with one foot in the grave

Ăchĕruns, untis, m. [v. Acheron] (f., Plaut. Capt. 5, 4, 2; cf. Non. 191, 24; poet. in Cic. Tusc. 1, 16, 37; the u for o, as in Enn. and Lucr. frundes for frondes, acc. Gr. Acherunta, Lucr. 4, 170; 6, 251); a form much used by ante-class. poets, esp. by Plaut.,

For Acheron no. II. B.: adsum atque advenio Acherunte, poet. ap. Cic. Tusc. 1, 16, 37; Rib. Trag. Rel. p. 245;

si ab Acherunte veniam,

Plaut. Am. 5, 1, 26; so Lucr. 3, 37; 628 al.—And with the ending i (as in Karthagini):

si neque hic neque Acherunti sum, ubi sum?

Plaut. Merc. 3, 4, 21; so id. Capt. 3, 5, 31; 5, 4, 1. —Acheruntis pabulum, food for Acheron; said of a corrupt, abandoned man, in Plaut. Cas. 2, 1, 12:

Acheruntis ostium, disparagingly of bad land,

id. Trin. 2, 4, 124:

mittere aliquem Acheruntem,

to kill one, id. Cas. 2, 8, 12; and:

abire ad Acheruntem,

to die, id. Poen. prol. 71:

ulmorum Acheruns, jestingly of a slave, upon whose back rods had been broken,

id. Am. 4, 2, 9 (cf. Capt. 3, 4, 117).—Hence, Ăchĕruntĭcus, a, um, adj., belonging to, or fit for, Acheruns, or the Lower World:

regiones,

Plaut. Bacch. 2, 2, 21:

senex,

i. e. with one foot in the grave, id. Merc. 2, 2, 19; id. Mil. 3, 1, 33.

Ăchĕruns, untis, m. [v. Acheron] (f., Plaut. Capt. 5, 4, 2; cf. Non. 191, 24; poet. in Cic. Tusc. 1, 16, 37; the u for o, as in Enn. and Lucr. frundes for frondes, acc. Gr. Acherunta, Lucr. 4, 170; 6, 251); a form much used by ante-class. poets, esp. by Plaut.,

For Acheron no. II. B.: adsum atque advenio Acherunte, poet. ap. Cic. Tusc. 1, 16, 37; Rib. Trag. Rel. p. 245;

si ab Acherunte veniam,

Plaut. Am. 5, 1, 26; so Lucr. 3, 37; 628 al.—And with the ending i (as in Karthagini):

si neque hic neque Acherunti sum, ubi sum?

Plaut. Merc. 3, 4, 21; so id. Capt. 3, 5, 31; 5, 4, 1. —Acheruntis pabulum, food for Acheron; said of a corrupt, abandoned man, in Plaut. Cas. 2, 1, 12:

Acheruntis ostium, disparagingly of bad land,

id. Trin. 2, 4, 124:

mittere aliquem Acheruntem,

to kill one, id. Cas. 2, 8, 12; and:

abire ad Acheruntem,

to die, id. Poen. prol. 71:

ulmorum Acheruns, jestingly of a slave, upon whose back rods had been broken,

id. Am. 4, 2, 9 (cf. Capt. 3, 4, 117).—Hence, Ăchĕruntĭcus, a, um, adj., belonging to, or fit for, Acheruns, or the Lower World:

regiones,

Plaut. Bacch. 2, 2, 21:

senex,

i. e. with one foot in the grave, id. Merc. 2, 2, 19; id. Mil. 3, 1, 33.

pōno, pŏsŭi (Plaut. posīvi), pŏsĭtum, 3 (old form of perf. POSEIVEI, Inscr. Orell. 3308:

posivi,

Plaut. Ps. 5, 1, 35: posivimus, id. Fragm. ap. Prisc. p. 898 P.:

posiverunt, Cato, R. R. praef. 1: posiveris,

id. ib. 4, 1; Plaut. Trin. 1, 2, 108: POSIER unt, Inscr. Orell. 5061:

POSIT, contr. from posivit,

ib. 71; 732; 1475; 3087 al.; part. perf. sync. postus, a, um, Lucr. 1, 1059; 3, 87; 6, 965), v. a. [for posno, posino, from old prep. port, = proti, pros, and sino; cf.: porricio, pollingo, etc., and v. pro, sino], to put or set down a person or thing, to put, place, set, lay, etc. (syn.: colloco, statuo); constr. with acc. alone, or with in and abl., or with adv. of place; sometimes with in and acc., or absol.; v. infra.

