subtle

dŏcĕo, cŭi, ctum, 2, v. a. [root da; Zend. dā, to know; strengthened, dak-; Gr. didaskô; Lat. disco], to teach, instruct, inform, show, tell, etc. (for syn. cf.: edoceo, perdoceo, erudio, praecipio, instituo).

In gen., with double acc. of person and thing:

pejor magister te istaec docuit... illa, quae te docui,

Plaut. Bacch. 1, 2, 55:

hunc hominem cursuram,

id. Trin. 4, 3, 9:

aliquem artem,

Cic. de Or. 2, 54:

aliquem litteras,

id. Pis. 30:

aliquem ejusmodi rem,

id. Quint. 25, 79:

pueros elementa,

Hor. Ep. 1, 20, 17 et saep.— Pass., with acc. rei:

is reliqua frustra docetur,

Quint. 4, 2, 90; 1, 5, 11; 3, 8, 70; 6, 2, 3; Hor. C. 3, 6, 21; id. S. 1, 6, 76 et saep.; cf.: doctus dogmam, Laber. ap. Prisc. p. 679 fin. P.; and:

doctus militiam,

Sall. H. Fragm. 1, 40, p. 224 ed. Gerl.—With inf.:

docemur auctoritate domitas habere libidines,

Cic. de Or. 1, 43, 194; 1, 57, 244; id. Fin. 2, 5, 15:

docemur disputare, non vivere (= discimus),

Sen. Ep. 95, 13:

equi variare gyros docentur,

Tac. G. 6; Sall. J. 85, 33; Nep. Epam. 2, 1; Liv. 21, 3, 6.—With acc. pers. and inf.:

ut doceam Rullum posthac in iis saltem tacere rebus, in quibus, etc.,

Cic. Agr. 3, 2; so id. Phil. 2, 4, 8; Hor. S. 1, 1, 91; id. Ep. 1, 14, 30 al.; cf. ellipt. with abl. of instrument:

Socratem fidibus (sc. canere),

Cic. Fam. 9, 22, 3:

aliquem docendum curare equo, armisque,

Liv. 29, 1, 8; Zumpt, § 391 fin. —With acc. pers. and de, to instruct or inform one of:

de ejus injuriis judices docere,

Cic. Verr. 2, 4, 51:

aliquem de aliqua re,

id. Rosc. Am. 9, 26; 44, 127; id. de Or. 2, 24, 102; Sall. J. 13, 3 al. —With acc. pers. and rel. clause:

doceant eum, qui vir Sex. Roscius fuerit,

Cic. Rosc. Am. 9, 25; id. Att. 8, 2, 2; id. Fam. 3, 6, 5; 5, 3; Quint. 6, 1, 20 al.—With acc. pers.:

studiosos discendi erudiunt atque docent,

Cic. Off. 1, 44, 156; id. Div. 2, 2; id. de Sen. 9, 29; Quint. 2, 5, 13; Hor. S. 2, 2, 50; id. Ep. 1, 13, 1 et saep.—With acc. rei:

coepit studiose omnia Docere, educare, ita uti si esset filia,

Ter. Eun. 1, 2, 37; so,

aliquid,

Caes. B. G. 5, 42 fin.; Quint. 7, 10, 10; 9, 4, 137; Hor. A. P. 306 et saep.; cf.

also: quod de lacu Albano docuisset,

Liv. 5, 15; so with two acc., Caes. B. G. 7, 10, 3; Cic. Clu. 70, 198.—With acc. and inf.:

docui per litteras, id nec opus esse nec fieri posse,

Cic. Att. 16, 8; Caes. B. G. 5, 1, 7; 5, 28, 4; Quint. 1, 5, 43; Hor. S. 2, 3, 63 et saep.— Absol.:

cum doceo et explano,

Cic. de Or. 2, 19, 82; id. Or. 42, 143; Quint. 3, 4, 15; 3, 5, 2 et saep.; cf.

also: Tyrannio docet apud me,

Cic. Q. Fr. 2, 4 fin.

