to be depended upon

certus, a, um [orig. P. a. from cerno; hence], adj., determined, resolved, fixed, settled, purposed: non dubius.

(Acc. to cerno, II. D.) Certum est (mihi), it is determined, it is my ( thy, his, etc.) decision, resolution, will, I am resolved, I mean, etc. (mostly ante-class.; most freq. in Plaut.); with inf.: quorum virtuti belli Fortuna pepercit, Eorundem me libertati parcere certum est, Enn. ap. Cic. Off. 1, 12, 38 (Ann. v. 206 Vahl.):

certum'st hominem eludere,

Plaut. Am. 1, 1, 109:

tibi credere,

id. Aul. 4, 9, 7; cf. id. Capt. 3, 1, 32; id. Curc. 2, 1, 1; id. Cas. 2, 4, 15; id. Cist. 3, 1, 16; id. Ep. 5, 1, 57; id. Bacch. 5, 2, 37; id. Most. 1, 3, 80; id. Men. 5, 6, 12; id. Mil. 2, 3, 32; id. Merc. 3, 1, 7; id. Ps. 1, 5, 138; id. Poen. 5, 5, 25; id. Pers. 2, 2, 39; id. Rud. 3, 3, 22; id. Stich. 5, 4, 2; id. Trin. 2, 1, 34; id. Truc. 2, 6, 68; Ter. And. 2, 1, 11; id. Eun. 1, 2, 108: certum est deliberatumque, quae ad causam pertinere arbitror, omnia dicere, Cic. Rosc. Am. 11, 31:

certum atque decretum est non dare signum,

Liv. 2, 45, 13:

certum est igni circumdare muros,

Verg. A. 9, 153.—Certum'st mihi with inf., Plaut. As. 1, 3, 94; 3, 3, 23; id. Cas. 1, 1, 3; id. Mil. 3, 1, 154; id. Ps. 4, 8, 2; Cic. de Or. 2, 33, 144; Liv. 35, 46, 13; Ov. M. 9, 53 al.—Without inf., esp. parenthet., with expression of purpose by a fut. tense:

certum est, malam rem potius quaeram cum lucro,

Plaut. Aul. 4, 6, 15:

certum est, jam dicam patri,

id. Bacch. 3, 1, 15:

certum est, ibo ad medicum,

id. Merc. 2, 4, 4: An. Certumn' est tibi? Ly. Certum, id. Poen. 2, 48; cf. id. Stich. 4, 2, 33.—With pron. or subst.: Ar. Certumne'st tibi istuc? He. Non moriri certius, Plaut. Capt. 3, 5, 74;

so further with istuc,

id. ib. 2, 1, 20; Ter. Eun. 3, 3, 30:

mihi autem abjurare certius est quam dependere,

Cic. Att. 1, 8, 3:

ad eum senem oppugnare certum est consilium,

Plaut. Ep. 1, 2, 60:

quae nunc sunt certa ei consilia, etc.,

Ter. And. 2, 3, 16:

certa res hanc est objurgare,

Plaut. Am. 2, 2, 73; so id. Merc. 5, 2, 16; id. Mil. 2, 4, 45; Ter. And. 2, 2, 31; Plaut. Most. 3, 2, 16.—

(From the time of the Aug. poets.) Transf. to the person who is determined upon something, determined, resolved, bent.

With inf.:

certa mori,

Verg. A. 4, 564 (cf. id. ib. 4, 475:

decrevitque mori): certi non cedere,

Ov. M. 9, 43:

certa sequi,

Val. Fl. 5, 47.—

With gen. (cf. Ramsh. Gr. p. 323; Zumpt, Gr. § 437, n. 1;

A. and S. § 213, R. 1): certus eundi,

Verg. A. 4, 554; Ov. M. 11, 440:

desciscendi,

Tac. H. 4, 14:

relinquendae vitae,

id. A. 4, 34:

necis,

Sil. 6, 27:

fugae,

Plin. Ep. 6, 16, 12:

destinationis,

Tac. A. 12, 32:

sceleris,

id. ib. 12, 66:

consilii,

id. H. 2, 46.—

With an:

nec sat certa an cederet armis,

Sil. 9, 480.—

An epithet of all those objects whose existence or reality is fixed, determined (hence in connection with definitus, Quint. 7, 10, 7;

with praefinitus,

Suet. Galb. 14), or in respect to which there can be no doubt (hence opp. dubius, Quint. 7, 6, 3; 5, 12, 3; 12, 3, 6 al.).

Object.