Lit.

In gen.:

tabulas in aerario ponere,

Caes. B. C. 3, 108:

castra,

to pitch, id. ib. 1, 65 fin.:

castra iniquo loco,

id. ib. 1, 81:

milia passuum tria ab eorum castris castra ponit,

id. B. G. 1, 22 fin.: qui indicabantur, in senatu sunt positi, Cic. Fragm. ap. Quint. 9, 3, 50:

tabulas obsignatas in publico,

Cic. Fl. 9, 21:

sejuges in Capitolio aurati a P. Cornelio positi,

Liv. 38, 35, 4:

tyrannicidae imago in gymnasio ponatur,

Quint. 7, 7, 5; cf. id. 1, 7, 12:

collum in Pulvere,

Hor. C. 4, 6, 11; cf.:

artus in litore ponunt,

Verg. A. 1, 173; and with simple abl.:

saxo posuit latus,

Val. Fl. 4, 378:

in curulibus sellis sese posuerunt,

seated themselves, Flor. 1, 13.—With in and acc.: hodierno die primum longo intervallo in possessionem libertatis pedem ponimus, Cic. Phil. 3, 11, 28 B. and K. (Klotz, possessione):

Cyzici in Prytaneum vasa aurea mensae unius posuit,

Liv. 41, 20, 7 Weissenb. ad loc.:

stipes erat, quem... in flammam triplices posuere sorores,

Ov. M. 8, 452:

omnia pone feros in ignes,

id. R. Am. 719:

oleas in solem,

Cato, R. R. 7:

coronam in caput,

Gell. 3, 15, 3.—With sub and abl.:

pone sub curru nimium propinqui,

Hor. C. 1, 22, 21:

fundamenta,

Vulg. 1 Esd. 6, 3:

ubi pedem poneret non habebat,

might set his foot, Cic. Fin. 4, 25, 69:

genu or genua,

to bow the knee, to kneel, Ov. F. 2, 438; 5, 507; Curt. 8, 7, 13:

num genu posuit? num vocem supplicem misit?

id. 4, 6, 28:

oculos,

to cast one's eyes on, Vulg. Jer. 24, 6:

faciem,

to turn one's face, id. ib. 42, 15.—

In partic.

In milit. lang., to place, post, set, station a body of troops:

ibi praesidium ponit,

Caes. B. G. 2, 5:

praesidium ibi,

id. B. C. 1, 47 fin.:

legionem tuendae orae maritimae causā,

id. ib. 3, 34:

insidias contra aliquem,

Cic. Agr. 2, 18, 49.—

To set up, erect, build (mostly poet.):

opus,

Ov. M. 8, 160:

templa,

Verg. A. 6, 19:

aras,

id. ib. 3, 404:

tropaeum,

Nep. Dat. 8, 3; so,

in inscrr., of erecting monuments of any kind: POSVIT, PONENDVM CVRAVIT (usu. abbreviated P. C.), etc.: columna rostrata quae est Duilio in foro posita,

in honor of Duilius, Quint. 1, 7, 12.—

Hence, poet., to form, fashion works of art:

Alcimedon duo pocula fecit... Orpheaque in medio posuit,

Verg. E. 3, 46:

hic saxo liquidis ille coloribus Sollers nunc hominem ponere, nunc deum,

Hor. C. 4, 8, 8.—

To set, set out, plant trees, etc. ( poet. and in postAug. prose;

syn.: planto, sero): pone ordine vites,

Verg. E. 1, 74:

vitem,

Col. 4, 1; cf.:

ille et nefasto te (arbor) posuit die,

planted thee, Hor. C. 2, 13, 1.—

To lay, stake, wager, as a forfeit; to lay down, propose, as a prize: pono pallium;

