decussis

dĕcussis, is (also decus, i, a mutilated form used by the Agrimensores, p. 231, 243, and 265, ed. Goes.), m. [decem-as].

The number ten: ex singularibus rebus, quae monades apud Graecos dicuntur perficitur decussis, Vitr. 3, 1 (cf. the art. as, no. I.).—Hence, * decussis sexis, or in one word, dĕcussissexis, the number sixteen, Vitr. 3, 1, 8.—

Because the Roman numeral sign for ten was X, decussis was used to denote the intersection of two lines in the form of a cross:

regula figitur in primo decussis puncto,

Vitr. 10, 11; Plin. 18, 34, 77, § 331. Cf. decusso and its derivatives.—

(Acc. to as, no. II.) Ten asses; as a Roman coin, a ten-as piece, Varr. L. L. 5, § 170; Lucil. ib. 9, § 81 Müll.; Stat. Silv. 4, 9, 9; Fest. p. 237, 20 Müll.

dĕcussis, is (also decus, i, a mutilated form used by the Agrimensores, p. 231, 243, and 265, ed. Goes.), m. [decem-as].

The number ten: ex singularibus rebus, quae monades apud Graecos dicuntur perficitur decussis, Vitr. 3, 1 (cf. the art. as, no. I.).—Hence, * decussis sexis, or in one word, dĕcussissexis, the number sixteen, Vitr. 3, 1, 8.—

Because the Roman numeral sign for ten was X, decussis was used to denote the intersection of two lines in the form of a cross:

regula figitur in primo decussis puncto,

Vitr. 10, 11; Plin. 18, 34, 77, § 331. Cf. decusso and its derivatives.—

(Acc. to as, no. II.) Ten asses; as a Roman coin, a ten-as piece, Varr. L. L. 5, § 170; Lucil. ib. 9, § 81 Müll.; Stat. Silv. 4, 9, 9; Fest. p. 237, 20 Müll.

* * *

A, a, indecl. n. (sometimes joined with littera), the first letter of the Latin alphabet, corresponding to the a, a of the other Indo-. European languages:

A primum est: hinc incipiam, et quae nomina ab hoc sunt, Lucil. ap. Terent. Scaur. p. 2255 P.: sus rostro si humi A litteram impresserit,

Cic. Div. 1, 13, 23:

ne in A quidem atque S litteras exire temere masculina Graeca nomina recto casu patiebantur,

Quint. 1, 5, 61.

The sound of the A is short or long in every part of the word; as, ăb, păter, ită; ā, māter, frustrā. During a short period (between about 620 and 670 A. U. C. = from 134 to 84 B.C.) long a was written aa, probably first by the poet L. Attius, in the manner of the Oscan language; so we find in Latin inscriptions: AA. CETEREIS (i.e.a ceteris), CALAASI, FAATO, HAACE, MAARCIVM, PAAPVS, PAASTORES, VAARVS; and in Greek writing, MAAPKOPs PsIOS MAAPKEAAOS, KOINTON MAAPKION (like Osc. aasas = Lat. āra, Osc. Paapi = Lat. Pāpius, Osc. Paakul = Lat. Pāculus, Pācullus, Pācuvius, etc.), v. Ritschl, Monum. Epigr. p. 28 sq., and cf. Mommsen, Unterital. Dialekte, p. 210 sq. (The Umbrian language has gone a step farther, and written long a by aha, as Aharna, Naharcom, trahaf, etc.; cf. Aufrecht and Kirchhoff, Umbrische Sprachdenkm. p. 76 sq.) Vid. also the letters E and U.

In etymological and grammatical formation of words, short a very often (sometimes also long a) is changed into other vowels.

Short a is changed,

, into long a —

In consequence of the suppression of the following consonants at the end or in the middle of the word: ŭb, ā; vădis, vūs; ăg-, ăg-men, exāmen; tăg-, contūmino; căd-, cāsus. Hence also in the abl. sing. of the first decl., and in the particles derived from it. in consequence of the suppression of the original ablat. end. - d: PRAEDAD (Col. Rostr.), praedā; SENTENTIAD (S. C. de Bacch.), sententiā; EXTBAD (ib.), extrā; SVPRAD (ib.), suprā. —Hence,

In perfect forms: scăb-o, scābi; căveo, cūvi; făv-eo, fāvi; păv-eo, pāvi (for scăbui, căvui, făvui, păvui).

In other forms: ăgo, ambūges; păc-, păc-iscor, pâcis (pâx); săg-ax, sūgus, sāga; măc-er, mâcero; făg- (phagein), fūgus. (Contrary to analogy, ă remains short in dănunt, from dă-in-unt, V. Ritschl, l.l.p. 17.)

Short a is changed into é or ē—

Into é.

Most frequently in the second part of compounds, particularly before two consonants: facio, confectus; jacio, conjectus; rapio, dereptus; dăm-, damno, condemno; fāl-, fallo, fefelli; măn-, mando, commendo; scando, ascendo; ăp-, aptus, ineptus; ăr-, ars, iners, sollers; ăn-, annus, perennis; căpio, auceps; căput, triceps; ăgo, remex; jăcio, objex. And thus in Plautus, according to the best MSS., dispenno, dispessus from pando, compectus from compăciscor, anteceptus from capio (on the other hand, in Vergil, according to the best MS., aspurgo, attractare, deiractare, kept their a unchanged).