Of things whose external qualities, number, etc., are invariable, established, settled, fixed, particular, specified, etc. (class.):

Arboribus primum certis gravis umbra tributa,

Lucr. 6, 783:

fruges, bacae,

Cic. Leg. 2, 8, 19:

jam ad certas res conficiendas certos homines delectos ac descriptos habebat,

id. Cat. 3, 7, 16:

concilium in diem certam indicere,

Caes. B. G. 1, 30 fin.;

so with dies,

a fixed term, Cato, R. R. 149, 1; Cic. Att. 6, 2, 9; Nep. Chabr. 3, 1; Liv. 1, 50, 1; Tac. G. 9 al.; cf.:

certis diebus,

Verg. G. 2, 329:

quaerere ab judicibus cur in certa verba jurent, cur certo tempore conveniant, certo discedant,

Cic. Inv. 2, 45, 132; cf. Suet. Aug. 41:

certum praefinitumque tempus,

id. Galb. 14; and:

certum statumque vectigal,

id. Calig. 40:

pecunia (opp. arbitraria), v. arbitrarius: finis aerumnarum,

Lucr. 1, 108; cf. id. 2, 512; 8, 1091; Hor. S. 1, 1, 106; id. Ep. 1, 2, 56:

locus,

Caes. B. G. 5, 1, 6:

numerus,

id. ib. 7, 75:

signum,

fixed, agreed upon, id. B. C. 1, 27:

naves,

fixed in number and quality, id. ib. 1, 56:

pecuniae imperabantur,

id. ib. 3, 32 fin.:

conviva,

i. e. a daily, constant guest, Hor. Ep. 1, 7, 75 Schmid:

ecquem tu illo certiorem nebulonem,

Cic. Att. 15, 21, 2.—

But sometimes indef., like quidam, and our certain, of things, the certainty of whose existence is given, but whose nature is not more definitely designated, or comes not into consideration (cf. aliquis):

Cephaloedi mensis est certus, quo mense sacerdotem maximum creari oporteat,

Cic. Verr. 2, 2, 52, § 128:

habet certos sui studiosos,

id. Brut. 16, 64:

(hunc) certis rebus imperatis regnare jussit,

id. Sest. 27, 58:

certi homines ad eam rem periti,

id. ib. 18, 41:

res a certis hominibus corrupta,

id. Fam. 1, 2, 3; 4, 9, 2; 16, 11, 2; id. Marcell. 6, 16; id. Deiot. 4, 11; Liv. 34, 61, 7.—Hence in Quint. several times in connection with quidam and aliquis:

ad certas quasdam dicendi leges alligati,

Quint. 8, prooem. § 2; so id. 8, prooem. § 12; 4, 2, 28; 5, 10, 2; 5, 10, 5; 9, 4, 8;

11, 2, 28: aliquos compositionis certos pedes,

id. 10, 2, 13; so id. 7, prooem. § 4; and subst.:

in his certos aliquos docebit,

id. 2, 8, 13.—

Trop., of things whose internal moral qualities are established, fixed, can be relied upon, sure, unerring, to be depended upon, true, faithful, [p. 321] etc. (so most freq. in all periods and species of composition; syn.: firmus, confirmatus, exploratus, indubitatus, manifestus al.).

Of persons: amicus certus in re incertā cernitur, Enn. ap. Cic. Lael. 17, 64; cf.:

tu ex amicis certis mi es certissimus,

Plaut. Trin. 1, 2, 57:

certi homines, quibus dem litteras,

Cic. Fam. 1, 7, 1; cf. id. Cat. 3, 7, 16; Nep. Paus. 2, 4; id. Alcib. 10, 1; Cic. Rosc. Am. 19, 53; id. Verr. 2, 2, 64, § 156:

certus enim promisit Apollo, etc.,

Hor. C. 1, 7, 28:

auctor (mortis),

Quint. 6, 3, 68; cf. Suet. Tib. 5:

adversus hostem nec spe nec animo certiorem, i. e. firmiorem,

Liv. 10, 35, 17: apud latera certos collocaverat, Sall. ap. Serv. ad Verg. A. 1, 576 (H. 1, 53 Dietsch); cf. Nep. Dion, 9, 2:

per litora certos dimittam,

Verg. A. 1, 576:

certissimus auctor (Phoebus),

id. G. 1, 432.—

Of things:

satis animo certo et confirmato,

Cic. Quint. 24, 77; cf.

pectora,

Verg. A. 9, 249, and certior indoles, Suet. Ner. 10:

promissa,

Cic. Fam. 6, 12, 1:

parata dicendi copia et certa,

Quint. 10, 6, 6; id. 6, prooem. §

9: jus,

id. 12, 3, 6 et saep.:

jactus (telorum),

Tac. A. 14, 37; cf.

