the middle line

* * *

pugna, ae, f. [root pug, in pugno and pungo; cf. pugil], prop. a fight fist to fist, man to man; hence, in gen., a fight between individuals or armies, a battle, combat, action, engagement (cf.: dimicatio, proelium).

Lit.:

dictator eam pugnam laudibus tulit (of the single combat of Torquatus),

Liv. 7, 10 fin.:

nonnumquam res ad manus atque ad pugnam veniebat,

came to blows, Cic. Verr. 2, 5, 11, § 28; Liv. 2, 46:

diuturnitate pugnae defessi proelio excedebant,

Caes. B. G. 3, 4, 3:

alii nuntiant dictatori omnes legiones Etruscorum capessisse pugnam,

Liv. 10, 5, 41:

ex omnibus pugnis (Pompeii), quae sunt innumerabiles,

Cic. Mur. 16, 34:

exitus pugnarum,

id. Mil. 21, 56:

equestris,

a cavalry action, id. Verr. 2, 4, 55, § 122:

magna,

Liv. 22, 7:

pedestris,

Verg. A. 11, 707:

Actia,

Hor. Ep. 1, 18, 61:

navalis,

Nep. Arist. 2, 1:

gladiatorum,

Suet. Aug. 45:

prospera,

Suet. Calig. 35:

mala,

Sall. J. 56, 3; Cic. Div. 2, 25, 54:

singularis,

a duel, Macr. S. 5, 2.—

Transf.

Troops drawn up for battle, a line of battle (rare):

ordinata per principes hastatosque ac triarios pugna,

Liv. 22, 5:

mediam pugnam tueri,

the middle line, central division, id. 22, 45; cf.:

segregat pugnam eorum,

id. 1, 25:

pugnam mutare,

Curt. 3, 2, 14.—

A battle, contest, dispute, quarrel, in gen. (rare but class.):

dabo aliam pugnam magnam,

Plaut. Ps. 1, 5, 110:

pugnam conserui seni,

id. Bacch. 4, 9, 43; Ter. Eun. 5, 2, 60:

quanta pugna est doctissimorum hominum,

Cic. Div. 2, 51, 105:

initurus forensium certaminum pugnam,

Quint. 5, 12, 22; 8, 6, 1; 5, 7, 35:

pugna inter testem et patronum,

id. 6, 4, 21:

rerum naturae pugna secum,

Plin. 2, 33, 38, § 102:

audiet pugnas juventus,

stories of battle, Hor. C. 1, 2, 23:

pugnas bibit aure vulgus,

id. ib. 2, 13, 31.—In mal. part., Mart. 10, 38, 6.

agmĕn, ĭnis, n. [as if contr. from agimen, from ago; cf.: tegimen, tegmen, from tego].

Lit.

In gen., a train, i. e. a collected multitude in motion or moving forwards; of things of any kind, but esp. (so most freq. in prose) of men or animals. —Of streams of water, motion, course, current: quod per amoenam urbem lent fluit agmine flumen, Enn. ap. Macr. S. 6, 4:

inde super terras fluit agmine dulci,

Lucr. 5, 272; cf. id. 6, 638; also,

in imitation of Enn., Virg. and Val. Fl.: leni fluit agmine Thybris,

Verg. A. 2, 782; cf. Val. Fl. 4, 721.—Of a train or succession of clouds:

denso sunt agmine nubes,

Lucr. 6, 100.—Of rain:

immensum caelo venit agmen aquarum,

body, mass, Verg. G. 1, 322 —Of atoms:

agmine condenso naturam corporis explent,

crowded into a compact mass, Lucr. 1, 607.—Of oars:

agmine re morum ceieri,

with quick plashing of oars, Verg. A. 5, 211.—Of a flock of birds: agmi ne magno. Corvorum. Verg. G. 1, 381.—Of a snake winding onwards:

cum medii nexus extremaeque agmina caudae Solvuntur,

Verg. G. 3, 424; cf. id. A. 2, 212.—Of clouds of dust following any thing in rapid motion, as men, animals, etc.:

agmina cervi Pulverulenta,

Verg. A. 4, 154.—And, as subst. concr., of birds turba Agminis aligeri, of the winged band, Verg A. 12, 249.—Of ants;

frugilegas aspeximus agmine longo formi cas,

Ov. M 7, 624; so id. ib. 7, 638.—Of the stars: diffugiunt stellae;