Ille suum anulum opposuit,

Plaut. Curc. 2, 3, 76:

pocula fagina,

Verg. E. 3, 36:

invitat pretiis animos et praemia ponit,

id. A. 5, 292:

praemia,

id. ib. 5, 486:

praemium,

Liv. 41, 23, 10.—

In business lang., to put out at interest, to loan, to invest (less freq. than collocare): pecuniam in praedio ponere, Cic. Tull. § 15 Orell.; cf.:

pecuniam apud aliquem,

id. Verr. 2, 3, 70, § 165:

dives positis in fenore nummis,

Hor. A. P. 421:

pecuniam Quaerit Kalendis ponere,

id. Epod. 2, 70.—

To place, set, appoint a person as a watch or guard, accuser, etc. (less freq. than apponere):

Dumnorigi custodes ponit, ut, quae agat, scire possit,

Caes. B. G. 1, 20 fin.:

custos frumento publico est positus,

Cic. Fl. 19, 45: alicui accusatorem, Cael. ap. Cic. Fam. 8, 12, 3:

puer super hoc positus officium,

Petr. 56, 8.—

To serve up, set before one at table (rare for the class. apponere), Cato, R. R. 79; so id. ib. 81:

posito pavone,

Hor. S. 2, 2, 23; 2, 4, 14; 2, 6, 64; 2, 8, 91; id. A. P. 422:

positi Bacchi cornua,

Ov. A. A. 1, 231:

vinum,

Petr. 34, 7:

calidum scis ponere sumen,

Pers. 1, 53:

porcum,

Mart. 8, 22, 1:

da Trebio, pone ad Trebium,

Juv. 5, 135.—

To lay aside, take off, put down, lay down, etc. (as clothing, arms, books, the hair or beard, etc., = deponere):

cum pila ludere vellet tunicamque poneret,

Cic. Tusc. 5, 20, 60; cf.:

veste positā,

id. ib. 1, 47, 113:

velamina,

Ov. A. A. 2, 613; cf.:

velamina de corpore,

id. M. 4, 345:

arma,

Caes. B. G. 4, 37:

sarcinam,

Petr. 117, 11:

barbam,

Suet. Calig. 5; cf.:

bicolor positis membrana capillis,

Pers. 3, 10:

libros de manibus,

Cic. Q. Fr. 1, 1, 8, § 23; cf.:

cum posui librum, et mecum ipse coepi cogitare,

id. Tusc. 1, 11, 24.—

To lay out for the grave:

toroque Mortua componar, positaeque det oscula frater,

Ov. M. 9, 503; Verg. A. 2, 644.—Also, to lay in the grave, to bury, inter ( poet. and in post-class. prose;

syn.: sepelio, condo): corpore posto,

Lucr. 3, 871:

te... patriā decedens ponere terrā,

Verg. A. 6, 508; Ov. F. 5, 480:

ubi corpus meum positum fuerit,

Dig. 34, 1, 18 fin.; Inscr. Orell. 4370:

IN HAC CVPA MATER ET FILIVS POSITI SVNT,

ib. 4550; 4495:

HIC POSITVS EST, Inscr. in Boeckh. C. I. Gr. 4156: CINERES,

Inscr. Orell. 4393; 4489.—

Ponere calculum or calculos, transf., to weigh carefully, to ponder, consider:

si bene calculum ponas,

Petr. 115, 16:

examina tecum, omnesque, quos ego movi, in utrāque parte calculos pone,

Plin. Ep. 2, 19 fin. —

To arrange, deck, set in order (cf. compono):

qui suas ponunt in statione comas,

Ov. A. A. 3, 434:

quid totiens positas fingis, inepta, comas?

id. ib. 1, 306; cf. id. H. 4, 77; id. M. 1, 477.—

To subdue, calm, allay, quiet:

quo non arbiter Hadriae Major, tollere seu ponere vult freta,

Hor. C. 1, 3, 16:

magnos cum ponunt aequora motus,

Prop. 4 (5), 14, 31.—Hence, neutr., of the winds, to fall, abate ( poet. and late Lat.):

cum venti posuere omnisque repente resedit Flatus,

Verg. A. 7, 27:

tum Zephyri posuere,

id. ib. 10, 103:

simul ac ventus posuit,

Gell. 2, 30, 2.