in this sense certa hasta,

Verg. A. 11, 767:

sagitta,

Hor. C. 1, 12, 23:

fides segetis,

id. ib. 3, 16, 30:

spes,

id. C. S. 74:

trames,

id. S. 2, 3, 49:

lar,

id. Ep. 1, 7, 58 al.:

plana et certa,

Plaut. Pers. 2, 2, 1:

certa et clara,

Ter. Hec. 5, 4, 1 Ruhnk.; so Liv. 22, 39, 22; cf. Hor. S. 2, 6, 27.—Subst., with gen.:

certa maris,

Tac. H. 4, 81.—

Subject., of that which is established by evidence, etc., placed beyond doubt, certain, sure, true, proved, established (class.; esp. freq. in neutr.):

cum ad has suspitiones certissimae res accederent,

Caes. B. G. 1, 19; 5, 29:

incerta pro certis malebant,

Sall. C. 17, 6; cf.:

incerta pro certis mutare,

id. J. 83, 1:

postremo certior res,

Liv. 29, 6, 12:

certiora esse dicunt quam, etc.,

Cic. N. D. 3, 5, 13; id. Att. 3, 11, 2; Liv. 10, 35, 12: So. Satin hoc certum'st? Ge. Certum:

hisce oculis egomet vidi,

Ter. Ad. 3, 2, 31:

jam satis certumst virginem vitiatam esse?

id. Enn. 4, 4, 36:

cum certius tibi sit me esse Romae quam mihi te Athenis,

Cic. Att. 1, 9, 1:

id parum certum est,

Liv. 5, 35, 3:

cum de altero intellectu certum est, de altero dubium,

Quint. 7, 6, 3; cf. id. 7, 3, 4: non certum traditur, with interrog.-clause, Liv. 2, 8, 8:

nec quicquam certi respondes mihi?

Ter. Hec. 4, 4, 84:

neque tanto spatio certi quid esset explorari poterat,

Caes. B. G. 7, 45:

certum inveniri non potest ne... an,

id. B. C. 1, 25:

si quicquam humanorum certi est,

Liv. 5, 33, 1: Ph. Civemne? Th. Arbitror:

Certum non scimus,

Ter. Eun. 1, 2, 31; cf. id. Phorm. 1, 2, 98; Cic. Att. 12, 23, 2.—So, certum scire, to know for a certainty, Ter. Eun. 5, 3, 12; id. Hec. 3, 1, 44; Cic. Fam. 9, 23 init.:

certum habere,

to reckon certain, id. Att. 1, 13, 1; Liv. 36, 28, 4; 5, 3, 2; Quint. 2, 3, 9; Col. 2, 22, 5 al.:

certum respondeo,

Cic. Ac. 2, 29, 92:

cognoscere, Auct. B. Alex. 53: comperire, Auct. B. Hisp. 22.—So also pro certo habere,

Cic. Att. 10, 6, 3; Matius ap. Cic. Att. 9, 15, A med.; Sall. C. 52, 17; Suet. Dom. 23:

negare,

Cic. Att. 5, 21, 5:

polliceri,

id. Agr. 2, 37, 102:

dicere aliquid,

id. Brut. 3, 10:

ponere,

Liv. 23, 6, 8:

scire,

id. 25, 10, 1:

affirmare,

id. 27, 1, 13; 3, 23, 7; cf. id. 1, 3, 2 Drak.:

creditur,

Sall. C. 15, 2:

coeperit esse,

Quint. 5, 12, 2:

certius cognoscere ex aliquo de aliquā re,

Caes. B. G. 5, 52, 5.—Strengthened by comp.:

quin nihil invenies magis hoc certo certius,

Plaut. Capt. 3, 4, 111; cf.:

et hoc certo certius est et saepissime constitutum,

Dig. 42, 8, 10, § 14:

certo certius,

Ambros. in Ephes. 5; Paul. Vit. St. Ambros. 25; App. M. 9, p. 237, 27.—In Plaut. certum or certius facere alicui, to give certainty to one concerning any thing, make him certain, Plaut. Men. 2, 1, 17; 5, 2, 12; id. Ps. 2, 2, 4.—

Transf. to the person who is made certain in reference to a thing, certain, sure:

certi sumus periisse omnia,

Cic. Att. 2, 19, 5:

num quid nunc es certior?

Plaut. Am. 1, 1, 191:

posteritatis,

i. e. of posthumous fame, Plin. Ep. 9, 3, 1:

sententiae,

Quint. 4, 3, 8:

judicii,

Sen. Ep. 45, 9:

certus de suā geniturā,

Suet. Vesp. 25:

damnationis,

id. Tib. 61:

exitii,

Tac. A. 1, 27:

spei,

id. H. 4, 3:

matrimonii,

id. A. 12, 3:

certi sumus, etc.,

Gell. 18, 10, 5.—In class. prose mostly in the phrase certiorem facere aliquem (de aliquā re, alicujus rei, with a foll, acc. and inf., with a rel.-clause or absol.), to inform, apprise one of a thing:

me certiorem face,

Ter. Phorm. 4, 3, 69:

ut nos facias certiores,

Plaut. Curc. 5, 2, 32:

uti se (sc. Caesarem) de his rebus certiorem faciant,

Caes. B. G. 2, 2:

qui certiorem me sui consilii fecit,

Cic. Att. 9, 2, a, 2:

Caesarem certiorem faciunt, sese non facile ab oppidis vim hostium prohibere,

Caes. B. G. 1, 11:

faciam te certiorem quid egerim,

Cic. Att. 3, 11, 1.— With subj. only:

milites certiores facit, paulisper intermitterent proelium,

Caes. B. G. 3, 5 fin. — Pass.:

quod crebro certior per me fias de omnibus rebus,

Cic. Fam. 1, 7, 1; so Caes. B. G. 1, 7; Sall. J. 104, 1:

Caesar certior factus est, tres jam copiarum partes Helvetios id flumen transduxisse,

Caes. B. G. 1, 12; so id. ib. 1, 21; 1, 41; 2, 1; Sall. J. 82, 2; Nep. Att. 12, 3:

factus certior, quae res gererentur,

Caes. B. C. 1, 15:

non consulibus certioribus factis,

Liv. 45, 21, 4.—Also in posit., though rarely:

fac me certum quid tibi est,

Plaut. Ps. 1, 1, 16; 4, 6, 35; Verg. A. 3, 179:

lacrimae suorum Tam subitae matrem certam fecere ruinae,

Ov. M. 6, 268.— Hence, adv. in two forms.

certō, with certainty, certainly, surely, of a truth, in fact, really, object. and subject. (cf. supra, II. A. and B.); only in the comic poets, and sometimes (most. freq. in his epistt.) in Cic., while the adverbial form certe belongs to all periods and all species of composition. The difference between them is, perhaps, merely historical; but v. infra, certe, B. I. 2. init.

Object.:

perii certo, haud arbitrario,

Plaut. Poen. 3, 5, 42; cf. id. Merc. 2, 3, 106:

mihi certo nomen Sosia'st,

id. Am. 1, 1, 176; id. Men. 2, 2, 39; Ter. Phorm. 1, 3, 12:

nihil ita exspectare quasi certo futurum,

Cic. Tusc. 5, 28, 81 (cf. the passage cited under certo, I. 1., from id. Div. 2, 7, 18).—

In affirm. answers: Me. Liberum ego te jussi abire? Mes. Certo, yes, certainly, Plaut. Men. 5, 8, 9; so id. ib. 5, 9, 50; 2, 3, 38; id. Poen. 5, 5, 21; Ter. Eun. 5, 1, 9.—

Subject.

In gen. (very rare):

certo enim ego vocem hic loquentis modo mi audire visus sum,

Plaut. Aul. 4, 5, 4:

ego rus abituram me esse certo decrevi,

Ter. Hec. 4, 4, 10: Th. Quid aīs? Py. Atqui certo comperi, id. Eun. 5, 1, 9.—

Esp. in the formula of asseveration, certo scio, I certainly know, I am fully persuaded, beyond all doubt (class.):

certo edepol scio, me vidisse, etc.,

Plaut. Mil. 2, 3, 2; id. Truc. 1, 1, 49; Ter. And. 5, 4, 26; id. Ad. 4, 5, 14; id. Eun. 1, 2, 119; id. Heaut. 1, 1, 19:

quod te moleste ferre certo scio,

Cic. Att. 1, 12, 3; 2, 23, 2; id. Fam. 4, 13, 6; id. Q. Fr. 1, 2, 2, § 6; id. Rosc. Am. 8, 21; id. Phil. 3, 6, 17; id. Sen. 1, 1; 1, 2; Sall. J. 9, 2; id. C. 51, 16:

veniunt in mentem mihi permulta: vobis plura, certo scio,

Cic. Caecin. 19, 55 (cf. under certe, I. 2.).—

certē (class.; cf. supra, certo init.).

Affirming strongly, with certainty, certainly, undoubtedly, assuredly, surely, really.