In partic.: fabulam, like the Gr. didaskein, qs. to teach a play to the actors, to rehearse; hence, to produce, exhibit on the stage:

minor fuit aliquanto is, qui primus fabulam dedit, quam ii, qui multas docuerant (Plautus et Naevius),

Cic. Brut. 18, 73; id. Tusc. 4, 29, 63; Hor. A. P. 288; Gell. 17, 21, 42.—Hence, doctus, a, um, P. a., learned, skilled, versed, experienced in any thing (cf.: litteratus, eruditus, peritus, gnarus, scitus).— Absol.:

doctus vir et Graecis litteris eruditus,

Cic. Brut. 30, 114; cf. id. de Or. 1, 22, 102; 2, 74, 299:

adolescentes humanissimi et doctissimi,

id. Cael. 10, 24.—With ex:

fuit enim doctus ex disciplina Stoicorum,

Cic. Brut. 25.—With abl.:

docti et Graecis litteris et Latinis,

Cic. Brut. 46; 45 fin.; Sall. C. 25, 2; Mart. 10, 76. —With adv.:

nec minus Graece quam Latine doctus,

Suet. Gram. 7.—With gen.:

fandi doctissima Cymodocea,

Verg. A. 10, 225:

legum atque morum populi Romani jurisque civilis,

Gell. 13, 12, 1:

sagittarum,

Aur. Vict. Epit. 11:

artis lanificae,

Claud. in Eutr. 2, 381.—With acc.:

(Maecenas) docte sermones utriusque linguae,

Hor. C. 3, 8, 5:

dulces modos (with citharae sciens),

id. ib. 3, 9, 10:

omnia,

Stat. Th. 2, 692:

litteras,

Gell. 19, 9, 7.—With inf.:

doctus sagittas tendere Sericas,

Hor. C. 1, 29, 9; 3, 6, 38; 4, 13, 7; id. Carm. Sec. 75 et saep.—With ad or in:

ad delinquendum doctior,

Ov. Tr. 2, 256:

in parum fausto carmine docta fui,

id. H. 21, 182:

Sapphica puella Musa doctior,

more skilled in song, Cat. 35, 17:

docta puella,

Prop. 1, 7, 11; 2, 11, 6 (3, 2, 6 M.);

2, 13, 11 (3, 4, 11 M.).—Esp. as epithet of Catullus by other poets,

Tib. 3, 6, 41; Ov. Am. 3, 9, 62:

Verona docti syllabas amat vatis,

Mart. 1, 61, 1; Ov. A. A. 2, 181.—As subst.: doctus, the man of skill.—Prov.:

doctus in se semper divitias habet,

Phaedr. 4, 21, 1; but class. only in plur.: doctī, ōrum, m., the learned:

doctorum est ista consuetudo,

Cic. Lael. 5, 17 et saep.—

Of things as subjects:

frontes,

Hor. C. 1, 1, 29:

tibia,

Prop. 2, 30, 16 (3, 28, 16 M.):

carmina,

Tib. 2, 3, 20; cf.

vox,

Ov. P. 2, 5, 52:

voces Pythagoreorum,

Cic. Tusc. 4, 1, 2:

sermo,

Plin. Ep. 7, 25, 3:

prece,

Hor. Ep. 2, 1, 135:

manus artificis,

Tib. 1, 8, 12; cf. id. 2, 1, 70; Ov. F. 3, 832; 6, 792:

falx,

Prop. 2, 19, 12 (3, 12, 12 M.) et saep.—

In Plaut. and Ter., knowing, cunning, shrewd, subtle:

malum, callidum, doctum,

Plaut. Ps. 2, 4, 35; id. Bacch. 4, 4, 43; id. Most. 1, 3, 122; 5, 1, 24 et saep.; Ter. Hec. 2, 1, 6; id. Eun. 4, 7, 21; cf.

also, dolus,

Plaut. Mil. 2, 1, 69; id. Ps. 1, 5, 70 al.— docte, adv.