quarum agmina cogit Lucifer,

Ov. M. 2, 114; so id. ib. 11, 97 al.—Eap. of a company of persons, a multitude, troop, crowd, number, band:

ut a Brundisic nsque Romam agmen perpetuum totius Italiae viderem,

Cic. Pis. 22:

magno senatorum agmine,

Tac. H. 3, 55:

ingens mulierum agmen,

Liv. 2, 40:

muliebre et miserabile agmen,

Tac. A. 1, 40: numerosum agmen reorum, Plin Ep. 3, 9, and Tac. H. 4, 6: Eumenidum agmina, Verg A. 4, 469.—But particularly,

The train, procession, march, progress of an army:

de castris, de agminibus, etc., dicere,

Cic. de Or. 1, 48, 210:

ne miles gregarius in castris, neve in agmine servum aut jumentum haberet,

Sall. J. 45, 2:

pugnatum saepe directā acie, saepe in agminibus, saepe eruptionibus,

Vell. 2, 47:

effuso agmine abire,

Liv. 44, 39:

uno agmine victores cum victis in urbem irrupere,

id. 2, 30;

uno agmine persequentes,

Vulg. Judith, 15, 4 al. —

Transf., concr., an army, and properly considered as in motion, on the march (while exercitus is a disciplined army, and acies an army in battle-array) —As soon as the signal for marching was given, the Extraordinarii and the allies of the right wing, with their baggage, first put themselves in motion, then the legions, and last the allies of the left wing, with a part of the cavalry, which either rode behind the army, ad agmen claudendum or cogendum. to close the train, i. e. to keep it to gether or on the side in such an order (composito agmine, non itineri magis apto quam proelio) that it might be easily put into the line of battle, if the enemy ven tured to attack it; cf. Sall. J. 46, 6.—An army in close ranks was called agmen justum, Tac. H. 1, 68, or agmen pilatum, Serv. ad Verg. A. 12, 121—When there was no apprehension of the enemy, less care was taken for the protection of the army:

agmine incauto, i. e. minus munito, ut inter pacatos, ducebat, sc. consul,

Liv. 35, 4.—

The order of march was, however, different, according to circumstances and the nature of the ground,

Liv. 35, 4; 27, 28; and cf. Smith's Antiq.—Sometimes the army marched in the form of a square, agmen quadratum, with their baggage in the middle, so as to be in battle-array on meeting the enemy; hence agmen quadratum often means the same as acies triplex, an army formed in line of battle, only that the former indicates that they are on the march, and the latter that they are at rest.—Hence, like acies, with the epithet primum, the vanguard, Liv. 34, 28; Tac. Agr. 35:

medium,

the centre, Liv. 10, 41; Tac. H. 4, 22:

extremum,

Liv. 34, 28; Tac. H. 2, 100;

or, novissimum,

the rear, rearguard, Liv. 44, 33; so,

extremi agminis,

Vulg. Deut. 25, 18:

ut inde agmine quadratc ad urbem accederet,

marching in a square, Cic. Phil. 13, 8:

pariter atque in conspectu hostium quadrato agmine incedere,

Sall. J 100, 1; cf. id. ib. 46, 6, 7:

Hannibal agmine quadrato amnem ingressus,

Liv. 21, 5; se id. 31, 36; 37, 39:

quadrato agmine velut in aciem irent,

Curt. 5, 1, 19 al. —Sometimes, esp. in the poets in the plur., in gen. [p. 73] sense, = exercitus or copiae, an army, host, troops:

huic tanto agmini dux defuit,

Just. 12, 10:

occidit Daci Cotisonis agmen,

Hor. C. 3, 8, 18:

agmina curru Proterit,

Verg. A. 12, 329:

barbarorum Claudius agmina diruit,

Hor. C. 4, 14, 29; so id. S. 2, 1, 14; id. Epod. 17, 9; Ov. M. 3, 535; 5, 151, 161; 6, 423:

Del agminum Israël,

Vulg. 1 Reg. 17, 45:

agmina ejus dispergam,

ib. Ezech. 12, 14; 38, 6.—For military service, warfare:

rudis agminum Sponsus,

Hor. C. 3, 2, 9.—

Trop.

