates, subtilitatem Lysias, vim Demosthenes habuit,

id. de Or. 3, 7, 28:

subtilitas et elegantia scriptorum,

id. Fam. 4, 4, 1.