Sometimes ă is changed into ĕ also before one consonant (but in this case it is usually changed into ĭ; v. infra, 3. a. a.): grădior, ingrĕdior; pătior, perpĕtior; părio, repĕrio; păro, vitupĕro; ăp-, coepi (i. e. co-ŭpi); căno, tubicĕn, tibicĕn; in the reduplicated carcĕr (from carcar) farfŏrus (written also farfārus); and so, according to the better MSS., aequipĕro from păro, and defĕtigo from fătigo.

In words taken from the Greek: talanton, talŏntum; phalara, phalŏrae; sisaron, sisŏr (but, according to the best MSS., cumŭra from kamara, not camŏra).

Short a is changed to ē in some perfect forms: ăgo, ēgi; fūcio, féci; jăci, jĕci; frag-, frango, frēgi; căpio, cēpi, and păg-, pango, pēgi (together with pepĭgi and panxi, v. pango).

Short a is changed to ĭ, a (most frequently in the second part of compounds)

before one consonant: ăgo, abĭgo; făcio, confĭcio; cădo, concĭdo; sălio, assĭlio; răpio, abrĭpio; păter, Juppĭter (in Umbrian lang. unchanged, Jupater), Marspĭter; Diespĭter, Opĭter; rătus, irrĭtus; ămicus, inìmicus (but ŭ remains unchanged in adŭmo, impătiens, and in some compounds of a later period of Roman literature, as praejacio, calefacio, etc.). —

Sometimes also before two consonants (where it is usually changed into ĕ; v. supra, 2. a. b.): tăg-, tango, contingo; păg-, pango, compingo (unchanged in some compounds, as peragro, desacro, depango, obcanto, etc.).

ă is changed into ĭ in the reduplicated perfect forms: cădo, cecĭdi; căno, cecĭni; tăg-, tango, tetĭgi; păg-, pango, pepĭgi.

Likewise in some roots which have ă: păg-, pignus; străg- (strangulo, strangô), stringo.

In words taken from the Greek: mêchanê, machĭna; patanê, patĭna; bukanê, bucĭna; trutanê, trutĭna; balaneion, balĭneum; Katana, Catĭna (written also Catana); Akragas, Agrĭgentum.

Short a is changed into short or long o.

Into ŏ: scăbo, scobs; păr, pars, portio; dăm-, dŏmo; Fabii, Fŏvii (v. Paul. ex Fest. p. 87); marmaron, marmŏr; Mars, redupl. Marmar, Marmor (Carm. Fratr. Arv.).

Into ō: dă-, dōnum, dōs; ăc-, ăcuo, ōcior (v. this art.).

Short a is changed into ŭ —

In the second part of compounds, particularly before l, p, and b: calco, inculco; salsus, insulsus; salto, exsulto; capio, occŭpo; răpio, surrupio and surruptus (also written surripio and surreptus); tăberna, contŭbernium; —before other consonants: quătio, conoŭtio; as, decussis; Mars, Mamŭrius, Mamŭralia; and once also condumnari (Tab. Bant. lin. 8, immediately followed by condemnatus, v. Klenze, Philol. Abhandl. tab. I., and Mommsen, Unterital. Dial. p. 149).

In words of Greek origin: Hekabê, Hecŭba; skutalê, scutŭla; kraipalê, crapŭla; passalos, pessŭlus; aphlaston, aplustre; thriambos, triumphus.

ă is perhaps changed into ŭ in ulciscor, compared with alc-, ulexô (arc-, arceo).

Long a is sometimes changed into ē or ō.

Into é: hālo, anhélo; fās-, féstus, profēstus; nām, némpe.

Into ō: gnā-, gnārus, ignārus, ignōro. (But in general long a remains unchanged in composition: lābor, delūbor; gnàvus, ignūnus; fàma, infūmis.)

Contrary to the mode of changing Greek a into Latin e, i, o, u (v. supra), Latin a has sometimes taken the place of other Greek vowels in words borrowed from the Greek, as: lonchê, lancea; kulix, călix; Ganumêoês, Caiāmitus.

The repugnance of the Latin Language to the Greek combined vowels ao has caused the translocation of them in Alumento for Daomeoôn (Paul. ex Fest. p. 18 Müll.).— Greek a is suppressed in Hercules from Hêraklês (probably in consequence of the inserted u; in late Latin we find Heracla and Heracula, cf. Ritschl, in Rhein. Mus. Neue Folge, vol. 12, p. 108).

Latin ă was early combined with the vowels i and u, forming the diphthongs ai and au; by changing the i into e, the diphthong ai soon became ae. So we find in the oldest inscriptions: AIDE, AIDLLIS, AIQVOM, GNAIVOD, HAICE, DVELONAI, TABELAI, DATAI, etc., which soon gave place to aedem, aedilis, aequom, Gnaeo, haec, Bellonae, tabellae, datae, etc. (the Col. Rostr. has PRAESENTE, PRAEDAD, and the S. C. de Bacch. AEDEM. The triphthong aei, found in CONQVAEISIVEI (?), is very rare; Miliar. Popil. lin. 11, v. Ritschl, l. l. p. 21). In some poets the old gen. sing. of the first decl. (- ai) is preserved, but is dissyllabic, āī. So in Ennius: Albūī Longūī, terrūī frugiferāī, frondosāī, lunāī, viāī; in Vergil: aulāī, aurāī, aquāī, pictāī; in Ausonius: herāī.

ue as well as au are changed into other vowels.