An army, troop, band, multitude:

educenda dictio est ex hac domesticā exercitatione et umbratili medium in agmen, in pulverem, in clamorem, in castra, aciemque forensem,

i. e. before the public, Cic. de Or. 1, 34, 157:

e Brundisio usque Romam agmen perpetuum totius Italiae,

an unbroken train, id. Pis. 22, 51:

ingens mulierum agmen,

Liv. 2, 40; 9, 17:

agmina Eumenidum,

Verg. A. 4, 469; 6, 572:

agmina comitum,

Ov. Tr. 14, 30:

in angusto fidus comes agmine turbae,

Tib. 1, 5, 63:

numerosum agmen reorum,

Plin. Ep. 3, 9:

agmen occupationum,

an army of, id. ib. 2, 8.—

March, movement:

agmina fati et volumina,

Gell. 6, 2, 5.

circus, i, m., = kirkos [kindr. with krikos; Dor. kirkos, and korônê; cf.: kulindeô, kullos, cirrus, curvus].

A circular line, circle, in astronomy (less freq. than circulus): quot luna circos annuo in cursu institit, Att. ap. Non. p. 20, 28:

circus lacteus,

the Milky Way, Macr. Somn. Scip. 1, 15, 2; cf.:

candens circus, Lacteus hic notatur,

Cic. Arat. 248 (492):

illum incolunt locum... erat autem is splendidissimo candore inter flammas circus elucens,

id. Rep. 6, 16, 16 B. and K.:

globus et circi zonaeque ac fulgida signa,

Mart. Cap. 6, § 583.—

Circus Maximus, and more freq. kat exochên Circus, the oval circus built by Tarquinius Priscus between the Palatine and Aventine hills, which could contain more than one hundred thousand spectators. It was surrounded by galleries three stories high, and a canal called Euripus. Through its whole length, in the middle, a wall four feet high and about twelve broad was built, called spina, at the ends of which there were three columns upon one base (meta), around which the combatants were required to pass seven times before the prize was awarded. In the middle of the spina, Cæsar erected the obelisk, 132 feet high, brought from Egypt; cf. Dion. Hal. 3, 68; Dict. Antiq. p. 252 sqq.;

Becker, Antiq. 1, p. 467 sq.—Passages with Circus Maximus,

Varr. L. L. 5, § 153 Müll.; id. R. R. 3, 13, 3; Cic. Verr. 2, 1, 59, § 154; Vitr. 3, 3, 5; Liv. 1, 35, 8 sqq.; Ov. F. 2, 392; Plin. 30, 15, 24, § 102; Suet. Ner. 25; 27; Gell. 5, 14, 5 al.—

Circus Magnus,

Ov. F. 6, 477; Plin. 36, 9, 14, § 71.—Most freq. only Circus, Enn. ap. Cic. Div. 1, 58, 132; Cic. Leg. 2, 15, 38; id. Mur. 34, 72 sq.; id. Phil. 2, 43, 110; Liv. 1, 36, 2; 42, 10, 5; Tac. H. 1, 4; Quint. 1, 6, 45; Suet. Caes. 39; id. Aug. 43; 74; id. Calig. 18 et saep.—In or around the Circus many jugglers and soothsayers, etc., stationed themselves;

hence, Circus fallax,

Hor. S. 1, 6, 113; Cic. Div. 1, 58, 132; Suet. Aug. 74:

Circus clamosus,

Mart. 10, 53, 1; cf. Juv. 3, 65. —Besides the Circus Maximus, there were at Rome still other Circi, among which the most celebrated was the Circus Flaminius in the ninth region, Varr. L. L. 5, § 154; Cic. Att. 1, 14, 1; id. Planc. 23, 55; id. Sest. 14, 33; Liv. 27, 21, 1; 28, 11, 4; Plin. 34, 3, 7, § 13;

called only Circus,

Ov. F. 6, 205; 6, 209; cf. Becker, Antiq. 1, p. 598;

and the Circus Vaticanus, begun by Caligula and finished by Nero,

Plin. 16, 40, 76, § 201:

in Vaticani Gai et Neronis principuus circo,

id. 36, 11, 15, § 74.—Also, without the walls of Rome, Circus maritimus, Liv. 9, 42, 11.—

Hence, Circensis, e, adj., pertaining to the Circus: ludi, the contesls in the Circus Maximus, also called ludi magni (Liv. 4, 27, 2; 5, 19, 6; 22, 9, 10 al.; cf. Baumg.Crus. [p. 344] ad Suet. Aug. 23), Cic. Verr. 2, 4, 15, § 33; Suet. Ner. 7; 11:

ludicrum, the same,

Liv. 44, 9, 3.—Hence, Circensis pompa, Suet. Claud. 11.—Also absol.: Circenses, ium, m. (sc. ludi; cf.