Learnedly, skilfully (very rare; not in Cic.).— Comp., Hor. Ep. 2, 1, 33; Mart. 7, 46.— Sup., Sall. J. 95, 3.—

Cunningly, shrewdly, cleverly:

docte et sapienter dicis,

Plaut. Ep. 3, 3, 23:

docte tibi illam perdoctam dabo,

id. Mil. 2, 2, 103; id. Bacch. 4, 4, 43:

docte sapere,

id. Mil. 3, 1, 162; id. Most. 5, 1, 21 et saep.— Comp., Plaut. Mil. 4, 2, 99.

dŏcĕo, cŭi, ctum, 2, v. a. [root da; Zend. dā, to know; strengthened, dak-; Gr. didaskô; Lat. disco], to teach, instruct, inform, show, tell, etc. (for syn. cf.: edoceo, perdoceo, erudio, praecipio, instituo).

In gen., with double acc. of person and thing:

pejor magister te istaec docuit... illa, quae te docui,

Plaut. Bacch. 1, 2, 55:

hunc hominem cursuram,

id. Trin. 4, 3, 9:

aliquem artem,

Cic. de Or. 2, 54:

aliquem litteras,

id. Pis. 30:

aliquem ejusmodi rem,

id. Quint. 25, 79:

pueros elementa,

Hor. Ep. 1, 20, 17 et saep.— Pass., with acc. rei:

is reliqua frustra docetur,

Quint. 4, 2, 90; 1, 5, 11; 3, 8, 70; 6, 2, 3; Hor. C. 3, 6, 21; id. S. 1, 6, 76 et saep.; cf.: doctus dogmam, Laber. ap. Prisc. p. 679 fin. P.; and:

doctus militiam,

Sall. H. Fragm. 1, 40, p. 224 ed. Gerl.—With inf.:

docemur auctoritate domitas habere libidines,

Cic. de Or. 1, 43, 194; 1, 57, 244; id. Fin. 2, 5, 15:

docemur disputare, non vivere (= discimus),

Sen. Ep. 95, 13:

equi variare gyros docentur,

Tac. G. 6; Sall. J. 85, 33; Nep. Epam. 2, 1; Liv. 21, 3, 6.—With acc. pers. and inf.:

ut doceam Rullum posthac in iis saltem tacere rebus, in quibus, etc.,

Cic. Agr. 3, 2; so id. Phil. 2, 4, 8; Hor. S. 1, 1, 91; id. Ep. 1, 14, 30 al.; cf. ellipt. with abl. of instrument:

Socratem fidibus (sc. canere),

Cic. Fam. 9, 22, 3:

aliquem docendum curare equo, armisque,

Liv. 29, 1, 8; Zumpt, § 391 fin. —With acc. pers. and de, to instruct or inform one of:

de ejus injuriis judices docere,

Cic. Verr. 2, 4, 51:

aliquem de aliqua re,

id. Rosc. Am. 9, 26; 44, 127; id. de Or. 2, 24, 102; Sall. J. 13, 3 al. —With acc. pers. and rel. clause:

doceant eum, qui vir Sex. Roscius fuerit,

Cic. Rosc. Am. 9, 25; id. Att. 8, 2, 2; id. Fam. 3, 6, 5; 5, 3; Quint. 6, 1, 20 al.—With acc. pers.:

studiosos discendi erudiunt atque docent,

Cic. Off. 1, 44, 156; id. Div. 2, 2; id. de Sen. 9, 29; Quint. 2, 5, 13; Hor. S. 2, 2, 50; id. Ep. 1, 13, 1 et saep.—With acc. rei:

coepit studiose omnia Docere, educare, ita uti si esset filia,

Ter. Eun. 1, 2, 37; so,

aliquid,

Caes. B. G. 5, 42 fin.; Quint. 7, 10, 10; 9, 4, 137; Hor. A. P. 306 et saep.; cf.

also: quod de lacu Albano docuisset,

Liv. 5, 15; so with two acc., Caes. B. G. 7, 10, 3; Cic. Clu. 70, 198.—With acc. and inf.:

docui per litteras, id nec opus esse nec fieri posse,

Cic. Att. 16, 8; Caes. B. G. 5, 1, 7; 5, 28, 4; Quint. 1, 5, 43; Hor. S. 2, 3, 63 et saep.— Absol.:

cum doceo et explano,

Cic. de Or. 2, 19, 82; id. Or. 42, 143; Quint. 3, 4, 15; 3, 5, 2 et saep.; cf.

also: Tyrannio docet apud me,

Cic. Q. Fr. 2, 4 fin.

