ministra

* * *

mĭnister, tra, trum, adj. ( gen. plur. ministrūm, Stat. S. 3, 1, 86) [a double comp. in form, from minus and comp. ending -ter, Gr. ter-os; cf.: magister, sinister], that is at hand, that serves, ministers (as an adj. only poet. and later): lumina (i. e. oculi) propositi facta ministra tui, that further, promote; promotive, or in a subst. sense, Ov. H. 21, 114:

minister Grex,

Sil. 11, 274:

ardor,

Lucr. 5, 297:

ministro baculo,

with the aid of a staff, Ov. Ib. 261.—

Subst.

mĭnister, tri, m., an attendant, waiter, servant; also a priest's attendant or assistant; likewise an inferior officer, underofficial; hence, transf., an aider in a good or bad sense, a furtherer, promoter, helper, an abettor, accomplice:

centum aliae (famulae), totidemque pares aetate ministri,

Verg. A. 1, 705:

Phrygius,

the cup-bearer Ganymede, Val. Fl. 5, 691; Mart. 12, 15, 7:

Falerni,

a cup -bearer, Cat. 27, 1:

ministri publici Martis,

Cic. Clu. 15, 43:

hostia Inter cunctantes cecidit moribunda ministros,

Verg. G. 3, 488:

ministri imperii tui,

inferior officers, under-officials, Cic. Q. Fr 1, 1, 3:

regni,

an assistant in the regal government, a minister, Just. 16, 1, 3:

infimi homines ministros se praebent in judiciis oratoribus,

i. e. inform the orators what the law is, Cic. de Or 1, 45, 146:

legum,

a minister, administrator, id. Clu. 53, 198:

sermonum,

a mediator, negotiator, Tac. H. 2, 99:

consiliorum suorum,

Vell. 2, 129, 3:

Tiberius Alexander... minister bello datus,

Tac. A. 15, 28:

ministri ac servi seditionum,

Cic. Fam. 1, 9, 13:

ministri ac satellites cupiditatum,

id. Verr 2, 3, 8, § 21; so,

furoris alieni,

agents, instruments, Lact. 5, 11:

libidinis, Cic Lael. 10, 35: socii scelerum atque ministri,

Lucr. 3, 61:

Calchante ministro,

with the help of Calchas, Verg. A. 2, 100:

ministrum esse in maleficio,

Cic. Clu. 22, 60:

minister fulminis ales,

i. e. the eagle, Hor. C. 4, 4, 1:

calidae gelidaeque (aquae) minister,

one who serves, Juv. 5, 63:

me nemo ministro fur erit,

by my aid, id. 3, 46.—Esp. (eccl. Lat.), a minister of religion, a preacher of Christ:

ut sim minister Christi,

Vulg. Rom. 15, 16; id. Eph. 3, 7:

fidelis,

id. ib. 6, 21:

Dei,

id. 2 Cor. 6, 4:

optimus,

Aug. Conf. 10, 26.—Of inanimate things:

sit anulus tuus non minister alienae voluntatis,

Cic. Q. Fr 1, 1, 4:

taedae, ardore ministro, suppeditant novum lumen,

Lucr. 5, 297.—

mĭnistra, ae, f., a female attendant, maid-servant; a female assistant or minister, at religious worship (class. only in the trop. signif.).

Lit.:

una ministrarum,

Ov. M. 9, 90; 306; 14, 705:

accipiat missas apta ministra notas,

Ov. A. A. 3, 470:

ara deae certe tremuit, pariente ministrā,

i. e. the Vestal Sylvia, id. F. 3, 47.—Also among Christians:

ancillae, quae ministrae dicebantur,

i. e. deaconesses, Plin. Ep. 10, 97, 8.—

Trop., a servant, handmaid; in a bad sense, an aider, accessory, abettor:

ministra et famula corporis res familiaris,

Cic. Tusc. 1, 31, 75:

voluptatum satellites et ministrae,

id. Fin. 2, 12, 37:

Camilla delegit pacisque bonas bellique ministras,

Verg. A. 11, 658.

* * *

fămŭlus, i (an archaic form famul, Enn. ap. Non. 110, 9; Lucr. 3, 1035 (al. 1048); for which cf. in the Oscan ‡ famel: famuli origo ab Oscis dependet, apud quos servus famel nominabatur, unde et familia vocata, Paul. ex Fest. p. 87, 5 Müll.), m., and fămŭla, ae ( gen. plur.:

famulum,

Stat. S. 3, 4, 57; Val. Fl. 1, 752; 3, 20; 282) f. [Sanscr. root dhā, to lay, found; Gr. ti-thê-mi; Osc. faama, house, v. Curt. Gr. Etym. p. 254; cf. Corss. Ausspr. 1, 183], a servant, attendant; a maid - servant, handmaid (class.).