Neue, Formenl. 1, p. 458): edere,

Suet. Caes. 39; id. Calig. 18:

committere,

id. Claud. 21:

spectare,

id. Aug. 45:

Circensium die,

id. Dom. 4:

plebeii, prepared by the ediles annually in November,

id. Tib. 26.—

Transf., any race-course, Verg. A. 5, 109; 5, 289; 5, 551; Sil. 16, 313; 16, 323; Stat. Th. 6, 247.—

Meton., the spectators in the circus, Sil. 16, 535.

circus, i, m., = kirkos [kindr. with krikos; Dor. kirkos, and korônê; cf.: kulindeô, kullos, cirrus, curvus].

A circular line, circle, in astronomy (less freq. than circulus): quot luna circos annuo in cursu institit, Att. ap. Non. p. 20, 28:

circus lacteus,

the Milky Way, Macr. Somn. Scip. 1, 15, 2; cf.:

candens circus, Lacteus hic notatur,

Cic. Arat. 248 (492):

illum incolunt locum... erat autem is splendidissimo candore inter flammas circus elucens,

id. Rep. 6, 16, 16 B. and K.:

globus et circi zonaeque ac fulgida signa,

Mart. Cap. 6, § 583.—

Circus Maximus, and more freq. kat exochên Circus, the oval circus built by Tarquinius Priscus between the Palatine and Aventine hills, which could contain more than one hundred thousand spectators. It was surrounded by galleries three stories high, and a canal called Euripus. Through its whole length, in the middle, a wall four feet high and about twelve broad was built, called spina, at the ends of which there were three columns upon one base (meta), around which the combatants were required to pass seven times before the prize was awarded. In the middle of the spina, Cæsar erected the obelisk, 132 feet high, brought from Egypt; cf. Dion. Hal. 3, 68; Dict. Antiq. p. 252 sqq.;

Becker, Antiq. 1, p. 467 sq.—Passages with Circus Maximus,

Varr. L. L. 5, § 153 Müll.; id. R. R. 3, 13, 3; Cic. Verr. 2, 1, 59, § 154; Vitr. 3, 3, 5; Liv. 1, 35, 8 sqq.; Ov. F. 2, 392; Plin. 30, 15, 24, § 102; Suet. Ner. 25; 27; Gell. 5, 14, 5 al.—

Circus Magnus,

Ov. F. 6, 477; Plin. 36, 9, 14, § 71.—Most freq. only Circus, Enn. ap. Cic. Div. 1, 58, 132; Cic. Leg. 2, 15, 38; id. Mur. 34, 72 sq.; id. Phil. 2, 43, 110; Liv. 1, 36, 2; 42, 10, 5; Tac. H. 1, 4; Quint. 1, 6, 45; Suet. Caes. 39; id. Aug. 43; 74; id. Calig. 18 et saep.—In or around the Circus many jugglers and soothsayers, etc., stationed themselves;

hence, Circus fallax,

Hor. S. 1, 6, 113; Cic. Div. 1, 58, 132; Suet. Aug. 74:

Circus clamosus,

Mart. 10, 53, 1; cf. Juv. 3, 65. —Besides the Circus Maximus, there were at Rome still other Circi, among which the most celebrated was the Circus Flaminius in the ninth region, Varr. L. L. 5, § 154; Cic. Att. 1, 14, 1; id. Planc. 23, 55; id. Sest. 14, 33; Liv. 27, 21, 1; 28, 11, 4; Plin. 34, 3, 7, § 13;

called only Circus,

Ov. F. 6, 205; 6, 209; cf. Becker, Antiq. 1, p. 598;

and the Circus Vaticanus, begun by Caligula and finished by Nero,

Plin. 16, 40, 76, § 201:

in Vaticani Gai et Neronis principuus circo,

id. 36, 11, 15, § 74.—Also, without the walls of Rome, Circus maritimus, Liv. 9, 42, 11.—

Hence, Circensis, e, adj., pertaining to the Circus: ludi, the contesls in the Circus Maximus, also called ludi magni (Liv. 4, 27, 2; 5, 19, 6; 22, 9, 10 al.; cf. Baumg.Crus. [p. 344] ad Suet. Aug. 23), Cic. Verr. 2, 4, 15, § 33; Suet. Ner. 7; 11:

ludicrum, the same,

Liv. 44, 9, 3.—Hence, Circensis pompa, Suet. Claud. 11.—Also absol.: Circenses, ium, m. (sc. ludi; cf.