Trop.

In gen., to set, place, put, lay a thing anywhere: noenum ponebat rumores ante salutem, Enn. ap. Macr. S. 6, 1 (Ann. v. 314 Vahl.):

pone ante oculos laetitiam senatūs,

Cic. Phil. 2, 45, 115:

at te apud eum, di boni! quantā in gratiā posui,

id. Att. 6, 6, 4; cf. id. ib. 5, 11, 6; 6, 1, 22: ponite me ei (Appio) in gratiā, Cael. ap. Cic. Fam. 8, 6, 5:

apud Lentulum ponam te in gratiā,

Cic. Att. 5, 3, 3 B. and K. (Orell. gratiam):

se quoque in gratiā reconciliatae pacis ponere,

Liv. 44, 14, 7:

in laude positus,

Cic. Sest. 66, 139:

aliquem in metu non ponere,

i. e. not to fear, id. Top. 13, 55:

virtutum fundamenta in voluptate tamquam in aquā ponere,

id. Fin. 2, 22, 72; cf. id. Pis. 4, 9:

aliquid in conspectu animi,

id. de Or. 3, 40, 161; cf.:

sub uno aspectu ponere,

Q. Cic. Petit. Cons. 1, 1: ponendus est ille ambitus, non abiciendus, to lay down gently, i. e. close gracefully, Cic. Or. 59, 199:

super cor,

to lay to heart, Vulg. Mal. 2, 2.—With in and acc.:

te in crimen populo ponat atque infamiam,

Plaut. Trin. 3, 3, 11.—Elliptically: et quidem cum in mentem venit, ponor ad scribendum, when it occurs to Cœsar, he sets me (i. e. my name) to the Senate's decrees, Cic. Fam. 9, 15, 4.—

In partic.

Ponere aliquid in aliquā re, to put or place a thing in something, to cause a thing to rest or depend upon:

credibile non est, quantum ego in consiliis et prudentiā tuā, quantum in amore et fide ponam,

Cic. Att. 2, 23, 3:

spem in aliquo,

id. ib. 6, 1, 11:

salutis auxilium in celeritate,

Caes. B. G. 5, 48; cf.:

spem salutis in virtute,

id. ib. 5, 34, 2:

ut in dubio poneret, utrum, etc.,

regarded as doubtful, doubted, Liv. 34, 5, 3: sed haec haud in magno equidem ponam discrimine, I shall attach no great importance to it, id. prooem. § 8.—In pass.: positum esse in aliquā re, to be based or founded upon, to rest upon, depend upon:

ut salutem praesentium, spem reliquorum in vestris sententiis positam esse et defixam putetis,

Cic. Fl. 1, 3; id. Agr. 2, 9, 22:

omnia posita putamus in Planci tui liberalitate,

id. Att. 16, 16, F, 2; id. Or. 8, 27:

in te positum est, ut, etc.,

id. Att. 16, 16, B, § 8. —

To lay out, spend, employ a thing, esp. time, in any thing:

tempus in cogitatione ponere,

Cic. de Or. 3, 5, 17:

si in hac curā vita mihi ponenda sit,

id. Fam. 9, 24, 4:

diem totum in considerandā causā,

id. Brut. 22, 87; cf. id. Fam. 5, 21, 1; id. Att. 6, 2, 6:

sumptum,

id. Q. Fr. 3, 1, 2; id. Fam. 13, 54 fin.; cf.:

totum animum atque omnem curam, operam diligentiamque suam in petitione,

id. Mur. 22, 45:

id multo tum faciemus liberius totosque nos in contemplandis rebus perspiciendisque ponemus,

id. Tusc. 1, 19, 44:

apud gratissimum hominem beneficium ponere,

id. Fam. 13, 55 fin.:

itinera enim ita facit, ut multos dies in oppidum ponat,

id. Att. 11, 22, 2.—

To put, place, count, reckon, consider a thing in or among certain things:

mortem in malis,

Cic. Fin. 3, 8, 29:

in beneficii loco,

id. Fam. 15, 4, 12; id. Cat. 2, 9, 20:

si quis motus populi factus esset, id C. Norbano in fraude capitali esse ponendum,

id. de Or. 2, 48, 199:

in laude,

to regard as praiseworthy, id. Top. 18, 71:

in vitiis poni,

to be regarded as a fault, Nep. Epam. 1, 2.—

To appoint, ordain, make something:

leges,

Cic. Verr. 2, 5, 11, § 28:

festos laetosque ritus,

Tac. H. 5, 5 fin.:

ut male posuimus initia, sic cetera sequentur,

Cic. Att. 10, 18, 2:

ne tu in spem ponas me bonae frugi fore,

to hope for, reckon upon, Plaut. Capt. 5, 2, 4 Fleck.: nomen, to apply or give a name (= imponere):

sunt enim rebus novis nova ponenda nomina,

Cic. N. D. 1, 17, 44; id. Tusc. 3, 5, 10; Verg. A. 7, 63:

qui tibi nomen Insano posuere,

Hor. S. 2, 3, 48: rationem, to furnish an account, to [p. 1397] reckon, Suet. Oth. 7; cf. Col. 1, 3:

pecuniae,

Dig. 46, 3, 89.—

To make or render vows or votive offerings to the gods:

Veneri ponere vota,

Prop. 3, 12, 18:

nunc ego victrices lauro redimire tabellas, Nec Veneris mediā ponere in aede morer,

Ov. Am. 1, 11, 25:

hic ponite lucida Funalia et vectes,

Hor. C. 3, 26, 6:

libatum agricolae ponitur ante deo,

Tib. 1, 1, 14; Ov. M. 3, 506:

ex praedā tripodem aureum Delphi posuit,

Nep. Paus. 2, 3.—

In speaking or writing, to lay down as true, to state, assume, assert, maintain, allege, take for granted, etc.:

quamobrem, ut paulo ante posui, si, etc.,

Cic. Fam. 1, 9, 21; id. Fin. 2, 31, 100:

recte Magnus ille noster, me audiente, posuit in judicio, rem publicam, etc.,

id. Leg. 2, 3, 6: verum pono, esse victum eum;

at, etc.,

Ter. Phorm. 4, 3, 25:

positum sit igitur in primis, etc.,

Cic. Or. 4, 14:

hoc posito atque concesso, esse quandam vim divinam, etc.,

id. Div. 1, 52, 118; cf.:

quo posito, et omnium sensu adprobato,

id. Fin. 3, 8, 29; id. Leg. 2, 19, 48:

pono satis in eo fuisse orationis atque ingenii,

id. Brut. 45, 165:

aliquid pro certo ponere,

Liv. 10, 9 fin.:

nunc rem ipsam ponamus quam illi non negant... Est haec res posita, quae ab adversario non negatur,

Cic. Caecin. 11, 32.—

Esp.: exemplum ponere, to cite an instance:

eorum quae constant exempla ponemus,

Cic. Inv. 1, 38, 68:

perspicuo et grandi vitio praeditum posuimus exemplum,

id. ib. 1, 47, 88:

ab adjunctis antea posui exemplum,

id. Top. 11, 50:

horum exempla posui ex jure civili,

id. ib. 14, 58:

horum generum ex Cicerone exempla ponamus,

Quint. 5, 11, 11; 6, 3, 108 al.—

To set before the mind, represent, describe:

nec ponere lucum Artifices, nec, etc.,

Pers. 1, 70:

pone Tigellinum,

Juv. 1, 155.—

To propose, offer, fix upon a theme for discussion (= proponere):

mihi nunc vos quaestiunculam, de quā meo arbitratu loquar, ponitis?

