one of the three deities

nītor, nīsus and nixus ( inf. nitier, Lucr. 1, 1059; old form of the part. perf.: gnitus et gnixus a genibus prisci dixerunt, Paul. ex Fest. p. 96 Müll.), 3, v. dep. n. [from gnitor; root gnic- or gnig-; cf.: nico, conivere], to bear or rest upon something.

Lit.

With abl.: ambae te obsecramus genibus nixae, we implore thee upon our knees, i. e. kneeling, Plaut. Rud. 3, 3, 33:

stirpibus suis niti,

Cic. Tusc. 5, 13, 37:

herbescens viriditas, quae nixa fibris stirpium sensim adulescit,

id. Sen. 15, 51:

hastili nixus,

id. Rab. Perd. 7, 21:

mulierculā nixus,

id. Verr. 2, 5, 33, § 86:

juvenis, qui nititur hastā,

Verg. A. 6, 760:

paribus nitens Cyllenius alis Constitit,

id. ib. 4, 252:

nixus baculo,

Ov. P. 1, 8, 52.—

With in and acc.:

nixus in hastam,

Verg. A. 12, 398.—

With de:

de quā pariens arbore nixa dea est,

Ov. H. 21, 100.—

With gen. of place:

humi nitens,

Verg. A. 2, 380.—

Absol.: Sisiphu' versat Saxum sudans nitendo, Poët. ap. Cic. Tusc. 1, 5, 10:

niti modo ac statim concidere,

to strive to rise, Sall. J. 101, 11.—

Transf.

To make one's way with an effort, to press forward, advance; and, with respect to the goal, to mount, climb, fly, etc. (mostly poet.):

quaedam serpentes ortae extra aquam simul ac primum niti possunt, aquam persequuntur,

Cic. N. D. 2, 48, 124:

nituntur gradibus,

Verg. A. 2, 442:

in altas rupes,

Luc. 4, 37:

ad sidera,

Verg. G. 2, 427:

in aëra,

Ov. P. 2, 7, 27:

in adversum,

id. M. 2, 72:

sursum nitier,

Lucr. 1, 1059.—Of violent bodily motion:

niti corporibus et ea huc illuc, quasi vitabundi aut jacientes tela agitare,

to struggle, Sall. J. 60, 4.—

To strain in giving birth, to bring forth, Plin. 9, 35, 54, § 107 (al. eniti):

nitor,

I am in labor, Ov. M. 9, 302; Pseud.-Ov. Her. 21, 100.—

To strain for a stool, Suet. Vesp. 20.—

Trop.

To strive, to exert one's self, make an effort, labor, endeavor:

moderatio modo virium adsit et tantum, quantum potest, quisque nitatur,

Cic. Sen. 10, 33; Nep. Att. 15, 2:

nisurus contra regem,

Caes. B. C. 2, 37; Sall. C. 38, 2:

pro aliquo,

Liv. 35, 10; cf.:

pro libertate summā ope niti,

Sall. J. 31, 17:

nitebantur, ne gravius in eum consuleretur,

Sall. J. 13, 8; cf.:

unus Miltiades maxime nitebatur, ut, etc.,

Nep. Milt. 4, 2. — Inf.:

summā vi Cirtam irrumpere nititur,

Sall. J. 25, 9:

patriam recuperare niti,

Nep. Pelop. 2:

ingenio nitor non periisse meo,

Ov. P. 3, 5, 34; id. M. 8, 694.— Absol., of soldiers hard pressed in battle:

tamen virtute et patientia nitebantur atque omnia vulnera sustinebant,

Caes. B. C. 1, 45.—

To strive after a thing:

ad immortalitatem gloriae niti,

Cic. Sen. 23, 82:

ad summa, Quint. prooem. § 20: in vetitum,

Ov. Am. 3, 4, 17.—

To try to prove, contend in argument, argue, with acc. and inf.:

nitamur igitur nihil posse percipi,

Cic. Ac. 2, 21, 68.—

To rest, rely, depend upon a thing.

With in and abl.:

nixus in nomine inani,

Lucr. 5, 909:

conjectura in quā nititur divinatio,

Cic. Div. 2, 26, 55:

ea, in quibus causa nititur,

id. Cael. 10, 25:

cujus in vitā nitebatur salus civitatis,

id. Mil. 7, 19.—

With abl.:

spe niti,

Cic. Att. 3, 9, 2:

consilio atque auctoritate alicujus,

id. Off. 1, 34, 122; id. Fam. 1, 5, a, 2:

si quis hoc uno nititur quod sit ignobilis,

id. Clu. 40, 112.—

With ubi:

quo confugies? ubi nitere?