In partic.: fabulam, like the Gr. didaskein, qs. to teach a play to the actors, to rehearse; hence, to produce, exhibit on the stage:

minor fuit aliquanto is, qui primus fabulam dedit, quam ii, qui multas docuerant (Plautus et Naevius),

Cic. Brut. 18, 73; id. Tusc. 4, 29, 63; Hor. A. P. 288; Gell. 17, 21, 42.—Hence, doctus, a, um, P. a., learned, skilled, versed, experienced in any thing (cf.: litteratus, eruditus, peritus, gnarus, scitus).— Absol.:

doctus vir et Graecis litteris eruditus,

Cic. Brut. 30, 114; cf. id. de Or. 1, 22, 102; 2, 74, 299:

adolescentes humanissimi et doctissimi,

id. Cael. 10, 24.—With ex:

fuit enim doctus ex disciplina Stoicorum,

Cic. Brut. 25.—With abl.:

docti et Graecis litteris et Latinis,

Cic. Brut. 46; 45 fin.; Sall. C. 25, 2; Mart. 10, 76. —With adv.:

nec minus Graece quam Latine doctus,

Suet. Gram. 7.—With gen.:

fandi doctissima Cymodocea,

Verg. A. 10, 225:

legum atque morum populi Romani jurisque civilis,

Gell. 13, 12, 1:

sagittarum,

Aur. Vict. Epit. 11:

artis lanificae,

Claud. in Eutr. 2, 381.—With acc.:

(Maecenas) docte sermones utriusque linguae,

Hor. C. 3, 8, 5:

dulces modos (with citharae sciens),

id. ib. 3, 9, 10:

omnia,

Stat. Th. 2, 692:

litteras,

Gell. 19, 9, 7.—With inf.:

doctus sagittas tendere Sericas,

Hor. C. 1, 29, 9; 3, 6, 38; 4, 13, 7; id. Carm. Sec. 75 et saep.—With ad or in:

ad delinquendum doctior,

Ov. Tr. 2, 256:

in parum fausto carmine docta fui,

id. H. 21, 182:

Sapphica puella Musa doctior,

more skilled in song, Cat. 35, 17:

docta puella,

Prop. 1, 7, 11; 2, 11, 6 (3, 2, 6 M.);

2, 13, 11 (3, 4, 11 M.).—Esp. as epithet of Catullus by other poets,

Tib. 3, 6, 41; Ov. Am. 3, 9, 62:

Verona docti syllabas amat vatis,

Mart. 1, 61, 1; Ov. A. A. 2, 181.—As subst.: doctus, the man of skill.—Prov.:

doctus in se semper divitias habet,

Phaedr. 4, 21, 1; but class. only in plur.: doctī, ōrum, m., the learned:

doctorum est ista consuetudo,

Cic. Lael. 5, 17 et saep.—

Of things as subjects:

frontes,

Hor. C. 1, 1, 29:

tibia,

Prop. 2, 30, 16 (3, 28, 16 M.):

carmina,

Tib. 2, 3, 20; cf.

vox,

Ov. P. 2, 5, 52:

voces Pythagoreorum,

Cic. Tusc. 4, 1, 2:

sermo,

Plin. Ep. 7, 25, 3:

prece,

Hor. Ep. 2, 1, 135:

manus artificis,

Tib. 1, 8, 12; cf. id. 2, 1, 70; Ov. F. 3, 832; 6, 792:

falx,

Prop. 2, 19, 12 (3, 12, 12 M.) et saep.—

In Plaut. and Ter., knowing, cunning, shrewd, subtle:

malum, callidum, doctum,

Plaut. Ps. 2, 4, 35; id. Bacch. 4, 4, 43; id. Most. 1, 3, 122; 5, 1, 24 et saep.; Ter. Hec. 2, 1, 6; id. Eun. 4, 7, 21; cf.

also, dolus,

Plaut. Mil. 2, 1, 69; id. Ps. 1, 5, 70 al.— docte, adv.