Masc.:

iis, qui vi oppressos imperio coërcent, sit sane adhibenda saevitia, ut heris in famulos,

Cic. Off. 2, 7, 24; Enn. ap. Fest. p. 229 Müll. (Ann. v. 157 ed. Vahl.); Plaut. As. 1, 3, 32; id. Mil. 2, 3, 80; id. Stich. 2, 2, 71; Cic. Lael. 15, 55; id. Tusc. 2, 21, 48; id. Rep. 2, 21; Verg. A. 1, 701; Hor. C. 3, 17, 16; Ov. H. 20, 79 et saep.:

Idaeae matris famuli,

Cic. Leg. 2, 9, 21:

sacrorum,

Ov. M. 3, 574:

dei alumni (Silenus),

Hor. A. P. 239:

sus erat infestae famulus vindexque Dianae,

Ov. M. 8, 272; cf. Verg. A. 5, 95;

of Actaeon's hounds,

Ov. M. 3, 229; Vulg. Gen. 41, 12.—

Fem.:

quam famulae longe fugitant furtimque cachinnant,

Lucr. 4, 1176; Verg. A. 1, 703; 4, 391; Juv. 14, 81 al.:

si virtus famula fortunae est,

Cic. Tusc. 5, 1, 2:

res familiaris, quae est ministra et famula corporis,

id. ib. 1, 31, 75; Vulg. Gen. 12, 16.

fămŭlus, a, um, adj. [1. famulus], serving, serviceable, servile ( poet.;

perh. not ante-Aug.): aquae,

Ov. F. 1, 286:

turbae,

Sil. 13, 360:

dextrae,

Luc. 4, 207:

manus,

Sil. 10, 647:

artus,

Val. Fl. 1, 749:

vertex,

Ov. Pont. 2, 2, 80:

catenae,

Claud. in Ruf. 2, 386:

ripae,

id. III. Cons. Hon. 203.

rārus, a, um, adj. [etym. dub.; cf. Sanscr. root rah-, to abandon], having wide interstices between its parts, of a loose texture, not thick or dense, thin (opp. densus; freq. and class.).

Lit.:

denseri poterunt ignes, rarique relinqui,

Lucr. 1, 656; cf.:

(terra) Rara sit an supra morem si densa requiras... Densa magis Cereri, rarissima quaeque Lyaeo,

Verg. G. 2, 227 sq.; 1, 419:

textura,

Lucr. 4, 196; cf.

retia,

Verg. A. 4, 131; Hor. Epod. 2, 33:

tunica,

Ov. Am. 1, 5, 13; and:

cribrum,

id. M. 12, 437:

rariores silvae,

the thinner, clearer parts of the forest, Tac. Agr. 37:

seges,

Col. 2, 9, 6:

corpus (opp. solidae res),

Lucr. 1, 347; 2, 860; 6, 631 al.:

aër,

id. 2, 107; cf. in the comp., id. 6, 1024:

manus,

i.e. with the fingers spread apart, Quint. 11, 3, 103:

raraque non fracto vestigia pulvere pendent,

i.e. scarcely visible, Stat. Th. 6, 640.—

Transf.

Of things which stand apart from each other, far apart, here and there, scattered, thin, scanty ( = disjectus;

opp. densus, confertus): cum raris disjectisque ex aedificiis pabulum conquireretur,

Hirt. B. G. 8, 10; cf.:

vides habitari in terrā raris et angustis in locis,

scattered, Cic. Rep. 6, 19, 20:

apparent rari nantes,

Verg. A. 1, 118:

foramina,

Lucr. 5, 457:

bacae expanduntur rarae,

Plin. 17, 10, 11, § 60:

frutices in vertice,

Ov. H. 10, 25:

coma,

id. Am. 1, 8, 111; cf. capillus. Suet. Calig. 50:

racemi,

Verg. E. 5, 7:

umbra,

id. ib. 7, 46:

arbores,

Nep. Milt. 5, 3:

tela,

Ov. M. 12, 600 et saep. — Poet.:

manat rara meas lacrima per genas,

drop by drop, Hor. C. 4, 1, 34. —

In partic., in military lang., far apart, here and there, scattered about, dispersed, straggling, single (opp. confertus). accedebat huc, ut numquam conferti, sed rari magnisque intervallis proeliarentur, Caes. B. G. 5, 16; cf.:

rari in confertos illati,

Liv. 23, 27:

ipsi ex silvis rari propugnabant,

Caes. B. G. 5, 9; 5, 17; 7, 45; 7, 80; id. B. C. 1, 27 fin.:

Samnites raris ordinibus constiterant,

Liv. 9, 27; Curt. 4, 14, 14:

rara est acies,

Verg. A. 9, 508:

rarior acies,

Tac. H. 3, 25; Front. Strat. 3, 10, 4:

rarior acies,

Curt. 4, 15, 20: ut ordines suos non magnopere servarent. [p. 1525] rari dispersique pugnarent, Caes. B. C. 1, 44; cf. Tac. Agr. 37 fin.; Front. Strat. 1, 5, 23.—

Of any thing found in small numbers or which seldom takes place, few, rare (cf. paucus):

in omni arte... ut in ipsă virtute, optimum quidque rarissimum,

Cic. Fin. 2, 25, 81; cf.:

rarum genus (amicorum) et quidem omnia praeclara rara,

id. Lael. 21, 79:

raris ac prope nullis portibus,

Caes. B. G. 3, 12 fin.; cf.:

etiamsi rarus ejus rei, nonnullus tamen usus,

Quint. 8, 6, 30:

rarus enim est animus ad ea defendenda,

Sall. H. 3, 61, 7 Dietsch:

Idem rarum est, non sine usu tamen,

Quint. 5, 11, 42:

rari domos, plurimi amicorum tecta... petivere,

Tac. H. 1, 79 fin.:

Oceanus raris ab orbe nostro navibus aditur,

id. G. 2:

aliquod solitarium aut rarum,

Cic. Inv. 1, 44, 83:

ut anteponantur rara vulgaribus,

id. Top. 18, 69:

litterae,

Liv. 6, 1; cf. id. 7, 3:

rara hostium apparebant arma,

id. 2, 50:

lites,

Quint. 7, 1, 43:

infelicitas,

id. 11, 2, 49:

quae (littera) est apud nos rarissima in clausulis,

id. 12, 10, 31:

quod est magis rarum,

id. 9, 2, 73:

ex maxime raro genere hominum,

Cic. Lael. 17, 64; cf. Quint. 7, 3, 25:

raris vocibus hisco,

Verg. A. 3, 314:

rara per ignotos errent animalia montes,

id. E. 6, 40:

audiet pugnas vitio parentum Rara juventus,

Hor. C. 1, 2, 24. —Rarum est, with ut:

rarum est, ut, etc.,

Quint. 3, 10, 3; 6, 3, 38; 10, 7, 24:

rarum dictu, esse aliquid, cui prosit neglegentia,

Plin. 18, 16, 39, § 140.—

Mostly poet. and in post-Aug. prose for the adv. raro, seldom, rarely:

nec Iliacos coetus nisi rarus adibat,

Ov. M. 11, 766; cf.:

rarus, qui tam procul a portu recessisset, reperiebatur,

Quint. 12, prooem. § 3; so,

rarus fuit, qui, etc.,

id. 6, 2, 3:

antiquis scriptoribus rarus obtrectator,

Tac. A. 4, 33; Sall. H. Fragm. 3, 22, p. 233 Gerl.:

Caesar rarus egressu,

Tac. A. 15, 53; cf.:

leones rari in potu,

Plin. 8, 16, 18, § 46:

(calculus) rarus inventu,

id. 28, 15, 61, § 217; cf.:

helxine rara visu est,

id. 21, 16, 56, § 96:

Homerus alias circa picturas pigmentaque rarus,

i. e. rarely speaks of them, id. 33, 7, 38, § 115 —

Poet., in partic., uncommon of its kind, scarce, rare, extraordinary, remarkable:

rara puella fuit,

Prop. 1, 17, 16; so,

Cynthia,

id. 1, 8, 42:

ministra deae,

id. 4 (5), 11, 52; cf.:

rara quidem facie, sed rarior arte canendi,

Ov. M. 14, 337:

facies,

id. H. 17, 93 Ruhnk.:

vestis,

Cat. 69, 3:

avis (sc. pavo),

Hor. S. 2, 2, 26:

fides,

id. C. 1, 35, 21:

artis opus rarae,

Tib. 3, 4, 37:

patulis rarissima ramis,

Ov. M. 7, 622:

rarissima turba,

id. A. A. 2, 281:

rarissimi ingenii homo,

Sen. Contr. 28:

conjux rarissima,

Stat. S. 5, 1, 11.— Hence, adv., usually raro (class.), but sometimes rare (ante - class. and postAug.), rarenter (ante- and post - class.), or rariter (late Lat.).