Cic. Verr. 2, 2, 64, § 155.—Hence, P. a., as subst., Nixus, i, m., only plur., Nixi, ōrum, m., three guardian deities of women in labor, the statues of whom, representing them in a kneeling posture, stood on the Capitol before the chapel of Minerva, Paul. ex Fest. p. 174 Müll.:

magno Lucinam Nixosque patres clamore vocabam,

Ov. M. 9, 294.

nĭtor, ōris, m. [niteo], brightness, splendor, lustre, sheen.

Lit.:

nitor exoriens aurorae,

Lucr. 4, 538:

diurnus,

the daylight, Ov. H. 18, 78:

herbarum viridis,

Lucr. 5, 783:

argenti et auri,

Ov. P. 3, 4, 23:

eboris,

Plin. 7, 15, 13, § 64:

materiae,

of the wood, id. 16, 40, 79, § 215:

speculi,

id. 11, 37, 64, § 170:

gladii,

id. 2, 25, 22, § 89:

nigerrimus gemmae,

id. 37, 10, 69, § 184:

nitorem cutis facit sal,

id. 31, 7, 41, § 84.— Plur.:

nitores splendoresque auri,

Gell. 2, 6, 4.—

Transf.

Sleekness, plumpness, good looks, beauty:

nitor corporis,

Ter. Eun. 2, 2, 10:

urit me Glycerae nitor,

Hor. C. 1, 19, 5:

Liparei nitor Hebri,

id. ib. 3, 12, 6:

nullus totā nitor in cute,

Juv. 9, 13.—

Neatness, elegance, brilliancy of external appearance:

si quem... aliquid offendit, si purpurae genus, si amicorum catervae, si splendor, si nitor,

Cic. Cael. 31, 77:

habitus,

Juv. 3, 180:

oppidum praecipui nitoris,

Plin. 4, 12, 26, § 85.—

In gen., color, Lucr. 2, 819:

ludis et externo tincta nitore caput,

Prop. 2, 14, 26 (3, 11, 2).—

Trop., of speech, splendor, elegance, grace of style. —With gen.:

adhibendus erit in eis explicandis quidam orationis nitor,

Cic. Or. 32, 115:

domesticus eloquii,

Ov. P. 2, 2, 51:

nitor et cultus descriptionum,

Tac. Or. 20:

translationum,

Quint. 12, 10, 36.— Absol.:

sublimitas et magnificentia et nitor,

Quint. 8, 3, 3:

eruditione ac nitore praestare,

id. 10, 1, 98:

scripsit non sine cultu ac nitore,

id. 10, 1, 124.—

Of character, dignity, excellence:

generis,

Ov. P. 2, 9, 17; splendid liberality, Stat. S. 3, 3, 149.

nītor, nīsus and nixus ( inf. nitier, Lucr. 1, 1059; old form of the part. perf.: gnitus et gnixus a genibus prisci dixerunt, Paul. ex Fest. p. 96 Müll.), 3, v. dep. n. [from gnitor; root gnic- or gnig-; cf.: nico, conivere], to bear or rest upon something.

Lit.

With abl.: ambae te obsecramus genibus nixae, we implore thee upon our knees, i. e. kneeling, Plaut. Rud. 3, 3, 33:

stirpibus suis niti,

Cic. Tusc. 5, 13, 37:

herbescens viriditas, quae nixa fibris stirpium sensim adulescit,

id. Sen. 15, 51:

hastili nixus,

id. Rab. Perd. 7, 21:

mulierculā nixus,

id. Verr. 2, 5, 33, § 86:

juvenis, qui nititur hastā,

Verg. A. 6, 760:

paribus nitens Cyllenius alis Constitit,

id. ib. 4, 252:

nixus baculo,

Ov. P. 1, 8, 52.—

With in and acc.:

nixus in hastam,

Verg. A. 12, 398.—

With de:

de quā pariens arbore nixa dea est,

Ov. H. 21, 100.—

With gen. of place:

humi nitens,

Verg. A. 2, 380.—

Absol.: Sisiphu' versat Saxum sudans nitendo, Poët. ap. Cic. Tusc. 1, 5, 10:

niti modo ac statim concidere,

to strive to rise, Sall. J. 101, 11.—

Transf.