Object.:

certe edepol, tu me alienabis,

Plaut. Am. 1, 1, 243:

ego quidem ab hoc certe exorabo,

id. Bacch. 5, 2, 58:

certe hercle,

id. As. 2, 1, 15; cf. Ter. Phorm. 5, 1, 8; Plaut. Truc. 1, 2, 71; Ter. And. 2, 2, 10:

quom is certe Renuntiarit,

id. Heaut. 4, 4, 4:

certe captus est!

id. And. 1, 1, 55:

certe ut videamur cernere eum,

Lucr. 4, 760:

si enim scit, certe illud eveniet: sin certe eveniet, nulla fortuna est,

Cic. Div. 2, 7, 18; cf. id. N. D. 1, 2, 5:

fuit certe id aequum et certe exspectatum est, etc.,

id. Planc. 16, 38:

ea certe vera sunt,

id. Mil. 35, 96:

M. Catoni certe licuit, etc.,

id. Rep. 1, 1, 1:

jam illa perfugia certe minime sunt audienda,

id. ib. 1, 5, 9:

cum se certe decessurum videret,

id. Verr. 2, 3, 44, § 104; Cat. 62, 8:

certe hinc Romanos olim fore ductores pollicitus,

Verg. A. 1, 234:

o dea certe,

a goddess surely, id. ib. 1, 328:

postremo expellet certe vivacior heres,

Hor. S. 2, 2, 132:

placuit tibi, Delphice, certe, Dum, etc.,

Ov. M. 2, 543 al. — Comp.:

speculatores mittere, qui certius explorata referant,

Liv. 3, 40, 13; 35, 48, 3:

si reperire vocas amittere certius,

Ov. M. 5, 519; App. M. 2, p. 118, 1.— Sup., Tert. Pall. 4.—

In an answer of affirmation:

estne ipsus an non est! Is est, Certe is est, is est profecto,

Plaut. Trin. 4, 3, 65; so Ter. Ad. 1, 1, 53; Cic. Tusc. 1, 5, 9; id. Clu. 54, 149; id. Phil. 1, 15, 37; id. Ac. 2, 35, 113; and in confirmation of a preceding fact: venerat, ut opinor, haec res in judicium. Certe, certainly, surely, Cic. Rosc. Com. 14, 42; id. Fam. 4, 2, 5; id. Or. 42, 144; cf. id. Off. 3, 29, 105; id. Fin. 2, 27, 91.—

Subject., mostly in the phrase certe scio, I know to a certainty, I am sure (acc. to Klotz ad Cic. Sen. 1, 2, certe scio = certum est me scire, I am fully convinced: certo scio = certum est quod scio, my knowledge is accurate, etc.):

certe edepol scio, si aliud quicquam est quod credam aut certo sciam, etc.,

Plaut. Am. 1, 1, 115:

edepol certo scio,

id. Bacch. 2, 3, 20:

scelestiorem me hac anu certe scio Vidisse numquam,

id. Aul. 1, 1, 21; cf. Cic. Arch. 12, 32:

ex litteris certe scire potuistis,

id. Font. 4, 8; id. Phil. 12, 12, 29:

quod iste certe statuerat ac deliberaverat non adesse,

id. Verr. 2, 1, 1, § 1.—

In affirm. answers: Ar. Ain' vero? Le. Certe, inquam, Plaut. As. 3, 3, 132: Ch. Ain'tu? So. Certe, sic erit, Ter. Heaut. 5, 3, 12.—

In a subjective supposition or presumption that a thing is so, certainly, surely, assuredly, doubtless, of course; Gr. isôs:

ah nugas agis, Certe habes,

Plaut. Aul. 4, 4, 25; id. Bacch. 5, 2, 58:

si me tanti facis, quanti certe facis,

Cic. Fam. 11, 16, 3; 7, 8, 1; cf. Verg. A. 1, 234; Ov. M. 2, 423; Prop. 2, 7, 1. —

In interrog., Cic. Leg. 1, 1, 3; Suet. Aug. 33.—

Affirming with restriction, yet surely, yet indeed, at least, notwithstanding (very freq. in prose and poetry, esp. after the class. per.).

Alone:

si non ipsā re tibi istuc dolet, Simulare certe est hominis,

Ter. Ad. 4, 7, 16:

cingitur, certe expedit se,

Plaut. Am. 1, 1, 152:

ut homines mortem vel optare incipiant, vel certe timere desistant,

Cic. Tusc. 1, 49, 117:

haec... sint falsa sane, invidiosa certe non sunt,

id. Ac. 2, 32, 105:

qui... ut non referat pedem, sistet certe,

id. Phil. 12, 4, 8:

res fortasse verae, certe graves,

id. Fin. 4, 3, 7; cf. Liv. 9, 11, 13:

consulatum unum certe plebis Romanae esse,

id. 22, 34, 11:

quos quoniam caeli nondum dignamur honore, Quas dedimus certe terras habitare sinamus,

Ov. M. 1, 195 et saep.:

quo quid sit beatius, mihi certe in mentem venire non potest,

Cic. Tusc. 5, 28, 81; so,

ego certe,

Quint. 8, 3, 65; 9, 4, 57:

certe ego,

Sall. J. 31, 5; Ov. H. 19, 81; id. M. 13, 840; id. Tr. 4, 5, 13:

mihi certe,

Quint. 10, 3, 23:

ipse certe,

id. 8, 6, 30; Curt. 7, 4, 19; 7, 6, 22.—

With other particles.