Form rārō:

raro nimium dabat quod biberem,

Plaut. Cist. 1, 1, 20:

potavi, edi, donavi, et enim id raro,

id. Bacch. 4, 10, 6:

si id, quod raro fit, fieri omnino negetur,

Cic. Inv. 1, 43, 80:

evenire insolenter et raro (opp. vulgo),

id. ib. 1, 28, 43:

vinum aegrotis prodest raro, nocet saepissime,

id. N. D. 3, 27, 69; id. de Or. 3, 52, 101; cf. id. Or. 24, 80:

sed tamen raro habet in oratione poeticum aliquod verbum dignitatem,

id. de Or. 3, 38, 153:

raro antecedentem scelestum Deseruit poena,

Hor. C. 3, 2, 31: admodum raro, Cic. Fat. Fragm. ap. Macr. S. 2, 12;

for which we find raro admodum,

Quint. 11, 1, 14; Plin. 2, 50, 51, § 135:

raro umquam,

Quint. 4, 1, 4; 5, 7, 22; Plin. 22, 22, 46, § 93:

ita raro,

Cic. Rosc. Am. 13, 37:

sic raro,

Hor. S. 2, 3, 1:

tam raro,

Ov. M. 13, 117:

quam raro,

Plaut. Bacch. 4, 4, 25:

perquam raro,

Plin. 37, 4, 15, § 55.— Comp.:

quod si rarius fiet, quam tu exspectabis,

Cic. Fam. 1, 7, 1.— Sup.:

istud rarissime accidere,

Col. 5, 5, 7:

non affari nisi rarissime,

Suet. Claud. 3.—

Form rārē (acc. to I.), far apart, thinly, sparsely, here and there:

nisi rare conseritur, vanam et minutam spicam facit,

Col. 2, 9, 5:

tenui vimine rarius contextus saccus,

id. 9, 15, 12.—

(Acc. to II. B.) Of time, seldom, rarely:

vero rare capitur (piscis),

Plaut. Rud. 4, 3, 56.—

Form rārenter, seldom, rarely:

dato rarenter bibere,

Cato, R. R. 103; so, rarenter, Liv. And., Enn., Caecil., Nov., Trab., Pompon. ap. Non. 515, 23 sq.; 164, 25 sq.; App. Flor. 3, p. 357, 22. —

Form rārĭter (very rare): quidquid fit rariter, magis delectat, Schol. Juv. 11, 208.

rārus, a, um, adj. [etym. dub.; cf. Sanscr. root rah-, to abandon], having wide interstices between its parts, of a loose texture, not thick or dense, thin (opp. densus; freq. and class.).

Lit.:

denseri poterunt ignes, rarique relinqui,

Lucr. 1, 656; cf.:

(terra) Rara sit an supra morem si densa requiras... Densa magis Cereri, rarissima quaeque Lyaeo,

Verg. G. 2, 227 sq.; 1, 419:

textura,

Lucr. 4, 196; cf.

retia,

Verg. A. 4, 131; Hor. Epod. 2, 33:

tunica,

Ov. Am. 1, 5, 13; and:

cribrum,

id. M. 12, 437:

rariores silvae,

the thinner, clearer parts of the forest, Tac. Agr. 37:

seges,

Col. 2, 9, 6:

corpus (opp. solidae res),

Lucr. 1, 347; 2, 860; 6, 631 al.:

aër,

id. 2, 107; cf. in the comp., id. 6, 1024:

manus,

i.e. with the fingers spread apart, Quint. 11, 3, 103:

raraque non fracto vestigia pulvere pendent,

i.e. scarcely visible, Stat. Th. 6, 640.—

Transf.