To make one's way with an effort, to press forward, advance; and, with respect to the goal, to mount, climb, fly, etc. (mostly poet.):

quaedam serpentes ortae extra aquam simul ac primum niti possunt, aquam persequuntur,

Cic. N. D. 2, 48, 124:

nituntur gradibus,

Verg. A. 2, 442:

in altas rupes,

Luc. 4, 37:

ad sidera,

Verg. G. 2, 427:

in aëra,

Ov. P. 2, 7, 27:

in adversum,

id. M. 2, 72:

sursum nitier,

Lucr. 1, 1059.—Of violent bodily motion:

niti corporibus et ea huc illuc, quasi vitabundi aut jacientes tela agitare,

to struggle, Sall. J. 60, 4.—

To strain in giving birth, to bring forth, Plin. 9, 35, 54, § 107 (al. eniti):

nitor,

I am in labor, Ov. M. 9, 302; Pseud.-Ov. Her. 21, 100.—

To strain for a stool, Suet. Vesp. 20.—

Trop.

To strive, to exert one's self, make an effort, labor, endeavor:

moderatio modo virium adsit et tantum, quantum potest, quisque nitatur,

Cic. Sen. 10, 33; Nep. Att. 15, 2:

nisurus contra regem,

Caes. B. C. 2, 37; Sall. C. 38, 2:

pro aliquo,

Liv. 35, 10; cf.:

pro libertate summā ope niti,

Sall. J. 31, 17:

nitebantur, ne gravius in eum consuleretur,

Sall. J. 13, 8; cf.:

unus Miltiades maxime nitebatur, ut, etc.,

Nep. Milt. 4, 2. — Inf.:

summā vi Cirtam irrumpere nititur,

Sall. J. 25, 9:

patriam recuperare niti,

Nep. Pelop. 2:

ingenio nitor non periisse meo,

Ov. P. 3, 5, 34; id. M. 8, 694.— Absol., of soldiers hard pressed in battle:

tamen virtute et patientia nitebantur atque omnia vulnera sustinebant,

Caes. B. C. 1, 45.—

To strive after a thing:

ad immortalitatem gloriae niti,

Cic. Sen. 23, 82:

ad summa, Quint. prooem. § 20: in vetitum,

Ov. Am. 3, 4, 17.—

To try to prove, contend in argument, argue, with acc. and inf.:

nitamur igitur nihil posse percipi,

Cic. Ac. 2, 21, 68.—

To rest, rely, depend upon a thing.

With in and abl.:

nixus in nomine inani,

Lucr. 5, 909:

conjectura in quā nititur divinatio,

Cic. Div. 2, 26, 55:

ea, in quibus causa nititur,

id. Cael. 10, 25:

cujus in vitā nitebatur salus civitatis,

id. Mil. 7, 19.—

With abl.:

spe niti,

Cic. Att. 3, 9, 2:

consilio atque auctoritate alicujus,

id. Off. 1, 34, 122; id. Fam. 1, 5, a, 2:

si quis hoc uno nititur quod sit ignobilis,

id. Clu. 40, 112.—

With ubi:

quo confugies? ubi nitere?

Cic. Verr. 2, 2, 64, § 155.—Hence, P. a., as subst., Nixus, i, m., only plur., Nixi, ōrum, m., three guardian deities of women in labor, the statues of whom, representing them in a kneeling posture, stood on the Capitol before the chapel of Minerva, Paul. ex Fest. p. 174 Müll.:

magno Lucinam Nixosque patres clamore vocabam,

Ov. M. 9, 294.

nĭtor, ōris, m. [niteo], brightness, splendor, lustre, sheen.

Lit.:

nitor exoriens aurorae,

Lucr. 4, 538:

diurnus,

the daylight, Ov. H. 18, 78:

herbarum viridis,

Lucr. 5, 783:

argenti et auri,

Ov. P. 3, 4, 23:

eboris,

Plin. 7, 15, 13, § 64:

materiae,

of the wood, id. 16, 40, 79, § 215:

speculi,

id. 11, 37, 64, § 170:

gladii,

id. 2, 25, 22, § 89:

nigerrimus gemmae,

id. 37, 10, 69, § 184:

nitorem cutis facit sal,

id. 31, 7, 41, § 84.— Plur.:

nitores splendoresque auri,

Gell. 2, 6, 4.—

Transf.