The sound of ae, e, and oe being very similar, these vowels are often interchanged in the best MSS., So we find caerimonia and cerimonia, caepa and cēpa, saeoulum and séculum; scaena and scēna; caelum and coelum, haedus and hoedus, macstus and moestus; cena, coena, and caena, etc.

In composition and reduplications ae becomes í: aequus, iníquus; quaero, inquíro; laedo, illído; taedet, pertisum (noticed by Cic.); aestumo, exístumo; cuedo, cecídi, concído, homicida.

ae is also changed into í in a Latinized word of Greek origin: Achaios (AchaiWos), Achíous.

The diphthong au is often changed to ó and ú (the latter particularly in compounds): caudex, códex; Claudius, Clodius; lautus, lotus; plaustrum, plōstrum; plaudo, plōdo, explōdo; paululum, pōlulum; faux, suffōco; si audes (acc. to Cic. or acc. to others, si audies), sódes, etc.; claudo, inclūdo; causa, accūso. Hence in some words a regular gradation of au, o, u is found: claudo, clōdicare, clúdo; raudus, ródus, rúdus; caupo, cópa, cūpa; naugae, nōgae (both forms in the MSS. of Plautus), nūgae; fraustra, frode, frude (in MSS. of Vergil); cf. Ritschl, in Wintercatalog 1854-55, and O. Ribbeck, in Jahn's Neue Jahrb. vol. 77, p. 181 sq.—The change of au into oē and ō appears only in audio, (oboedio) obēdio.

Au sometimes takes the place of av-: faveo, fautum, favitor, fautor; navis, navita, nauta; avis, auceps, auspex. So Latin aut corresponds to Sanscr. avo. (whence - vā, Lat. - ve), Osc. avti, Umbr. ute, ote; and so the Lat. preposition ab, through av, becomes au in the words aufero and aufugio (prop. av-fero, av-fugio, for ab-fero, ab-fugio). Vid. the art. ab init.

In primitive roots, which have their kindred forms in the sister-languages of the Latin, the original a, still found in the Sanscrit, is in Latin either preserved or more frequently changed into other vowels.

Original a preserved: Sanscr. mātri, Lat. màter; S. bhrātri, L. fràter; S. nāsā, L. nàsus and nàris; S. ap, L. aqua; S. apa, L. ab; S. nāma, L. năm; S. ćatur, [p. 2] L. quattuor (in Greek changed: thettares); S. capūla, L. căput (in Greek changed: kephalê, etc.).

Original a is changed into other Latin vowels—

Into e: S. ad, L. ed (ĕdo); S. as, L. es (esse); S. pat, L. pet (peto); S. pād, L. pĕd (pès); S. dant, L. dent (dens); S. ǵan, L. gen (gigno); S. mā, L. mè-tior; S. saptan, L. septem; S. daśan, L. decem; S. śata, L. centum; S. aham, L. ŏgo; S. pāra, L. per; S. paśu, L. pŏcus; S. asva, L. ŏquus, etc.

Into i: S. an-, a- (neg. part.), L. in-: S. ana (prep.), L. in; S. antar, L. inter; S. sama, L. similis; S. agni, L. ignis; S. abhra, L. imber; S. panéa, L. quinque, etc.

Into o: S. avi, L. ŏvi (ovis); S. vać, L. vōc (voco); S. pra, L. pro; S. pā, L. po (pŏtum); S. nāma, L. nōmen; S. api, L. ŏb; S. navan, L. nŏvem; S. nava, L. nŏvus, etc.

Into u: S. marmara, L. murmur.

Into ai, ae: S. prati, L. (prai) prae; S. śaśpa, L. caespes.

Into different vowels in the different derivatives: S. mā, L. mê-tior, mŏdus; S. praó, L. prŏcor, prŏcus; S. vah, L. vĕho, via.

Sometimes the Latin has preserved the original a, while even the Sanscrit has changed it: Lat. pa-, pater, Sanscr. pd, pitri.

As an abbreviation A. usually denotes the praenomen Aulus; A. A. = Auli duo, Inscr. Orell. 1530 (but A. A. = Aquae Aponi, the modern Abano, ib. 1643 sq.; 2620; 3011). The three directors of the mint were designated by III. VIRI A. A. A. F. F. (i. e. auro, argento, aeri flando, feriundo), ib. 569; 2242; 2379; 3134 al.;

so also A. A. A.,

ib. 3441 (cf. Cic. Fam. 7, 13 fin., and v. the art. Triumviri); A. D. A. agris dandis adsignandis, and A. I. A. agris judicandis adsignandis; A. O. amico optimo; A. P. a populo or aediliciae potestatis; A. P. R. aerario populi Romani. —Upon the voting tablets in judicial trials A. denoted absoluo; hence A. is called littera salutaris, Cic. Mil. 6, 15; v. littera. In the Roman Comitia A. (= antiquo) denoted the rejection of the point in question; v. antiquo. In Cicero's Tusculan Disputations the A. designated one of the disputants = adulescens or auditor, opp. to M. for magister or Marcus (Cicero); but it is to be remarked that the letters A and M do not occur in the best MSS. of this treatise; cf. edd. ad Cic. Tusc. 1, 5, 9.—In dates A. D. = ante diem; v. ante; A. U. C. = anno urbis conditae; A. P. R. C. anno post Romam conditam.

a, prep.=ab, v. ab.