Of things which stand apart from each other, far apart, here and there, scattered, thin, scanty ( = disjectus;

opp. densus, confertus): cum raris disjectisque ex aedificiis pabulum conquireretur,

Hirt. B. G. 8, 10; cf.:

vides habitari in terrā raris et angustis in locis,

scattered, Cic. Rep. 6, 19, 20:

apparent rari nantes,

Verg. A. 1, 118:

foramina,

Lucr. 5, 457:

bacae expanduntur rarae,

Plin. 17, 10, 11, § 60:

frutices in vertice,

Ov. H. 10, 25:

coma,

id. Am. 1, 8, 111; cf. capillus. Suet. Calig. 50:

racemi,

Verg. E. 5, 7:

umbra,

id. ib. 7, 46:

arbores,

Nep. Milt. 5, 3:

tela,

Ov. M. 12, 600 et saep. — Poet.:

manat rara meas lacrima per genas,

drop by drop, Hor. C. 4, 1, 34. —

In partic., in military lang., far apart, here and there, scattered about, dispersed, straggling, single (opp. confertus). accedebat huc, ut numquam conferti, sed rari magnisque intervallis proeliarentur, Caes. B. G. 5, 16; cf.:

rari in confertos illati,

Liv. 23, 27:

ipsi ex silvis rari propugnabant,

Caes. B. G. 5, 9; 5, 17; 7, 45; 7, 80; id. B. C. 1, 27 fin.:

Samnites raris ordinibus constiterant,

Liv. 9, 27; Curt. 4, 14, 14:

rara est acies,

Verg. A. 9, 508:

rarior acies,

Tac. H. 3, 25; Front. Strat. 3, 10, 4:

rarior acies,

Curt. 4, 15, 20: ut ordines suos non magnopere servarent. [p. 1525] rari dispersique pugnarent, Caes. B. C. 1, 44; cf. Tac. Agr. 37 fin.; Front. Strat. 1, 5, 23.—

Of any thing found in small numbers or which seldom takes place, few, rare (cf. paucus):

in omni arte... ut in ipsă virtute, optimum quidque rarissimum,

Cic. Fin. 2, 25, 81; cf.:

rarum genus (amicorum) et quidem omnia praeclara rara,

id. Lael. 21, 79:

raris ac prope nullis portibus,

Caes. B. G. 3, 12 fin.; cf.:

etiamsi rarus ejus rei, nonnullus tamen usus,

Quint. 8, 6, 30:

rarus enim est animus ad ea defendenda,

Sall. H. 3, 61, 7 Dietsch:

Idem rarum est, non sine usu tamen,

Quint. 5, 11, 42:

rari domos, plurimi amicorum tecta... petivere,

Tac. H. 1, 79 fin.:

Oceanus raris ab orbe nostro navibus aditur,

id. G. 2:

aliquod solitarium aut rarum,

Cic. Inv. 1, 44, 83:

ut anteponantur rara vulgaribus,

id. Top. 18, 69:

litterae,

Liv. 6, 1; cf. id. 7, 3:

rara hostium apparebant arma,

id. 2, 50:

lites,

Quint. 7, 1, 43:

infelicitas,

id. 11, 2, 49:

quae (littera) est apud nos rarissima in clausulis,

id. 12, 10, 31:

quod est magis rarum,

id. 9, 2, 73:

ex maxime raro genere hominum,

Cic. Lael. 17, 64; cf. Quint. 7, 3, 25:

raris vocibus hisco,

Verg. A. 3, 314:

rara per ignotos errent animalia montes,

id. E. 6, 40:

audiet pugnas vitio parentum Rara juventus,

Hor. C. 1, 2, 24. —Rarum est, with ut:

rarum est, ut, etc.,

Quint. 3, 10, 3; 6, 3, 38; 10, 7, 24:

rarum dictu, esse aliquid, cui prosit neglegentia,

Plin. 18, 16, 39, § 140.—

Mostly poet. and in post-Aug. prose for the adv. raro, seldom, rarely:

nec Iliacos coetus nisi rarus adibat,

Ov. M. 11, 766; cf.:

rarus, qui tam procul a portu recessisset, reperiebatur,

Quint. 12, prooem. § 3; so,

rarus fuit, qui, etc.,

id. 6, 2, 3:

antiquis scriptoribus rarus obtrectator,

Tac. A. 4, 33; Sall. H. Fragm. 3, 22, p. 233 Gerl.:

Caesar rarus egressu,

Tac. A. 15, 53; cf.:

leones rari in potu,

Plin. 8, 16, 18, § 46:

(calculus) rarus inventu,

id. 28, 15, 61, § 217; cf.:

helxine rara visu est,

id. 21, 16, 56, § 96:

Homerus alias circa picturas pigmentaque rarus,

i. e. rarely speaks of them, id. 33, 7, 38, § 115 —

Poet., in partic., uncommon of its kind, scarce, rare, extraordinary, remarkable:

rara puella fuit,

Prop. 1, 17, 16; so,

Cynthia,

id. 1, 8, 42:

ministra deae,

id. 4 (5), 11, 52; cf.:

rara quidem facie, sed rarior arte canendi,

Ov. M. 14, 337:

facies,

id. H. 17, 93 Ruhnk.:

vestis,

Cat. 69, 3:

avis (sc. pavo),

Hor. S. 2, 2, 26:

fides,

id. C. 1, 35, 21:

artis opus rarae,

Tib. 3, 4, 37:

patulis rarissima ramis,

Ov. M. 7, 622:

rarissima turba,

id. A. A. 2, 281:

rarissimi ingenii homo,

Sen. Contr. 28:

conjux rarissima,

Stat. S. 5, 1, 11.— Hence, adv., usually raro (class.), but sometimes rare (ante - class. and postAug.), rarenter (ante- and post - class.), or rariter (late Lat.).

Form rārō:

raro nimium dabat quod biberem,

Plaut. Cist. 1, 1, 20:

potavi, edi, donavi, et enim id raro,

id. Bacch. 4, 10, 6:

si id, quod raro fit, fieri omnino negetur,

Cic. Inv. 1, 43, 80:

evenire insolenter et raro (opp. vulgo),

id. ib. 1, 28, 43:

vinum aegrotis prodest raro, nocet saepissime,

id. N. D. 3, 27, 69; id. de Or. 3, 52, 101; cf. id. Or. 24, 80:

sed tamen raro habet in oratione poeticum aliquod verbum dignitatem,

id. de Or. 3, 38, 153:

raro antecedentem scelestum Deseruit poena,

Hor. C. 3, 2, 31: admodum raro, Cic. Fat. Fragm. ap. Macr. S. 2, 12;

for which we find raro admodum,

Quint. 11, 1, 14; Plin. 2, 50, 51, § 135:

raro umquam,

Quint. 4, 1, 4; 5, 7, 22; Plin. 22, 22, 46, § 93:

ita raro,

Cic. Rosc. Am. 13, 37:

sic raro,

Hor. S. 2, 3, 1:

tam raro,

Ov. M. 13, 117:

quam raro,

Plaut. Bacch. 4, 4, 25:

perquam raro,

Plin. 37, 4, 15, § 55.— Comp.:

quod si rarius fiet, quam tu exspectabis,

Cic. Fam. 1, 7, 1.— Sup.:

istud rarissime accidere,

Col. 5, 5, 7:

non affari nisi rarissime,

Suet. Claud. 3.—

Form rārē (acc. to I.), far apart, thinly, sparsely, here and there:

nisi rare conseritur, vanam et minutam spicam facit,

Col. 2, 9, 5:

tenui vimine rarius contextus saccus,

id. 9, 15, 12.—

(Acc. to II. B.) Of time, seldom, rarely:

vero rare capitur (piscis),

Plaut. Rud. 4, 3, 56.—

Form rārenter, seldom, rarely:

dato rarenter bibere,

Cato, R. R. 103; so, rarenter, Liv. And., Enn., Caecil., Nov., Trab., Pompon. ap. Non. 515, 23 sq.; 164, 25 sq.; App. Flor. 3, p. 357, 22. —

Form rārĭter (very rare): quidquid fit rariter, magis delectat, Schol. Juv. 11, 208.

sermo, ōnis, m. [2. sero, qs. serta, conserta oratio], a speaking or talking with any one; talk, conversation, discourse:

sermo est a serie: sermo enim non potest in uno homine esse solo, sed ubi oratio cum altero conjuncta,

Varr. L. L. 6, § 64 Müll. (very freq. in prose and poetry).

Lit.