Sleekness, plumpness, good looks, beauty:

nitor corporis,

Ter. Eun. 2, 2, 10:

urit me Glycerae nitor,

Hor. C. 1, 19, 5:

Liparei nitor Hebri,

id. ib. 3, 12, 6:

nullus totā nitor in cute,

Juv. 9, 13.—

Neatness, elegance, brilliancy of external appearance:

si quem... aliquid offendit, si purpurae genus, si amicorum catervae, si splendor, si nitor,

Cic. Cael. 31, 77:

habitus,

Juv. 3, 180:

oppidum praecipui nitoris,

Plin. 4, 12, 26, § 85.—

In gen., color, Lucr. 2, 819:

ludis et externo tincta nitore caput,

Prop. 2, 14, 26 (3, 11, 2).—

Trop., of speech, splendor, elegance, grace of style. —With gen.:

adhibendus erit in eis explicandis quidam orationis nitor,

Cic. Or. 32, 115:

domesticus eloquii,

Ov. P. 2, 2, 51:

nitor et cultus descriptionum,

Tac. Or. 20:

translationum,

Quint. 12, 10, 36.— Absol.:

sublimitas et magnificentia et nitor,

Quint. 8, 3, 3:

eruditione ac nitore praestare,

id. 10, 1, 98:

scripsit non sine cultu ac nitore,

id. 10, 1, 124.—

Of character, dignity, excellence:

generis,

Ov. P. 2, 9, 17; splendid liberality, Stat. S. 3, 3, 149.

nītor, nīsus and nixus ( inf. nitier, Lucr. 1, 1059; old form of the part. perf.: gnitus et gnixus a genibus prisci dixerunt, Paul. ex Fest. p. 96 Müll.), 3, v. dep. n. [from gnitor; root gnic- or gnig-; cf.: nico, conivere], to bear or rest upon something.

Lit.

With abl.: ambae te obsecramus genibus nixae, we implore thee upon our knees, i. e. kneeling, Plaut. Rud. 3, 3, 33:

stirpibus suis niti,

Cic. Tusc. 5, 13, 37:

herbescens viriditas, quae nixa fibris stirpium sensim adulescit,

id. Sen. 15, 51:

hastili nixus,

id. Rab. Perd. 7, 21:

mulierculā nixus,

id. Verr. 2, 5, 33, § 86:

juvenis, qui nititur hastā,

Verg. A. 6, 760:

paribus nitens Cyllenius alis Constitit,

id. ib. 4, 252:

nixus baculo,

Ov. P. 1, 8, 52.—

With in and acc.:

nixus in hastam,

Verg. A. 12, 398.—

With de:

de quā pariens arbore nixa dea est,

Ov. H. 21, 100.—

With gen. of place:

humi nitens,

Verg. A. 2, 380.—

Absol.: Sisiphu' versat Saxum sudans nitendo, Poët. ap. Cic. Tusc. 1, 5, 10:

niti modo ac statim concidere,

to strive to rise, Sall. J. 101, 11.—

Transf.

To make one's way with an effort, to press forward, advance; and, with respect to the goal, to mount, climb, fly, etc. (mostly poet.):

quaedam serpentes ortae extra aquam simul ac primum niti possunt, aquam persequuntur,

Cic. N. D. 2, 48, 124:

nituntur gradibus,

Verg. A. 2, 442:

in altas rupes,

Luc. 4, 37:

ad sidera,

Verg. G. 2, 427:

in aëra,

Ov. P. 2, 7, 27:

in adversum,

id. M. 2, 72:

sursum nitier,

Lucr. 1, 1059.—Of violent bodily motion:

niti corporibus et ea huc illuc, quasi vitabundi aut jacientes tela agitare,

to struggle, Sall. J. 60, 4.—

To strain in giving birth, to bring forth, Plin. 9, 35, 54, § 107 (al. eniti):

nitor,

I am in labor, Ov. M. 9, 302; Pseud.-Ov. Her. 21, 100.—

To strain for a stool, Suet. Vesp. 20.—

Trop.

To strive, to exert one's self, make an effort, labor, endeavor:

moderatio modo virium adsit et tantum, quantum potest, quisque nitatur,

Cic. Sen. 10, 33; Nep. Att. 15, 2:

nisurus contra regem,

Caes. B. C. 2, 37; Sall. C. 38, 2:

pro aliquo,

Liv. 35, 10; cf.:

pro libertate summā ope niti,

Sall. J. 31, 17:

nitebantur, ne gravius in eum consuleretur,

Sall. J. 13, 8; cf.:

unus Miltiades maxime nitebatur, ut, etc.,

Nep. Milt. 4, 2. — Inf.:

summā vi Cirtam irrumpere nititur,

Sall. J. 25, 9:

patriam recuperare niti,

Nep. Pelop. 2:

ingenio nitor non periisse meo,

Ov. P. 3, 5, 34; id. M. 8, 694.— Absol., of soldiers hard pressed in battle:

tamen virtute et patientia nitebantur atque omnia vulnera sustinebant,

Caes. B. C. 1, 45.—

To strive after a thing:

ad immortalitatem gloriae niti,

Cic. Sen. 23, 82:

ad summa, Quint. prooem. § 20: in vetitum,

Ov. Am. 3, 4, 17.—

To try to prove, contend in argument, argue, with acc. and inf.:

nitamur igitur nihil posse percipi,

Cic. Ac. 2, 21, 68.—

To rest, rely, depend upon a thing.