ā, interj.=ah, v. ah.

A, a, indecl. n. (sometimes joined with littera), the first letter of the Latin alphabet, corresponding to the a, a of the other Indo-. European languages:

A primum est: hinc incipiam, et quae nomina ab hoc sunt, Lucil. ap. Terent. Scaur. p. 2255 P.: sus rostro si humi A litteram impresserit,

Cic. Div. 1, 13, 23:

ne in A quidem atque S litteras exire temere masculina Graeca nomina recto casu patiebantur,

Quint. 1, 5, 61.

The sound of the A is short or long in every part of the word; as, ăb, păter, ită; ā, māter, frustrā. During a short period (between about 620 and 670 A. U. C. = from 134 to 84 B.C.) long a was written aa, probably first by the poet L. Attius, in the manner of the Oscan language; so we find in Latin inscriptions: AA. CETEREIS (i.e.a ceteris), CALAASI, FAATO, HAACE, MAARCIVM, PAAPVS, PAASTORES, VAARVS; and in Greek writing, MAAPKOPs PsIOS MAAPKEAAOS, KOINTON MAAPKION (like Osc. aasas = Lat. āra, Osc. Paapi = Lat. Pāpius, Osc. Paakul = Lat. Pāculus, Pācullus, Pācuvius, etc.), v. Ritschl, Monum. Epigr. p. 28 sq., and cf. Mommsen, Unterital. Dialekte, p. 210 sq. (The Umbrian language has gone a step farther, and written long a by aha, as Aharna, Naharcom, trahaf, etc.; cf. Aufrecht and Kirchhoff, Umbrische Sprachdenkm. p. 76 sq.) Vid. also the letters E and U.

In etymological and grammatical formation of words, short a very often (sometimes also long a) is changed into other vowels.

Short a is changed,

, into long a —

In consequence of the suppression of the following consonants at the end or in the middle of the word: ŭb, ā; vădis, vūs; ăg-, ăg-men, exāmen; tăg-, contūmino; căd-, cāsus. Hence also in the abl. sing. of the first decl., and in the particles derived from it. in consequence of the suppression of the original ablat. end. - d: PRAEDAD (Col. Rostr.), praedā; SENTENTIAD (S. C. de Bacch.), sententiā; EXTBAD (ib.), extrā; SVPRAD (ib.), suprā. —Hence,

In perfect forms: scăb-o, scābi; căveo, cūvi; făv-eo, fāvi; păv-eo, pāvi (for scăbui, căvui, făvui, păvui).

In other forms: ăgo, ambūges; păc-, păc-iscor, pâcis (pâx); săg-ax, sūgus, sāga; măc-er, mâcero; făg- (phagein), fūgus. (Contrary to analogy, ă remains short in dănunt, from dă-in-unt, V. Ritschl, l.l.p. 17.)

Short a is changed into é or ē—

Into é.

Most frequently in the second part of compounds, particularly before two consonants: facio, confectus; jacio, conjectus; rapio, dereptus; dăm-, damno, condemno; fāl-, fallo, fefelli; măn-, mando, commendo; scando, ascendo; ăp-, aptus, ineptus; ăr-, ars, iners, sollers; ăn-, annus, perennis; căpio, auceps; căput, triceps; ăgo, remex; jăcio, objex. And thus in Plautus, according to the best MSS., dispenno, dispessus from pando, compectus from compăciscor, anteceptus from capio (on the other hand, in Vergil, according to the best MS., aspurgo, attractare, deiractare, kept their a unchanged).

Sometimes ă is changed into ĕ also before one consonant (but in this case it is usually changed into ĭ; v. infra, 3. a. a.): grădior, ingrĕdior; pătior, perpĕtior; părio, repĕrio; păro, vitupĕro; ăp-, coepi (i. e. co-ŭpi); căno, tubicĕn, tibicĕn; in the reduplicated carcĕr (from carcar) farfŏrus (written also farfārus); and so, according to the better MSS., aequipĕro from păro, and defĕtigo from fătigo.

In words taken from the Greek: talanton, talŏntum; phalara, phalŏrae; sisaron, sisŏr (but, according to the best MSS., cumŭra from kamara, not camŏra).

Short a is changed to ē in some perfect forms: ăgo, ēgi; fūcio, féci; jăci, jĕci; frag-, frango, frēgi; căpio, cēpi, and păg-, pango, pēgi (together with pepĭgi and panxi, v. pango).