Learnedly, skilfully (very rare; not in Cic.).— Comp., Hor. Ep. 2, 1, 33; Mart. 7, 46.— Sup., Sall. J. 95, 3.—

Cunningly, shrewdly, cleverly:

docte et sapienter dicis,

Plaut. Ep. 3, 3, 23:

docte tibi illam perdoctam dabo,

id. Mil. 2, 2, 103; id. Bacch. 4, 4, 43:

docte sapere,

id. Mil. 3, 1, 162; id. Most. 5, 1, 21 et saep.— Comp., Plaut. Mil. 4, 2, 99.

per-subtīlis, e, adj.

Lit., very fine or delicate, very subtle:

animus persubtilis atque minutis Perquam corporibus factus,

Lucr. 3, 179.—

Trop., very ingenious:

oratio,

Cic. Planc. 24, 58.

subtīlis, e, adj. [sub-tela; and therefore, prop., woven fine; hence], fine, not thick or coarse, thin, slender, minute (syn. tenuis).

Lit. (mostly poet. and in postAug. prose;

not in Cic.): quae vulgo volitant subtili praedita filo,

Lucr. 4, 88:

ventus subtili corpore tenuis,

id. 4, 901; cf. id. 3, 195; Cat. 54, 3:

acies gladii,

Sen. Ep. 76, 14:

farina,

Plin. 18, 7, 14, § 74:

mitra,

Cat. 64, 63:

ignis,

Lucr. 6, 225:

subtilia et minuta primordia rerum,

id. 4, 122; 4, 114.— Subst.: subtīlĭa, ĭum, n. plur., fine goods or stuffs, Vulg. Isa. 19, 9:

indui te subtilibus,

id. Ezech. 16, 10.— Comp.:

harundo,

Plin. 16, 36, 66, § 168:

semen raporum,

id. 18, 13, 34, § 129.— Sup.:

sucus subtilissimus,

Plin. 11, 5, 4, § 11.—

Transf., of the senses, fine, nice, acute, delicate, exqui site (rare):

palatum,

Hor. S. 2, 8, 38:

subtilior gula,

Col. 8, 16, 4.—

Trop., fine, nice, precise, exact, accurate, keen, subtle (class.; syn.: elegans, concinnus).

In gen.:

sollers subtilisque descriptio,

Cic. N. D. 2, 47, 121:

definitio,

id. de Or. 1, 23, 109:

observatio,

Plin. 18, 13, 35, § 132:

sententia,

id. 18, 17, 46, § 165:

argumentatio,

id. 2, 108, 112, § 247:

quaestio,

id. 11, 16, 16, § 46:

Graecia,

Manil. 4, 718.— Comp.:

reliquae (epistulae) subtiliores erunt,

more particular, Cic. Att. 5, 14, 3.— Sup.:

quae (curatio manus) inter subtilissimas haberi potest,

Cels. 7, 7, 13:

inventum,

Plin. 31, 3, 23, § 40:

Democritus, subtilissimus antiquorum,

Sen. Q. N. 7, 3, 2.—

Transf., of taste or judgment, fine, keen, delicate, exquisite (syn.:

sagax, acutus): judicium,

Cic. Fam. 15, 6, 1; Hor. Ep. 2, 1, 242; cf.:

subtilis veterum judex,

id. S. 2, 7, 101:

sapiens subtilisque lector,

Plin. Ep. 4, 14, 7:

vir subtilis, dispositus, acer, disertus,

id. ib. 2, 11, 17; 4, 17, 4.—

In partic., in rhet., of speech or of the speaker, plain, simple, unadorned (syn. simplex):

genus dicendi,

Cic. Or. 21, 69; cf.:

acutissimum et subtilissimum dicendi genus,

id. de Or. 2, 23, 98:

oratio,

id. Or. 5, 20; cf. id. ib. 23, 78:

Stoicorum non ignoras, quam sit subtile vel spinosum potius dicendi genus,

id. Fin. 3, 1, 3: subtile quod ischnon vocant, Quint. 12, 10, 58:

disputator,

Cic. Off. 1, 1, 3:

quis illo (Catone) in docendo edisserendoque subtilior?

id. Brut. 17, 65:

oratione limatus atque subtilis,

id. de Or. 1, 39, 180; cf. id. de Or. 3, 8, 31: Lysias subtilis scriptor atque [p. 1785] elegans, id. Brut. 9, 35; Quint. 10, 1, 78:

praeceptor,

id. 1, 4, 25; 12, 10, 51.—Hence, adv.: subtīlĭter, finely, minutely.