With in and abl.:

nixus in nomine inani,

Lucr. 5, 909:

conjectura in quā nititur divinatio,

Cic. Div. 2, 26, 55:

ea, in quibus causa nititur,

id. Cael. 10, 25:

cujus in vitā nitebatur salus civitatis,

id. Mil. 7, 19.—

With abl.:

spe niti,

Cic. Att. 3, 9, 2:

consilio atque auctoritate alicujus,

id. Off. 1, 34, 122; id. Fam. 1, 5, a, 2:

si quis hoc uno nititur quod sit ignobilis,

id. Clu. 40, 112.—

With ubi:

quo confugies? ubi nitere?

Cic. Verr. 2, 2, 64, § 155.—Hence, P. a., as subst., Nixus, i, m., only plur., Nixi, ōrum, m., three guardian deities of women in labor, the statues of whom, representing them in a kneeling posture, stood on the Capitol before the chapel of Minerva, Paul. ex Fest. p. 174 Müll.:

magno Lucinam Nixosque patres clamore vocabam,

Ov. M. 9, 294.

nĭtor, ōris, m. [niteo], brightness, splendor, lustre, sheen.

Lit.:

nitor exoriens aurorae,

Lucr. 4, 538:

diurnus,

the daylight, Ov. H. 18, 78:

herbarum viridis,

Lucr. 5, 783:

argenti et auri,

Ov. P. 3, 4, 23:

eboris,

Plin. 7, 15, 13, § 64:

materiae,

of the wood, id. 16, 40, 79, § 215:

speculi,

id. 11, 37, 64, § 170:

gladii,

id. 2, 25, 22, § 89:

nigerrimus gemmae,

id. 37, 10, 69, § 184:

nitorem cutis facit sal,

id. 31, 7, 41, § 84.— Plur.:

nitores splendoresque auri,

Gell. 2, 6, 4.—

Transf.

Sleekness, plumpness, good looks, beauty:

nitor corporis,

Ter. Eun. 2, 2, 10:

urit me Glycerae nitor,

Hor. C. 1, 19, 5:

Liparei nitor Hebri,

id. ib. 3, 12, 6:

nullus totā nitor in cute,

Juv. 9, 13.—

Neatness, elegance, brilliancy of external appearance:

si quem... aliquid offendit, si purpurae genus, si amicorum catervae, si splendor, si nitor,

Cic. Cael. 31, 77:

habitus,

Juv. 3, 180:

oppidum praecipui nitoris,

Plin. 4, 12, 26, § 85.—

In gen., color, Lucr. 2, 819:

ludis et externo tincta nitore caput,

Prop. 2, 14, 26 (3, 11, 2).—

Trop., of speech, splendor, elegance, grace of style. —With gen.:

adhibendus erit in eis explicandis quidam orationis nitor,

Cic. Or. 32, 115:

domesticus eloquii,

Ov. P. 2, 2, 51:

nitor et cultus descriptionum,

Tac. Or. 20:

translationum,

Quint. 12, 10, 36.— Absol.:

sublimitas et magnificentia et nitor,

Quint. 8, 3, 3:

eruditione ac nitore praestare,

id. 10, 1, 98:

scripsit non sine cultu ac nitore,

id. 10, 1, 124.—

Of character, dignity, excellence:

generis,

Ov. P. 2, 9, 17; splendid liberality, Stat. S. 3, 3, 149.

Paean, ānis, m., = Paian.

An appellation of Apollo, as the healing deity:

signum Paeanis,

Cic. Verr. 2, 4, 57, § 127:

Paeana voca,

Ov. M. 14, 720; Juv. 6, 172; cf. Fest. p. 222 Müll.; Macr. S. 1, 17.—

Transf.

A religious hymn, orig. in honor of Apollo, but also transf. to other deities, a festive hymn, hymn of triumph or praise, a pœan:

conclamant socii laetum paeana secuti,

Verg. A. 10, 738; id. ib. 6, 657:

Herculeum paeana canunt,

Stat. Th. 4, 157:

paeanem citare,

Cic. de Or. 1, 59, 251.—As a simple exclamation, like hymenaee:

dicite io Paean, et io bis dicite Paean,

shout huzza! Ov. A. A. 2, 1.—

The prevailing foot in the versification of such hymns, consisting of one long syllable and three short ones, Cic. Or. 64, 215 and 218 (commonly written paeon, q. v.).