Short a is changed to ĭ, a (most frequently in the second part of compounds)

before one consonant: ăgo, abĭgo; făcio, confĭcio; cădo, concĭdo; sălio, assĭlio; răpio, abrĭpio; păter, Juppĭter (in Umbrian lang. unchanged, Jupater), Marspĭter; Diespĭter, Opĭter; rătus, irrĭtus; ămicus, inìmicus (but ŭ remains unchanged in adŭmo, impătiens, and in some compounds of a later period of Roman literature, as praejacio, calefacio, etc.). —

Sometimes also before two consonants (where it is usually changed into ĕ; v. supra, 2. a. b.): tăg-, tango, contingo; păg-, pango, compingo (unchanged in some compounds, as peragro, desacro, depango, obcanto, etc.).

ă is changed into ĭ in the reduplicated perfect forms: cădo, cecĭdi; căno, cecĭni; tăg-, tango, tetĭgi; păg-, pango, pepĭgi.

Likewise in some roots which have ă: păg-, pignus; străg- (strangulo, strangô), stringo.

In words taken from the Greek: mêchanê, machĭna; patanê, patĭna; bukanê, bucĭna; trutanê, trutĭna; balaneion, balĭneum; Katana, Catĭna (written also Catana); Akragas, Agrĭgentum.

Short a is changed into short or long o.

Into ŏ: scăbo, scobs; păr, pars, portio; dăm-, dŏmo; Fabii, Fŏvii (v. Paul. ex Fest. p. 87); marmaron, marmŏr; Mars, redupl. Marmar, Marmor (Carm. Fratr. Arv.).

Into ō: dă-, dōnum, dōs; ăc-, ăcuo, ōcior (v. this art.).

Short a is changed into ŭ —

In the second part of compounds, particularly before l, p, and b: calco, inculco; salsus, insulsus; salto, exsulto; capio, occŭpo; răpio, surrupio and surruptus (also written surripio and surreptus); tăberna, contŭbernium; —before other consonants: quătio, conoŭtio; as, decussis; Mars, Mamŭrius, Mamŭralia; and once also condumnari (Tab. Bant. lin. 8, immediately followed by condemnatus, v. Klenze, Philol. Abhandl. tab. I., and Mommsen, Unterital. Dial. p. 149).

In words of Greek origin: Hekabê, Hecŭba; skutalê, scutŭla; kraipalê, crapŭla; passalos, pessŭlus; aphlaston, aplustre; thriambos, triumphus.

ă is perhaps changed into ŭ in ulciscor, compared with alc-, ulexô (arc-, arceo).

Long a is sometimes changed into ē or ō.

Into é: hālo, anhélo; fās-, féstus, profēstus; nām, némpe.

Into ō: gnā-, gnārus, ignārus, ignōro. (But in general long a remains unchanged in composition: lābor, delūbor; gnàvus, ignūnus; fàma, infūmis.)

Contrary to the mode of changing Greek a into Latin e, i, o, u (v. supra), Latin a has sometimes taken the place of other Greek vowels in words borrowed from the Greek, as: lonchê, lancea; kulix, călix; Ganumêoês, Caiāmitus.

The repugnance of the Latin Language to the Greek combined vowels ao has caused the translocation of them in Alumento for Daomeoôn (Paul. ex Fest. p. 18 Müll.).— Greek a is suppressed in Hercules from Hêraklês (probably in consequence of the inserted u; in late Latin we find Heracla and Heracula, cf. Ritschl, in Rhein. Mus. Neue Folge, vol. 12, p. 108).

Latin ă was early combined with the vowels i and u, forming the diphthongs ai and au; by changing the i into e, the diphthong ai soon became ae. So we find in the oldest inscriptions: AIDE, AIDLLIS, AIQVOM, GNAIVOD, HAICE, DVELONAI, TABELAI, DATAI, etc., which soon gave place to aedem, aedilis, aequom, Gnaeo, haec, Bellonae, tabellae, datae, etc. (the Col. Rostr. has PRAESENTE, PRAEDAD, and the S. C. de Bacch. AEDEM. The triphthong aei, found in CONQVAEISIVEI (?), is very rare; Miliar. Popil. lin. 11, v. Ritschl, l. l. p. 21). In some poets the old gen. sing. of the first decl. (- ai) is preserved, but is dissyllabic, āī. So in Ennius: Albūī Longūī, terrūī frugiferāī, frondosāī, lunāī, viāī; in Vergil: aulāī, aurāī, aquāī, pictāī; in Ausonius: herāī.

ue as well as au are changed into other vowels.

The sound of ae, e, and oe being very similar, these vowels are often interchanged in the best MSS., So we find caerimonia and cerimonia, caepa and cēpa, saeoulum and séculum; scaena and scēna; caelum and coelum, haedus and hoedus, macstus and moestus; cena, coena, and caena, etc.

In composition and reduplications ae becomes í: aequus, iníquus; quaero, inquíro; laedo, illído; taedet, pertisum (noticed by Cic.); aestumo, exístumo; cuedo, cecídi, concído, homicida.

ae is also changed into í in a Latinized word of Greek origin: Achaios (AchaiWos), Achíous.