With tamen:

illud certe tamen, quod jam amplexi sumus,

Cic. de Or. 3, 6, 22; id. Sen. 23, 84.—

With at: quod (consilium) si non fuerit prudens, at certe ab optima fide proficiscetur, Balb. et opp. ap. Cic. Att. 9, 7, A, 1; Ov. F. 3, 351; cf. at II. 3.—

With sed: non integrā re, sed certe minus infractā, quam, etc., Att. ap. Cic. Att. 9, 10, 8; cf. Cic. Leg. 1, 21, 56 dub. B. and K. —

With quidem:

ubi sit animus, certe quidem in te est,

Cic. Tusc. 1, 29, 70:

quoniam volumus quidem certe senes fieri,

id. Sen. 2, 6; id. Quint. 15, 50:

certe quidem vos estis Romani, etc.,

Liv. 45, 22, 5. (But quidem does not belong with certe in such passages as the foll.:

hic quidem certe memorat, etc.,

Plaut. Am. 1, 1, 261 al.; v. quidem; cf. also aut and vel.)

fĭdēlis, e, adj. [1. fides], that may be trusted or relied upon, trusty, faithful, sincere, true (class.; syn. fidus).

Prop.

Adj., constr. absol., with dat., or with in and acc.

Absol.:

cum et civis mihi bonus et firmus amicus ac fidelis videretur,

Cic. Cael. 6, 14: doctus, fidelis, Suavis homo, etc., Enn. ap. Gell. 12, 4 (Ann. v. 249 ed. Vahl.):

boni fidelesque socii,

Liv. 22, 37, 4; 9, 2, 5; 29, 7, 2; 22, 37, 4 Drak. N. cr.; cf.:

sociis multo fidelioribus utimur,

Cic. Att. 5, 18, 2:

est urbs Massilia fortissimorum fidelissimorumque sociorum,

id. Font. 1, 3:

fidelissima conjux,

id. Q. Fr. 1, 3, 3:

medicus multum celer atque fidelis,

Hor. S. 2, 3, 147:

minister,

id. C. 4, 4, 3:

seu visa est catulis cerva fidelibus,

id. ib. 1, 1, 27:

multorum opes praepotentium excludunt amicitias fideles,

Cic. Lael. 15, 54:

consilium,

id. Agr. 2, 2 fin.; cf. id. Clu. 31, 85:

opera,

id. Caecin. 5, 14; cf.:

operā Commii fideli atque utili,

Caes. B. G. 7, 76, 1:

cura,

Ov. H. 1, 104:

silentium,

Hor. C. 3, 2, 25:

desideria (patriae),

id. ib. 4, 5, 15:

lacrimae,

i. e. true, genuine, Ov. H. 14, 127.—

With dat.:

qui (Cn. Pompeius) unum Deiotarum fidelem populo Romano judicavit,

Cic. Phil. 11, 13, 34:

cave tu illi fidelis potius fueris quam mihi,

Plaut. Aul. 4, 2, 11:

illi fuisti quam mihi fidelior,

id. Capt. 3, 5, 58:

habere aliquem fidelem sibi,

id. Bacch. 3, 3, 87:

quem sibi fidelem arbitrabatur,

Caes. B. G. 4, 21, 7; Hor. Ep. 2, 2, 1; Quint. 11, 2, 42.—

With in and acc.:

quam fideli animo et benigno in illam fui,

Ter. Hec. 3, 5, 22; cf. Cic. Mil. 10, 29:

in amicos,

Sall. C. 9, 2 (others read: in amicis, v. Kritz. ad h. 1.).—

Subst.: fĭdēlis, is, m., a trusty person, a confidant:

si quem tuorum fidelium voles, ad me mittas,

Cic. Fam. 4, 1, 2.

Transf., in gen., of things, to be depended upon, sure, safe, strong, firm, durable (rare but class.):

nam et doctrina et domus, et ars et ager etiam fidelis dici potest: ut sit, quomodo Theophrasto placet, verecunda tralatio,

Cic. Fam. 16, 17, 1:

in nave tuta ac fideli,

id. Planc. 41, 97:

lorica,

Verg. A. 9, 707:

portus,

Ov. Tr. 4, 5, 5:

materies terebinthi ad vetustatem,

Plin. 13, 6, 12, § 54;

structura,

Front. Aquaed. 123:

rimis explendis fidelior pice,

Plin. 16, 36, 64, § 158:

fidelissimum glutinum,

id. 28, 17, 71, § 236.—Hence, adv., in two forms: fĭdē-lĭter (class.) and fĭdēle (ante- and postclass.).

Faithfully, trustily, certainly, surely, honestly.

