con-tŭmax

con-tŭmax, ācis, adj. [from the root tem, whence also temno; cf. contemno, and contumelia], insolent, unyielding, obstinate, stiff-necked, stubborn, contumacious.

Prop.

In gen. (freq. and in good prose):

quis contum acior? quis inhumanior? quis superbior?

Cic. Verr. 2, 2, 78, § 192:

Sara in me contumax,

id. Att. 15, 15, 2; cf.:

adversus plebem,

Suet. Tib. 2; and:

populus regibus suis,

Sen. Thyest. 644:

reus (together with arrogans, securus),

Quint. 6, 1, 14; cf.

animus (with arrogantia oris),

Tac. A. 5, 3:

contumaces et mconsultae voces,

id. ib. 4, 60:

preces,

id. ib. 2, 57:

voltus,

Curt. 4, 6, 24:

epistula,

Suet. Claud. 35: filii, Cod. Th. 8, 14, 1.—Rarely in a good sense, unyielding, firm, steadfast:

contumax etiam adversus tormenta servorum fides,

Tac. H. 1, 3 (cf. contumacia).— Poet.:

Hispanis ego contumax capillis,

Mart. 10, 65.— Comp., v. supra.— Sup.:

Fortuna contumacissimum quemque aggreditur,

Sen. Prov. 3, 4; id. Ep. 83, 21.—

Esp., jurid. t. t., that refuses to appear in a court of justice in obedience to a lawful summons:

contumax est, qui... litteris evocatus, praesentiam, sui facere contemnet,

Dig. 42, 1, 53, § 1 sqq.; cf. contumacia, I. B.—

Transf., of animals:

boves,

Col. 6, 2, 10:

gallina ad concubitum,

id. 8, 2, 8.—Of inanimate things, not yielding, furnishing opposition:

lima,

Phaedr. 4, 7, 5:

cardamum frianti,

Plin. 12, 13, 29, § 50:

syllaba,

not fitting into measure, Mart. 9, 12.—Hence, adv.: contŭmācĭter, obstinately, stubbornly, etc.: contumaciter, arroganter, akoinônêtôs solet ad me scribere, Cic. Att. 6, 1, 7:

contumaciter urbaneque vexatum,

id. Q. Fr. 2, 1, 3:

omnia agere,

Liv. 2, 58, 7; Quint. 11, 3, 11 et saep.— Comp., Nep. Cim. 2, 5.—In a good sense (cf. contumax and contumacia), firmly, Sen. Ep. 13, 2; Quint. 6, prooem. § 15.—

Transf., of inanimate things:

lapides scalpturae resistunt,

Plin. 37, 7, 30, § 104; in comp., id. 19, 7, 35, § 117.