The diphthong au is often changed to ó and ú (the latter particularly in compounds): caudex, códex; Claudius, Clodius; lautus, lotus; plaustrum, plōstrum; plaudo, plōdo, explōdo; paululum, pōlulum; faux, suffōco; si audes (acc. to Cic. or acc. to others, si audies), sódes, etc.; claudo, inclūdo; causa, accūso. Hence in some words a regular gradation of au, o, u is found: claudo, clōdicare, clúdo; raudus, ródus, rúdus; caupo, cópa, cūpa; naugae, nōgae (both forms in the MSS. of Plautus), nūgae; fraustra, frode, frude (in MSS. of Vergil); cf. Ritschl, in Wintercatalog 1854-55, and O. Ribbeck, in Jahn's Neue Jahrb. vol. 77, p. 181 sq.—The change of au into oē and ō appears only in audio, (oboedio) obēdio.

Au sometimes takes the place of av-: faveo, fautum, favitor, fautor; navis, navita, nauta; avis, auceps, auspex. So Latin aut corresponds to Sanscr. avo. (whence - vā, Lat. - ve), Osc. avti, Umbr. ute, ote; and so the Lat. preposition ab, through av, becomes au in the words aufero and aufugio (prop. av-fero, av-fugio, for ab-fero, ab-fugio). Vid. the art. ab init.

In primitive roots, which have their kindred forms in the sister-languages of the Latin, the original a, still found in the Sanscrit, is in Latin either preserved or more frequently changed into other vowels.

Original a preserved: Sanscr. mātri, Lat. màter; S. bhrātri, L. fràter; S. nāsā, L. nàsus and nàris; S. ap, L. aqua; S. apa, L. ab; S. nāma, L. năm; S. ćatur, [p. 2] L. quattuor (in Greek changed: thettares); S. capūla, L. căput (in Greek changed: kephalê, etc.).

Original a is changed into other Latin vowels—

Into e: S. ad, L. ed (ĕdo); S. as, L. es (esse); S. pat, L. pet (peto); S. pād, L. pĕd (pès); S. dant, L. dent (dens); S. ǵan, L. gen (gigno); S. mā, L. mè-tior; S. saptan, L. septem; S. daśan, L. decem; S. śata, L. centum; S. aham, L. ŏgo; S. pāra, L. per; S. paśu, L. pŏcus; S. asva, L. ŏquus, etc.

Into i: S. an-, a- (neg. part.), L. in-: S. ana (prep.), L. in; S. antar, L. inter; S. sama, L. similis; S. agni, L. ignis; S. abhra, L. imber; S. panéa, L. quinque, etc.

Into o: S. avi, L. ŏvi (ovis); S. vać, L. vōc (voco); S. pra, L. pro; S. pā, L. po (pŏtum); S. nāma, L. nōmen; S. api, L. ŏb; S. navan, L. nŏvem; S. nava, L. nŏvus, etc.

Into u: S. marmara, L. murmur.

Into ai, ae: S. prati, L. (prai) prae; S. śaśpa, L. caespes.

Into different vowels in the different derivatives: S. mā, L. mê-tior, mŏdus; S. praó, L. prŏcor, prŏcus; S. vah, L. vĕho, via.

Sometimes the Latin has preserved the original a, while even the Sanscrit has changed it: Lat. pa-, pater, Sanscr. pd, pitri.

As an abbreviation A. usually denotes the praenomen Aulus; A. A. = Auli duo, Inscr. Orell. 1530 (but A. A. = Aquae Aponi, the modern Abano, ib. 1643 sq.; 2620; 3011). The three directors of the mint were designated by III. VIRI A. A. A. F. F. (i. e. auro, argento, aeri flando, feriundo), ib. 569; 2242; 2379; 3134 al.;

so also A. A. A.,

ib. 3441 (cf. Cic. Fam. 7, 13 fin., and v. the art. Triumviri); A. D. A. agris dandis adsignandis, and A. I. A. agris judicandis adsignandis; A. O. amico optimo; A. P. a populo or aediliciae potestatis; A. P. R. aerario populi Romani. —Upon the voting tablets in judicial trials A. denoted absoluo; hence A. is called littera salutaris, Cic. Mil. 6, 15; v. littera. In the Roman Comitia A. (= antiquo) denoted the rejection of the point in question; v. antiquo. In Cicero's Tusculan Disputations the A. designated one of the disputants = adulescens or auditor, opp. to M. for magister or Marcus (Cicero); but it is to be remarked that the letters A and M do not occur in the best MSS. of this treatise; cf. edd. ad Cic. Tusc. 1, 5, 9.—In dates A. D. = ante diem; v. ante; A. U. C. = anno urbis conditae; A. P. R. C. anno post Romam conditam.

a, prep.=ab, v. ab.

ā, interj.=ah, v. ah.

as, assis, m. (nom. assis, Don. ad Ter. Phorm. 1, 1, 9, and Schol. ad Pers. 2, 59; old form assārĭus, ii, m.; and in the gen. plur. assariūm, Varr. L. L. 8, § 71 Müll.; Charis. p. 58 P.) [heis, Dor. ais, Tarent. as, Hinter].