Lit.:

subtiliter insinuatus ad parvas partes aër,

Lucr. 6, 1031:

conexae res,

closely, intimately, id. 3, 739:

dividere aliquid,

Plin. 5, 12, 13, § 67:

fodere,

lightly, superficially, Pall. Febr. 21 fin. —

Trop., finely, acutely, minutely, accurately, subtly.

In gen.:

subtiliter judicare,

finely, acutely, Cic. Verr. 2, 4, 57, § 127:

de re publicā quid ego tibi subtiliter? tota periit,

minutely, particularly, id. Att. 2, 21, 1; cf.:

haec ad te scribam alias subtilius,

id. ib. 1, 13, 4:

subtiliter exsequi numerum,

Liv. 3, 5:

de aliquā re subtiliter disserere,

Cic. Fl. 17, 41:

aliquid persequi,

id. de Or. 1, 21, 98; cf.:

id persequar subtilius,

id. Rep. 2, 23, 42:

subtilius haec disserunt,

id. Lael. 5, 18:

subtilius ista quaerunt,

id. ib. 2, 7 et saep. —

In partic., in rhet., plainly, simply, without ornament:

humilia subtiliter et magna graviter et mediocria temperate dicere,

Cic. Or. 29, 100:

versute et subtiliter dicere,

id. ib. 7, 22:

privatas causas agere subtilius: capitis aut famae ornatius,

id. Fam. 9, 21, 1:

magnifice an subtiliter dicere,

Quint. 8, 3, 40.

subtīlis, e, adj. [sub-tela; and therefore, prop., woven fine; hence], fine, not thick or coarse, thin, slender, minute (syn. tenuis).

Lit. (mostly poet. and in postAug. prose;

not in Cic.): quae vulgo volitant subtili praedita filo,

Lucr. 4, 88:

ventus subtili corpore tenuis,

id. 4, 901; cf. id. 3, 195; Cat. 54, 3:

acies gladii,

Sen. Ep. 76, 14:

farina,

Plin. 18, 7, 14, § 74:

mitra,

Cat. 64, 63:

ignis,

Lucr. 6, 225:

subtilia et minuta primordia rerum,

id. 4, 122; 4, 114.— Subst.: subtīlĭa, ĭum, n. plur., fine goods or stuffs, Vulg. Isa. 19, 9:

indui te subtilibus,

id. Ezech. 16, 10.— Comp.:

harundo,

Plin. 16, 36, 66, § 168:

semen raporum,

id. 18, 13, 34, § 129.— Sup.:

sucus subtilissimus,

Plin. 11, 5, 4, § 11.—

Transf., of the senses, fine, nice, acute, delicate, exqui site (rare):

palatum,

Hor. S. 2, 8, 38:

subtilior gula,

Col. 8, 16, 4.—

Trop., fine, nice, precise, exact, accurate, keen, subtle (class.; syn.: elegans, concinnus).

In gen.:

sollers subtilisque descriptio,

Cic. N. D. 2, 47, 121:

definitio,

id. de Or. 1, 23, 109:

observatio,

Plin. 18, 13, 35, § 132:

sententia,

id. 18, 17, 46, § 165:

argumentatio,

id. 2, 108, 112, § 247:

quaestio,

id. 11, 16, 16, § 46:

Graecia,

Manil. 4, 718.— Comp.:

reliquae (epistulae) subtiliores erunt,

more particular, Cic. Att. 5, 14, 3.— Sup.:

quae (curatio manus) inter subtilissimas haberi potest,

Cels. 7, 7, 13:

inventum,

Plin. 31, 3, 23, § 40:

Democritus, subtilissimus antiquorum,

Sen. Q. N. 7, 3, 2.—

Transf., of taste or judgment, fine, keen, delicate, exquisite (syn.:

sagax, acutus): judicium,

Cic. Fam. 15, 6, 1; Hor. Ep. 2, 1, 242; cf.:

subtilis veterum judex,

id. S. 2, 7, 101:

sapiens subtilisque lector,

Plin. Ep. 4, 14, 7:

vir subtilis, dispositus, acer, disertus,

id. ib. 2, 11, 17; 4, 17, 4.—

In partic., in rhet., of speech or of the speaker, plain, simple, unadorned (syn. simplex):

genus dicendi,

Cic. Or. 21, 69; cf.:

acutissimum et subtilissimum dicendi genus,

id. de Or. 2, 23, 98:

oratio,

id. Or. 5, 20; cf. id. ib. 23, 78:

Stoicorum non ignoras, quam sit subtile vel spinosum potius dicendi genus,

id. Fin. 3, 1, 3: subtile quod ischnon vocant, Quint. 12, 10, 58:

disputator,

Cic. Off. 1, 1, 3:

quis illo (Catone) in docendo edisserendoque subtilior?

id. Brut. 17, 65:

oratione limatus atque subtilis,

id. de Or. 1, 39, 180; cf. id. de Or. 3, 8, 31: Lysias subtilis scriptor atque [p. 1785] elegans, id. Brut. 9, 35; Quint. 10, 1, 78:

praeceptor,

id. 1, 4, 25; 12, 10, 51.—Hence, adv.: subtīlĭter, finely, minutely.

Lit.:

subtiliter insinuatus ad parvas partes aër,

Lucr. 6, 1031:

conexae res,

closely, intimately, id. 3, 739:

dividere aliquid,

Plin. 5, 12, 13, § 67:

fodere,

lightly, superficially, Pall. Febr. 21 fin. —

Trop., finely, acutely, minutely, accurately, subtly.

In gen.:

subtiliter judicare,

finely, acutely, Cic. Verr. 2, 4, 57, § 127:

de re publicā quid ego tibi subtiliter? tota periit,

minutely, particularly, id. Att. 2, 21, 1; cf.:

haec ad te scribam alias subtilius,

id. ib. 1, 13, 4:

subtiliter exsequi numerum,

Liv. 3, 5:

de aliquā re subtiliter disserere,

Cic. Fl. 17, 41:

aliquid persequi,

id. de Or. 1, 21, 98; cf.:

id persequar subtilius,

id. Rep. 2, 23, 42:

subtilius haec disserunt,

id. Lael. 5, 18:

subtilius ista quaerunt,

id. ib. 2, 7 et saep. —

In partic., in rhet., plainly, simply, without ornament:

humilia subtiliter et magna graviter et mediocria temperate dicere,

Cic. Or. 29, 100:

versute et subtiliter dicere,

id. ib. 7, 22:

privatas causas agere subtilius: capitis aut famae ornatius,

id. Fam. 9, 21, 1:

magnifice an subtiliter dicere,

Quint. 8, 3, 40.

versĭpellis ( vorsĭp-), e, adj. [vertopellis, that changes its skin; hence, in gen.], that changes its shape or form, that alters its appearance, that transforms himself or itself.

Lit.

In gen.:

eccum Juppiter In Amphitruonis vertit sese imaginem... Ita versipellem se facit, quando lubet,

Plaut. Am. prol. 123:

capillus fit,

i. e. turns gray, id. Pers. 2, 2, 48 (v. s. v. versicapillus).—

In partic., subst.: ver-sĭpellis, is, m., acc. to the superstitious belief of the ancients, one who can change himself into a wolf, a man-wolf, were-wolf, Plin. 8, 22, 34, § 80; Petr. 62 fin.; App. M. 2, p. 124, 21.—

Trop., skilled in dissimulation, sly, cunning, crafty, subtle (anteand post-class.):

vorsipellem esse hominem convenit, pectus cui sapit: bonus sit bonis, malus sit malis,

Plaut. Bacch. 4, 4, 12 Ritschl: quicum versipellis fio, Lucil. ap. Non. p. 38, 7:

hortamen,

Prud. Cath. 9, 91. — Comp., Porc. Latro ap. Cat. 9.