Neue, Formenl. 1, p. 458): edere,

Suet. Caes. 39; id. Calig. 18:

committere,

id. Claud. 21:

spectare,

id. Aug. 45:

Circensium die,

id. Dom. 4:

plebeii, prepared by the ediles annually in November,

id. Tib. 26.—

Transf., any race-course, Verg. A. 5, 109; 5, 289; 5, 551; Sil. 16, 313; 16, 323; Stat. Th. 6, 247.—

Meton., the spectators in the circus, Sil. 16, 535.

dē-mitto, mīsi, missum, 3, v. a., to send down; to drop; to let, sink, or bring down; to cause to hang or fall down; to lower, put down, let fall (freq. and class.).

Lit.

In gen.:

picis e caelo demissum flumen,

Lucr. 6, 257; cf.:

caelo imbrem,

Verg. G. 1, 23:

caelo ancilia,

Liv. 5, 54 et saep.:

barbam malis,

Lucr. 5, 673:

latum clavum pectore,

Hor. S. 1, 6, 28; cf.:

monilia pectoribus,

Verg. A. 7, 278:

laenam ex humeris,

id. ib. 4, 263: Maia genitum demittit ab alto, Verg. A. 1, 297; cf.:

ab aethere currum, Ov M. 7, 219: e muro sporta,

Sall. Hist. 2, 53:

aliquem in sporta per murum,

Vulg. 2 Cor. 11, 33:

taleam (sc. in terram),

to put into the ground, plant, Cato R. R. 45, 2;

arbores altius,

Plin. 17, 11, 16, § 81:

puteum alte in solido,

i. e. to sink deep, Verg. G. 2, 231:

triginta pedes in terram turrium fundamenta,

Curt. 5, 1, 31:

arbusta certo demittunt tempore florem,

Lucr. 5, 670:

demisit nardini amphoram cellarius (i. e. deprompsit),

Plaut. Mil. 3, 2, 12:

fasces,

Cic. Rep. 2, 31; cf. id. ib. 1, 40:

cibos (sc. in alvum),

Quint. 10, 1, 19; cf. Ov. M. 8, 835.—Naut. t. t., to lower, demittere antennas, Sall. Hist. 4, 41 Dietsch.;

Auct. B. Alex. 45, 2: cornua (i.e. antennas),

Ov. M. 11, 482; cf.:

effugit hibernas demissa antenna procellas,

id. Tr. 3, 4, 9:

arma, classem, socios Rheno,

Tac. A. 1, 45 fin.; cf.: farinam doliis secundā aquā Volturni fluminis, Frontin. Strat. 3, 14, 2;

and pecora secundā aquā,

id. ib. 3, 14, 4:

manum artifices demitti infra pectus vetant,

Quint. 11, 3, 112; cf.

brachia,

id. 2, 13, 9:

frontem (opp. attolli),

id. 11, 3, 78:

supercilia (opp. allevari), ib. § 79: aures,

Hor. Od. 2, 13, 34; cf.

auriculas,

id. S. 1, 9, 20:

caput,

Ov. M. 10, 192:

crinem,

id. ib. 6, 289:

demisso capite,

Vulg. Job 32, 6 al.:

aliquos per funem,

Verg. A. 2, 262; Hor. A. P. 461:

vestem,

id. S. 1, 2, 95; cf.

tunicam,

id. ib. 25:

stolam,

id. ib. 99 et saep.; often in a violent manner, to cast down, to cast, throw, thrust, plunge, drive, etc.:

equum in flumen,

Cic. Div. 1, 33, 73; cf.:

equos a campo in cavam viam,

Liv. 23, 47:

aliquem in carcerem,

Liv. 34, 44 fin.; cf. Sall. C. 55, 4:

aliquem ad imos Manes,

Verg. A. 12, 884:

hostem in ovilia,

Hor. Od. 4, 4, 10:

gladium in jugulum,

Plaut. Merc. 3, 4, 28; cf.:

ferrum in ilia,

Ov. M. 4, 119:

sublicas in terram,

Caes. B. G. 3, 49, 4; cf.:

huc stipites,

id. ib. 7, 73, 3 and 6:

huc caementa,

Hor. Od. 3, 1, 35:

nummum in loculos,

to put, id. Ep. 2, 1, 175:

calculum atrum in urnam,

Ov. M. 15, 44:

milia sex nummum in arcam nummariam,

Nov. Com. v. 108 Rib.: caput ad fornicem Fabii, to bow, stoop, Crassus ap. Cic. de Or. 2, 66, 267: tunicam ad talos, Varr. ap. Non. 286, 19; cf. Cic. Clu. 40, 111; Quint. 5, 13, 39 et saep.:

quove velim magis fessas demittere naves,

Verg. A. 5, 29; cf.:

navem secundo amni Scodam,

Liv. 44, 31.— Poet. with dat.:

corpora Stygiae nocti tormentis,

Ov. M. 3, 695; cf.:

aliquem neci,

Verg. A. 2, 85:

aliquem Orco,

id. ib. 2, 398; Hor. Od. 1, 28, 11:

aliquem umbris,

Sil. 11, 142:

ferrum jugulo,

Ov. H. 14, 5:

ferrum lacubus,

id. M. 12, 278:

offa demittitur faucibus boum,

Plin. 27, 11, 76, § 101.—

Se, or in the pass. form with middle signif., to let one's self down, stoop, descend:

(venti vortex) ubi se in terras demisit,

Lucr. 6, 446:

se inguinibus tenus in aquam calidam,

Cels. 1, 3:

se ad aurem alicujus,

Cic. Verr. 2, 2, 30; cf.:

cum se demittit ob assem,

Hor. Ep. 1, 16, 64:

concava vallis erat, qua se demittere rivi Assuerant,

Ov. M. 8, 334 al.:

nonullae (matres familias) de muris per manus demissae,

Caes. B. G. 7, 47, 6.— Prov.: demitti de caelo, or simply caelo, to be sent down from heaven, i. e. to be of celestial origin, Liv. 10, 8, 10; Quint. 1, 6, 16.—

Esp., milit. t. t.

To send, bring, or lead down soldiers into a lower place:

in loca plana agmen demittunt,

Liv. 9, 27; cf.:

agmen in vallem infimam,

id. 7, 34:

equites Numidas in inferiorem campum,

id. 27, 18:

agmen in Thessaliam,

id. 32, 13; 38, 2: exercitum in planitiem, Frontin. Strat. 1, 2, 7 al.; and without in:

agmen,

Liv. 9, 2:

levem armaturam,

id. 22, 28 al.:

cum se major pars agminis in magnam convallem demisisset,

had descended, Caes. B. G. 5, 32 fin.;

so with se,

id. ib. 6, 40, 6; 7, 28, 2; id. B. C. 1, 79, 4; Cic. Fam. 15, 4, 4 al.—

Arma demittere, in making a military salute: armis demissis salutationem more militari faciunt, with grounded arms, Auct. B. Afr. 85, 6. —

Trop., to cast down, let sink, etc.:

demisere oculos omnes gemitumque dedere,

Ov. M. 15, 612; cf.:

vultu demisso,

Vulg. Isa. 49, 23:

demissis in terram oculis,

Liv. 9, 38, 13;

also in sleep: cadit inscia clavo Dextera, demittitque oculos,

Val. Fl. 3, 41:

vultum,

Val. Max. 8, 14, 5; Curt. 6, 32, 1:

vultum animumque metu,

Ov. M. 7, 133; cf.

vultus,

id. ib. 10, 367; Liv. 2, 58. hoc in pectus tuum demitte, impress this deeply on your mind, Sall. J. 102 fin.; cf.:

eas voces in pectora animosque,

Liv. 34, 50; and:

dolor hoc altius demissus, quo minus profiteri licet,

Just. 8, 5, 11: cum in eum casum me fortuna demisisset, ut, etc., had reduced, Planc. ap. Cic. Fam. 10, 8, 2:

dignitatem in discrimen,

Liv. 3, 35:

vim dicendi ad unum auditorem (opp. supra modum sermonis attolli),

Quint. 1, 2, 31; to engage in, enter upon, embark in, meddle with:

me penitus in causam,

Cic. Att. 7, 12, 3; cf.:

me in res turbulentissimas,

id. Fam. 9, 1, 2: cogita ne te eo demittas, unde, etc., Cael. ap. Cic. Fam. 8, 16 fin.:

se in comparationem,

Suet. Rhet. 6:

se in adulationem,

to descend to, Tac. A. 15, 73:

se usque ad servilem patientiam,

id. ib. 14, 26:

se ad minora illa,

Quint. 1 prooem. § 5: re in secunda tollere animos et in mala demittere, to let it sink, i. e. to be disheartened, Lucil. ap. Non. 286, 7; cf.:

si vicerint, efferunt se laetitia: victi debilitantur animosque demittunt,

Cic. Fin. 5, 15, 42; so,

animos (with contrahere),

id. Tusc. 4, 6 fin.; and:

animum (with contrahere),

id. Q. Fr. 1, 1, § 4:

mentes,

Verg. A. 12, 609 (desperant, sicut e contra sperantes aliquid erigunt mentes, Serv.); and with abl.:

ne se admodum animo demitterent,

Caes. B. G. 7, 29.—In geom., t. t., to let fall a line, Vitr. 3, 5, 5.—Hence, dēmissus, a, um, P. a., brought down, lowered.

Lit.

Of localities, sunken, low-lying, low (cf. dejectus, P. a., no. I.):

campestribus ac demissis locis,

Caes. B. G. 7, 72, 3; cf.:

loca demissa ac palustria,

id. B. C. 3, 49, 5.—

Of other things, drooping, falling, hanging down:

demissis umeris esse,

Ter. Eun. 2, 3, 22 Ruhnk.:

tremulus, labiis demissis,

with flabby lips, id. ib. 2, 3, 44:

demisso capite discedere,

Cic. Clu. 21, 58; cf.:

tristes, capite demisso,

Caes. B. G. 1, 32:

demisso vultu,

with downcast looks, Sall. C. 31, 7.— Poet. in Gr. constr.:

Dido vultum demissa,

Verg. A. 1, 561.—Also deep:

demissa vulnera,

Sen. Ep. 67 fin. —

Trop.

Downcast, dejected, dispirited, low (freq.):

erigebat animum jam demissum,

Cic. Clu. 21, 58:

esse fracto animo et demisso,

id. Fam. 1, 9, 16:

(homines) animo demisso atque humili,

id. Font. 11; cf. id. Tusc. 2, 21:

demisso animo fuit,

Sall. J. 98 al.:

demissa voce loqui,

Verg. A. 3, 320.—In the comp.:

nihilo demissiore animo causa ipse pro se dicta,

Liv. 4, 44.— Transf. to the person:

quis P. Sullam nisi moerentem, demissum afflictumque vidit?

Cic. Sull. 26 fin.:

videsne illum demissum?

id. Mur. 21, 45; Quint. 1, 3, 10 al.— Comp.:

orator in ornamentis et verborum et sententiarum demissior,

Cic. Or. 24, 81.—

Lowly, humble, unassuming, shy, retiring (opp. elatus, lofty, proud):

ea omnia, quae proborum, demissorum, non acrium sunt, valde benevolentiam conciliant,

Cic. de Or. 2, 43, 182; cf.:

multum demissus homo,

Hor. S. 1, 3, 57:

sit apud vos modestiae locus, sit demissis hominibus perfugium, sit auxilium pudori,

Cic. Mur. 40, 87.—

Rarely of external condition, humble, poor:

qui demissi in obscuro vitam habent (opp. qui magno imperio praediti in excelso aetatem habent),

Sall. C. 51, 12.—

Poet., and in Tacitus, of genealogical descent, descended, derived, sprung:

ab alto Demissum genus Aenea,

Hor. S. 2, 5, 63; so Verg. G. 3, 35: id. A. 1, 288; Stat. Th. 2, 613; Tac. A. 12, 58.— Sup. does not occur. — Adv.: dēmisse.

Lit., low:

hic alte, demissius ille volabat,

Ov. Tr. 3, 4, 23.—

Trop., humbly, modestly, abjectly, meanly:

non est ausus elate et ample loqui, cum humiliter demisseque sentiret,

Cic. Tusc. 5, 9, 24:

suppliciter demisseque respondere,

id. Fl. 10, 21:

se tueri,

id. Att. 2, 18, 3.— Sup.: haec quam potest demississime atque subjectissime exponit, * Caes. B. C. 1, 84 fin.