In gen., unity, a unit; as a standard for different coins, weight, measure, etc. (in Vitr. 3, 1, p. 61 Rode, perfectus numerus, the perfect number, fundamental number), acc. to the duodecimal system, divided into 12 parts, or uncias, with the following particular designations: uncia = 1s./12 duodecima (sc. pars) sextans = 2/12 = 1s./6 sexta quadrans = 3/12 = 1s./4 quarta, also teruncius or triuncis triens = 4/12 = 1s./3 tertia or quincunx = 5s./12 sextans cum quadrante semissis s. semis = 6/12 = 1s./2 dimidia septunx = 7s./12 quadrans cum triente bessis s. bes = 8/12 = 2/3, for beis s. binae partes assis. dodrans = 9/12 = 3s./4 terni quadrantes dextans s. decunx = 10/12 = 5s./6 quini sextantes deunx = 11s./12 undecim unciaeThe uncia was again divided into smaller parts: semuncia = 1/2 uncia = 1/24 assis. duella = 1/3 uncia = 1/36 assis. sicilicus (-um) = 1/4 uncia = 1/48 assis. sextula = 1/6 uncia = 1/72 assis. drachma = 1/8 uncia = 1/96 assis. hemisecla = 1/12 uncia = 1/144 assis. scripulum = 1/24 uncia = 1/288 assis.The multiples of the as received the following designations: dupondius = 2 asses. tripondius s. tressis = 3 asses. (quadressis) = 4 asses. quinquessis = 5 asses. sexis (only in the connection decussissexis in Vitr. 1. c.) = 6 asses. septissis = 7 asses. octussis = 8 asses. nonussis (novissis?) = 9 asses. decussis = 10 asses. bicessis = 20 asses. tricessis = 30 asses, and so on to centussis = 100 asses. (Cf. Varr. L. L. 5, § 169 sq. Müll.)

Esp.

1.. As a copper coin, the as was, acc. to the ancient custom of weighing money, originally a pound (asses librales or aes grave), of the value of about 8 8 d. /89, or 16 2/3 cents, and was uncoined (aes rude) until Servius Tullius stamped it with the figures of animals (hence pecunia, from pecus); cf. Varr. R. R. 2, 1, 9; Plin. 33, 3, 13, § 42 sqq. In the first Punic war, on account of the scarcity of money, the as was reduced to a sixth part of its original weight, i. e. two ounces; hence asses sextantarii (of the value of about 1 103 d. /297, or 2.8 cents), and the state gained five sixths. In the second Punic war, and the dictatorship of Fabius, the as was again reduced one half, to one ounce; hence asses unciales, about equal to 200 d. /297, or 1.4 cents. Finally, the Lex Papiria (A.U.C. 563, B.C. 191) reduced the as to half an ounce; hence asses semiunciales = 100 d. /297, or 7.9 1/3 mills, which continued as a standard even under the emperors. In all these reductions, however, the names of coins remained, independent of the weight of the as: uncia, sextans, quadrans, etc.; cf. Grotef. Gr. II. p. 253 sq.—From the small value of the as after the last reduction, the following phrases arose: quod non opus est, asse carum est, Cato ap. Sen. Ep. 94:

Quod (sc. pondus auri) si comminuas, vilem redigatur ad assem,

Hor. S. 1, 1, 43:

viatica ad assem Perdiderat,

to the last farthing, id. Ep. 2, 2, 27:

ad assem impendium reddere,

Plin. Ep. 1, 15:

rumores Omnes unius aestimemus assis,

Cat. 5, 3:

Non assis facis?

id. 42, 13.—Hence,

The proverbs,

Assem habeas, assem valeas, your worth is estimated by your possessions, Petr. 77, 6:

crumena plena assium,

Gell. 20, 1.—

Assem elephanto dare, to give something (as a petition, and the like) with trembling to a superior (a metaphor derived from trained elephants, which, after playing their parts, were accustomed to take pay for themselves, which was given them with fear by the multitude; cf. Plin. 8, 5, 5, § 14), Augustus ap. Quint. 6, 3, 59, and Macr. S. 2, 4; Varr. ap. Non. p. 531, 10 sq.—

In inheritances and other money matters, where a division was made, the as, with its parts, was used to designate the portions. Thus haeres ex asse, sole heir; haeres ex semisse, he who receives one half of the inheritance; haeres ex dodrante, he who receives three fourths; and so, haeres ex besse, triente, quadrante, sextante, etc.;

ex semiunciā, ex sextulā, ex duabus sextulis, etc.,

Dig. 28, 5, 50; 34, 9, 2; Suet. Caes. 83; Cic. Caecin. 6 et saep.:

Nerva constituit, ut tu ex triente socius esses, ego ex besse,

Dig. 17, 2, 76:

bessem fundi emere ab aliquo,

ib. 26, 21, 2, § 39:

quadrans et semissis fundi,

ib. 6, 1, 8 al.;

hence, in assem, in asse, or ex asse,

in all, entirely, completely, Dig. 36, 45:

vendere fundum in assem,

ib. 20, 6, 9; so Col. 3, 3, 8 and 9:

in asse,

id. 2, 12, 7:

sic in asse flunt octo menses et dies decem,

id. 2, 12, 7:

ex asse aut ex parte possidere,

Dig. 2, 8, 15; Sid. Ep. 2, 1; 6, 12; 8, 6 al.—

As a measure of extent.

An acre, acc. to the same divisions as above, from scripulum to the as, Col. 5, 1, 9 sq.:

proscindere semissem, iterare assem,

Plin. 18, 19, 49, § 178.—

A foot, Col. 5, 3.—

Of weight, a pound, acc. to the same division; cf.