Form fideliter:

constanter et fideliter in amicitia alicujus permanere,

Liv. 33, 35, 9:

vivere simpliciter, fideliter vitaeque hominum amice,

Cic. Off. 1, 26, 92:

obtestatur per sua antea fideliter acta, etc.,

Sall. J. 71 fin.:

aliquid fideliter curare,

Cic. Att. 15, 20, 4: valetudini inservire, Tiro ap. Cic. Fam. 16, 17, 1:

colere amicos,

Plin. Ep. 7, 31, 5:

discere artes ingenuas,

Ov. P. 2, 9, 47:

retinent commissa (aures),

Hor. Ep. 1, 18, 70; cf.:

ejus (memoriae) duplex virtus, facile percipere et fideliter continere,

Quint. 1, 3, 1:

exstincta parum fideliter incendia,

Flor. 3, 5 med. —

Form fidele:

fac fidele sis fidelis,

Plaut. Capt. 2, 3, 79: militare, Prud. steg. 10, 428. —

Comp.:

quo propior quisque est servitque fidelius aegro,

Ov. M. 7, 563; Plin. Ep. 6, 24, 3.—

Sup.: ut is optime te laudasse [p. 746] videatur, qui narraverit fidelissime, Plin. Pan. 56, 2.—

(Acc. to II.) Surely, strongly, firmly: per quorum loca fideliter mihi pateret iter, Planc. in Cic. Fam. 10, 23, 2:

oratoris futuri fundamenta fideliter jacere,

Quint. 1, 4, 5:

quod fideliter firmum est, a primis statim actionibus arripere optimum est,

firmly grounded, id. 6, 4, 14; cf. Gell. 15, 2, 6.— Comp.:

qui quartanum passus convaluerit, fidelius constantiusque postea valiturum,

Gell. 17, 12, 3:

memoriae inhaerere fidelius,

Quint. 10, 6, 2; cf. id. 10, 3, 2.— Sup.:

fortunae inaurato fidelissime simulacro,

very solidly, durably, Plin. 33, 3, 19, § 61.

nīsus, a, um, Part., from nitor.

nīsus, ūs, m. [nitor], a pressing or resting upon or against, a pressure; a striving, exertion, labor, effort (mostly poet.; nixus in good prose, v. h. v.): pedetentim et sedato nisu, a tread, step, Pac. ap. Cic. Tusc. 2, 21, 48:

pinnarum nisus inanis,

a flight, Lucr. 6, 834; so,

insolitos docuere nisus,

Hor. C. 4, 4, 8:

hic dea se primum rapido pulcherrima nisu Sistit,

Verg. A. 11, 852:

stat gravis Entellus nisuque immotus eodem, etc.,

in the same posture, id. ib. 5, 437: hunc stirps Oceani maturis nisibus Aethra Edidit, pains, throes, labor of parturition (v. 2. nixus), Ov. F. 5, 171.—In prose:

tamquam nisus evomentis adjuvaret,

retchings, Tac. A. 12, 67:

uti prospectus nisusque per saxa facilius foret,

Sall. J. 94, 1 Dietsch:

quae dubia nisu videbantur,

id. ib. 94, 2 Dietsch:

non pervenit nisu sed impetu,

Quint. 8, 4, 9; 1, 12, 10.

Nīsus, i, m., = Nisos

A king of Megara, father of Scylla, who, in order to gain the love of Minos, cut off her father's purple hair, on which the safety of his kingdom depended, whereupon Nisus was changed into a sparrow-hawk, and Scylla into the bird ciris, Verg. G. 1, 404 sq.; Ov. M. 8, 8 sqq.; v. Scylla.—

Hence,

Nī-saeus, a, um, adj., of or belonging to Nisus, Nisæan:

et vos Nisaei, naufraga monstra, canes,

i. e. Scylla, the daughter of Phorcus, Ov. F. 4, 500; cf. id. A. A. 1, 331.—

Nīsēis, ĭdis, f., the daughter of Nisus, Scylla (q. v.), confounded with the daughter of Phorcus:

praeterita cautus Niseide navita gaudet,

Ov. R. Am. 737.—

Nī-sēĭus, a, um, adj., of or belonging to Nisus, Nisæan: per mare caeruleum trahitur Niseia virgo, Verg. Cir. 390; Ov. M. 8, 35.—

Nīsĭas, ădis, f., Nisæan, i. e. Megarian: Nisiades matres Nisiadesque nurus, of Megaris, in Sicily (a colony of Megara, in Greece), Ov. H. 15, 54.—

Son of Hyrtacus and friend of Euryalus, Verg. A. 5, 294; 9, 176 sq.

nīsus, a, um, Part., from nitor.