In gen. (syn. colloquium): quoniam magna vis orationis est eaque duplex, altera contentionis, altera sermonis: contentio disceptationibus tribuatur judiciorum, contionum, senatus: sermo in circulis, disputationibus, congressionibus familiarium versetur;

sequatur etiam convivia, etc.,

Cic. Off. 1, 37, 132:

quod mihi servus sermonem serat,

Plaut. Curc. 1, 3, 37:

sermones serere,

id. Mil. 3, 1, 106:

multa inter sese vario sermone serebant,

Verg. A. 6, 160:

sermonem nobiscum ibi copulat,

Plaut. Poen. 3, 3, 42:

dum sermones fabulandi conferant,

id. ib. prol. 34:

caput et pes sermonis,

id. As. 3, 3, 139:

cum ea tu sermonem nec joco nec serio Tibi habeas,

id. Am. 3, 2, 25; Ter. Hec. 4, 3, 1:

ibi illa cum sermonem occipit,

id. Eun. 4, 1, 8:

dum sermones caedimus,

id. Heaut. 2, 3, 1:

sermonem cum aliquo conferre,

Cic. Off. 1, 38, 136; id. Inv. 2, 4, 14:

in nostris sermonibus collocutionibusque,

id. Fam. 1, 9, 4:

mature veniunt, discumbitur: fit sermo inter eos,

id. Verr. 2, 1, 26, § 66:

dum longior consulto ab Ambiorige instituitur sermo,

Caes. B. G. 5, 37:

sermonis aditum cum aliquo habere,

id. ib. 5, 41:

nullum tibi omnino cum Albinovano sermonem ullā de re fuisse,

Cic. Vatin. 1, 3; id. de Or. 2, 73, 296:

erat in ore, in sermone omnium,

id. Phil. 10, 7, 14; cf.: memini in eum sermonem illum incidere, qui tum fere multis erat in ore, id. Lael. 1, 2:

aestivam sermone benigno tendere noctem,

Hor. Ep. 1, 5, 11:

referre sermones deorum,

id. C. 3, 3, 71 (cf.:

consiliantibus divis,

id. ib. 3, 3, 18):

et euntem multa loquendo Detinuit sermone diem,

Ov. M. 1, 683:

nunc inter eos tu sermo es,

you are the talk, Prop. 2, 21 (3, 14), 7:

jucundus est mihi sermo litterarum tuarum,

the conversing with you by letter, Cic. Fam. 7, 32, 3; cf.:

littera sermonis fida ministra mei,

Ov. Tr. 3, 7, 2.—

In partic.

Literary conversation, discourse, disputation, discussion (cf. oratio): tum Furius: Quid vos agitis? num sermonem vestrum aliquem diremit noster interventus? Minime vero, Africanus;

soles enim tu haec studiose investigare, quae sunt in hoc genere, de quo instituerat paulo ante Tubero quaerere,

Cic. Rep. 1, 11, 17; cf. id. ib. 1, 13, 19:

in sermonem ingredi (just before: in disputationem ingredi),

id. ib. 1, 24, 38:

(Scaevola) exposuit nobis sermonem Laelii de amicitiā habitum ab illo secum... Ejus disputationis sententias memoriae mandavi, etc.... ut tamquam a praesentibus haberi sermo videretur,

id. Lael. 1, 3:

rebus his, de quibus hic sermo est,

id. Fin. 3, 12, 40:

feci sermonem inter nos habitum in Cumano. Tibi dedi partes Antiochinas, etc.,

id. Fam. 9, 8, 1:

in quo (circulo) de philosophiā sermo haberetur,

Nep. Epam. 3, 3:

Socratici sermones,

Hor. C. 3, 21, 9; cf. Quint. 6, 3, 44; 2, 15, 26:

in longum sermonem me vocas, Attice,

Cic. Leg. 1, 4, 13:

nunc enim sermo de naturā est,

our subject, Plin. 11, 19, 21, § 67; 3, 1, pr. § 2; 16, 32, 58, § 134; Macr. Somn. Scip. 2, 17, 15; Capitol. Gord. 3, 3 init. —

Concr., a talk, speech, discourse (more informal and unpretending than oratio):

meos multos et illustres et ex superiore et ex aequo loco sermones habitos,

Cic. Fam. 3, 8, 2; Plin. Ep. 1, 8, 2; Quint. 11, 2, 24.—

Ordinary speech, speaking, talking, the language of conversation (opp. contentio):

sermo est oratio remissa et finitima cottidianae locutioni,

Auct. Her. 3, 13, 23; cf. Cic. Off. 1, 37, 132:

mollis est oratio philosophorum et umbratilis, etc.... Itaque sermo potius quam oratio dicitur,

id. Or. 19, 64: in argumentis Caecilius poscit palmam, in sermonibus Plautus, i. e. in dialogue, Varr. ap. Non. 374, 9:

soluta oratio, qualis in sermone et epistulis,

Quint. 9, 4, 19:

C. Piso, statarius et sermonis plenus orator,

Cic. Brut. 68, 239:

si quis scribat, uti nos, Sermoni propiora,

Hor. S. 1, 4, 42:

vocem sermoni proximam,

Quint. 11, 3, 162:

ut litigantes quoque a sermone incipiant, ad vociferationem transeant,

Sen. Ep. 15, 6.—Of prose as opposed to poetry:

comoedia... nisi quod pede certo Differt sermoni sermo merus,

Hor. S. 1, 4, 48:

et tragicus plerumque dolet sermone pedestri Telephus et Peleus, etc.,

id. A. P. 95.—

Concr., of verses in a conversational style, a satire:

ille (delectatur) Bioneis sermonibus et sale nigro,

Hor. Ep. 2, 2, 60:

Albi, nostrorum sermonum candide judex,

id. ib. 1, 4, 1:

nec sermones ego mallem Repentes per humum quam res componere gestas,

id. ib. 2, 1, 250.—

With reference to some particular object, common talk respecting any thing, report, rumor (syn.:

fama, rumor): vulgi sermo,

Cic. Fam. 3, 11, 1:

nunc per urbem solus sermo est omnibus, Eum, etc.,

Plaut. Ps. 1, 5, 4:

sermo est totā Asiā dissipatus, Cn. Pompeium, etc.,

Cic. Fl. 6, 14:

mihi venit in mentem multum fore sermonem, me, etc.,

id. Att. 7, 23, 2:

si istiusmodi sermones ad te delati de me sunt, non debuisti credere,

id. Fam. 3, 8, 5 sq.:

in sermonem hominum venire,

id. Verr. 2, 4, 7, § 13:

audita et percelebrata sermonibus res est,

id. Cael. 29, 69; cf.:

vix feram sermones hominum, si, etc.,

id. Cat. 1, 9, 23:

vestrae perigrinantur aures, neque in hoc pervagato civitatis sermone versantur,

this talk of the town, id. Mil. 12, 33:

refrigerato jam levissimo sermone hominum,

id. Fam. 3, 8, 1:

sermones inimicorum effugere,

id. Cael. 16, 38:

sermones lacessere, reprimere,

id. Fam. 3, 8, 7: retudit sermones, Cael. ap. Cic. Fam. 8, 6, 1:

ne putet aliquid oratione meā sermonis in sese aut invidiae esse quaesitum,

of slander, calumny, Cic. Fl. 5, 13:

dabimus sermonem iis, qui, etc.,

give them something to talk about, id. Fam. 9, 3; so,

materiam sermonibus praebere,

Tac. H. 4, 4: cataplus ille Puteolanus, sermo illius temporis, Cic. [p. 1680] Rab. Post. 14, 40 B. and K. dub.; v. Orell. N. cr. —

Transf., a manner of speaking, mode of expression, language, style, diction, etc. (cf. lingua):

sermone eo debemus uti, qui notus est nobis, ne, ut quidam Graeca verba inculcantes jure optimo rideamur,

Cic. Off. 1, 31, 111:

cujus (Terentii) fabellae propter elegantiam sermonis putabantur a C. Laelio scribi,

id. Att. 7, 3, 10:

et sane quid est aliud vetus sermo quam vetus loquendi consuetudo?

Quint. 1, 6, 43; 12, 2, 3.—

A language, the speech of a nation, etc.:

cui (Catulo) non solum nos Latini sermonis, sed etiam Graeci ipsi solent suae linguae subtilitatem elegantiamque concedere,

Cic. de Or. 2, 7, 28:

in Latino sermone,

id. ib. 3, 11, 42:

quae philosophi Graeco sermone tractavissent, ea Latinis litteris mandaremus,

id. Fin. 1, 1, 1:

patrii sermonis egestas,

Lucr. 1, 832; 3, 260:

cum lingua Catonis et Enni Sermonem patrium ditaverit,

Hor. A. P. 57:

aves, quae sermonem imitantur humanum... Agrippina turdum habuit imitantem sermones hominum... lusciniae Graeco atque Latino sermone dociles,

Plin. 10, 42, 59, § 120.—

Of a single expression:

si quis ita legaverit: Fructus annuos, etc., perinde accipi debet hic sermo, ac si, etc.,

Dig. 7, 1, 20; 11, 7, 2, § 1; 28, 5, 29.— Hence, of a single word (late Lat.): deos sermo Graecus est, Cassiod. in Psa. 21, 1.