Fann. Pond. 41: In haec solide sexta face assis eat,

Ov. Med. Fac. 60.← Mathematicians (v. Vitr. l. c.) called the number 6 perfectus numerus (since 1 + 2 + 3 = 6), and formed, accordingly, the following terminology: 1 = sextans, as a dice-number. unio. 2 = triens.......... binio. 3 = semissis.......... ternio. 4 = bessis (dimoiros)..... quaternio. 5 = quintarius....... quinio. 6 = perfectus numerus.... senio. 7 = ephektos, sex adjecto asse = 6 + 1. 8 = adtertiarius, sex adjectā tertiā = 6 + 2 (epitritos). 9 = sesquialter, sex adjectā dimidiā = 6 + 3 (hêmiolios). 10 = bes alter, sex duabus partibus additis = 6 + 4 (epidimoiros). 11 = adquintarius, sex quinque partibus additis = 6 + 5 (epipentamoiros). 12 = duplio (diplasiôn).

dĕcus, ŏris, n. [Sanscr. daças, fame; Gr. doxa; cf. decet], any thing that ornaments, embellishes, adorns, honors, etc.; ornament, grace, embellishment, splendor, glory, honor, dignity (class. and freq.; a favorite word with Cicero, in oratorical lang.).

In gen.

With gen.:

hostium spolia, decora atque ornamenta fanorum,

Cic. Verr. 2, 4, 44; cf.:

senator populi Romani, splendor ordinis, decus atque ornamentum judiciorum,

id. Caecin. 10, 28; so,

too, decus ornamentumque senectutis,

id. de Or. 1, 45, 199; id. Prov. Cons. 11, 28:

ut hominis decus ingenium, sic ingenii ipsius lumen est eloquentia,

id. Brut. 15, 59; cf. id. Phil. 2, 22, 54:

ad decus et ad laudem civitatis,

id. N. D. 1, 4; cf. id. Brut. 97; cf. also id. Fin. 1, 10 fin.; id. Ac. 1, 9, 33:

dignitatem et decus sustinere,

id. Off. 1, 34, 124 et saep.:

O decus Phoebi et dapibus supremi Grata testudo Jovis,

Hor. Od. 1, 32, 13:

lucidum caeli,

id. Carm. Sec. 2:

equitum Maecenas,

id. Od. 3, 16, 20; cf. id. ib. 1, 1, 2 and id. ib. 2, 17, 4: electos juvenes simul et decus innuptarum, the ornaments, i. e. the most beautiful of the maidens, Catull. 64, 78 al.:

castique decus servare pudoris,

Ov. M. 13, 480:

oris,

i. e. beauty, id. ib. 3, 422:

decus Asteriae = Asteria decens or pulchra,

Verg. Cul. 15.—

Absol.: haec omnia, quae habent speciem gloriae contemne...;

verum decus in virtute positum est,

Cic. Fam. 10, 12 fin.:

divitiae, decus, gloria in oculis sita sunt!

Sall. C. 20, 14; cf. id. ib. 58, 8; id. J. 3 fin.:

regium,

id. ib. 72, 2; cf.

regale,

Ov. M. 9, 690:

decus enitet ore,

Verg. A. 4, 150:

superimpositum capiti,

Liv. 1, 34:

(columnas) scenis decora alta futuris,

Verg. A. 1, 429:

muliebre,

i. e. chastity, Liv. 1, 58:

immemores decoris liventia pectora tundunt,

i. e. of their bodily charms, Ov. M. 8, 536:

imperatori nobilitas, quae antea decori, invidiae esse,

Sall. J. 73, 4:

vitis ut arboribus decori est, ut vitibus uvae,

Verg. E. 5, 32:

Pilumno quos ipsa decus dedit,

id. A. 12, 83.—

Transf.

A deed of honor:

tanti decoris testis,

Tac. A. 15, 50.—Esp., plur., decora, honorable achievements, valiant deeds:

cum multa referret sua familiaeque decora,

Liv. 3, 12, 2:

militiae decora,

id. 2, 23, 4:

belli,

id. 6, 20, 7 (cf.:

dedecora militiae,

id. 3, 51, 12):

Lacedaemonii vetera, Macedones praesentia decora intuebantur,

Curt. 6, 1, 8.—

Renowned ancestors:

inter nobiles, et longa decora praeferentes, novitas mea enituit?

Tac. A. 14, 53; id. Hist. 1, 15.—

Esp., moral dignity, virtue, honor:

cum quod decus antiqui summum bonum esse dixerunt, hic solum bonum dicat, etc.,

Cic. Leg. 1, 21, 55 (for which, shortly before, solum bonum esse quod honestum esset):

quos (sc. Epicureos) nisi redarguimus, omnis virtus, omne decus, omnis vera laus deserenda est,

id. Fin. 2, 14, 44;

so with honestas,

id. Fin. 2, 17, 56; cf. ib. 2, 11, 35; id. Off. 1, 5 fin.:

sed ei (sc. Semproniae) cariora semper omnia quam decus atque pudicitia fuit,

Sall. C. 25, 3; 54, 5.

dĕcus, i, m., v. decussis, init.