nīsus, ūs, m. [nitor], a pressing or resting upon or against, a pressure; a striving, exertion, labor, effort (mostly poet.; nixus in good prose, v. h. v.): pedetentim et sedato nisu, a tread, step, Pac. ap. Cic. Tusc. 2, 21, 48:

pinnarum nisus inanis,

a flight, Lucr. 6, 834; so,

insolitos docuere nisus,

Hor. C. 4, 4, 8:

hic dea se primum rapido pulcherrima nisu Sistit,

Verg. A. 11, 852:

stat gravis Entellus nisuque immotus eodem, etc.,

in the same posture, id. ib. 5, 437: hunc stirps Oceani maturis nisibus Aethra Edidit, pains, throes, labor of parturition (v. 2. nixus), Ov. F. 5, 171.—In prose:

tamquam nisus evomentis adjuvaret,

retchings, Tac. A. 12, 67:

uti prospectus nisusque per saxa facilius foret,

Sall. J. 94, 1 Dietsch:

quae dubia nisu videbantur,

id. ib. 94, 2 Dietsch:

non pervenit nisu sed impetu,

Quint. 8, 4, 9; 1, 12, 10.

Nīsus, i, m., = Nisos

A king of Megara, father of Scylla, who, in order to gain the love of Minos, cut off her father's purple hair, on which the safety of his kingdom depended, whereupon Nisus was changed into a sparrow-hawk, and Scylla into the bird ciris, Verg. G. 1, 404 sq.; Ov. M. 8, 8 sqq.; v. Scylla.—

Hence,

Nī-saeus, a, um, adj., of or belonging to Nisus, Nisæan:

et vos Nisaei, naufraga monstra, canes,

i. e. Scylla, the daughter of Phorcus, Ov. F. 4, 500; cf. id. A. A. 1, 331.—

Nīsēis, ĭdis, f., the daughter of Nisus, Scylla (q. v.), confounded with the daughter of Phorcus:

praeterita cautus Niseide navita gaudet,

Ov. R. Am. 737.—

Nī-sēĭus, a, um, adj., of or belonging to Nisus, Nisæan: per mare caeruleum trahitur Niseia virgo, Verg. Cir. 390; Ov. M. 8, 35.—

Nīsĭas, ădis, f., Nisæan, i. e. Megarian: Nisiades matres Nisiadesque nurus, of Megaris, in Sicily (a colony of Megara, in Greece), Ov. H. 15, 54.—

Son of Hyrtacus and friend of Euryalus, Verg. A. 5, 294; 9, 176 sq.

Scylla, ae, f., = Skulla.

A celebrated rock between Italy and Sicily, opposite to Charybdis:

Scylla saxum est, Charybdis mare, utrumque noxium appulsis,

Mel. 2, 7, 14; cf.:

in eo freto est scopulus Scylla item Charybdis mare vorticosum, ambo clara saevitia,

Plin. 3, 8, 14, § 87;

whereas Seneca remarks: indices mihi omnia de Charybdi certiora. Nam Scyllam saxum esse et quidem non terribile navigantibus, optime scio: Charybdis an respondeat fabulis, perscribi mihi desidero,

Sen. Ep. 79, 1; Mel. 2, 4, 8; Prop. 3, 12 (4, 11), 28; Verg. A. 3, 420; Ov. M. 13, 730.—

Personified,

the daughter of Phorcys, transformed by Circe, through jealousy, into a sea-monster, with dogs about the haunches, Hyg. Fab. 199; Ov. M. 14, 52 sq.; Verg. A. 3, 424 sq.; Lucr. 4, 732; Tib. 3, 4, 89; Cic. Verr. 2, 5, 56, § 146; id. N. D. 1, 38, 108; cf. also II.—Hence, Scyllaeus, a, um, adj., of or belonging to Scylla, Scyllœan:

Scyllaei litoris undas,

Sil. 2, 334:

undae,

Luc. 2, 433:

antra,

Sil. 2, 306:

monstra,

Stat. S. 5, 3, 280:

rabies,

Verg. A. 1, 200.— Transf.: ne Scyllaeo illo aeris alieni in freto ad columnam adhaeresceret, Cic. Sest. 8, 18:

obloquiorum,

Sid. Ep. 7, 9.—

Daughter of Nisus of Megara, who, for love of Minos, cut off her father ' s hair, upon which his life depended, and was transformed in consequence into the bird Ciris, Hyg. Fab. 198; Ov. M. 8, 8 sq.; 8, 150 sq.; Verg. Cir. 488 sq.; Ov. Tr. 2, 393 al.—The poets (even Ovid) sometimes confound the two Scyllas, Lucr. 5, 893; Prop. 4 (5), 4, 39; Ov. Am. 3, 12, 21; id. F. 4, 500; id. R. Am. 737; Verg. E. 6, 74.—Hence, Scyllaeus, a, um, adj., Scyllœan ( poet.), = Megarean:

rura,

Stat. Th. 1, 333.