Cic. de Or. 1, 22, 102; 2, 1, 2:

ponere aliquid, ad quod audiam, si tibi non est molestum, volo,

id. Fat. 2, 4; cf.:

ponere jubebam, de quo quis audire vellet,

id. Tusc. 1, 4, 7:

ponere praemium,

Liv. 39, 17, 1; and impers. pass.:

doctorum est ista consuetudo eaque Graecorum, ut iis ponatur, de quo disputent quamvis subito,

id. Lael. 5, 17; so,

cum ita positum esset, videri, etc.,

id. Tusc. 3, 22, 54.—

To put away, leave off, dismiss, forego, lay down, surrender (= deponere):

vitam propera ponere,

Plaut. Curc. 4, 3, 4:

vitia,

Cic. de Or. 3, 12, 46:

dolorem,

id. Tusc. 3, 28, 66: inimicitias, Cael. ap. Cic. Fam. 8, 6:

curas,

Liv. 1, 19:

metum,

Plin. Ep. 5, 6:

iram,

Hor. A. P. 160:

moras,

id. C. 4, 12, 25; Ov. F. 2, 816:

animos feroces,

Liv. 8, 1:

corda ferocia,

Verg. A. 1, 302:

vires (flammae),

id. ib. 5, 681:

ipsum rudimentum adulescentiae bello lacessentem Romanos posuisse,

had obtained his first experience, Liv. 31, 11 fin.; Suet. Ner. 22; also,

tirocinium,

Just. 12, 4, 6:

animam,

to lay down life, Vulg. Johan. 10, 15; 17.—Esp., milit. t. t.: arma ponere (= deponere), to lay down arms, yield, surrender:

Nepesinis inde edictum ut arma ponant,

Liv. 6, 10, 5:

dedi imperatorem, arma poni jubet,

id. 4, 10, 3; cf.:

positis armis,

id. 35, 36, 4; id. Epit. 88.—

To make, cause to be (eccl. Lat.):

cornu tuum ponam ferreum,

Vulg. Mich. 4, 13:

posuit me desolatam,

id. Thren. 3, 11; with quasi:

ponam Samariam quasi acervum,

id. Mich. 1, 6; with in and acc.:

posuerunt eam in ruinam,

id. Isa. 23, 13.—

To assume, suppose, put a case (of mere suppositions; only late Lat.; cf. 6 supra): pone tamen ab evangelistis scriptum, Ambros. de Fide, 5, 16, 194; Ps.-Quint. Decl. 273.—Hence, pŏsĭtus, a, um, P. a., of localities, placed, situated; situate, standing, lying anywhere:

Roma in montibus posita,

Cic. Agr. 2, 35, 96:

Delos in Aegaeo mari posita,

id. Imp. Pomp. 18, 55:

portus ex adverso urbi positus,

Liv. 45, 5:

tumulus opportune ad id positus,

id. 28, 13:

urbs alieno solo posita,

id. 4, 17.— Poet.:

somno positus = sopitus,

lulled to sleep, Verg. A. 4, 527.

as, assis, m. (nom. assis, Don. ad Ter. Phorm. 1, 1, 9, and Schol. ad Pers. 2, 59; old form assārĭus, ii, m.; and in the gen. plur. assariūm, Varr. L. L. 8, § 71 Müll.; Charis. p. 58 P.) [heis, Dor. ais, Tarent. as, Hinter].

In gen., unity, a unit; as a standard for different coins, weight, measure, etc. (in Vitr. 3, 1, p. 61 Rode, perfectus numerus, the perfect number, fundamental number), acc. to the duodecimal system, divided into 12 parts, or uncias, with the following particular designations: uncia = 1s./12 duodecima (sc. pars) sextans = 2/12 = 1s./6 sexta quadrans = 3/12 = 1s./4 quarta, also teruncius or triuncis triens = 4/12 = 1s./3 tertia or quincunx = 5s./12 sextans cum quadrante semissis s. semis = 6/12 = 1s./2 dimidia septunx = 7s./12 quadrans cum triente bessis s. bes = 8/12 = 2/3, for beis s. binae partes assis. dodrans = 9/12 = 3s./4 terni quadrantes dextans s. decunx = 10/12 = 5s./6 quini sextantes deunx = 11s./12 undecim unciaeThe uncia was again divided into smaller parts: semuncia = 1/2 uncia = 1/24 assis. duella = 1/3 uncia = 1/36 assis. sicilicus (-um) = 1/4 uncia = 1/48 assis. sextula = 1/6 uncia = 1/72 assis. drachma = 1/8 uncia = 1/96 assis. hemisecla = 1/12 uncia = 1/144 assis. scripulum = 1/24 uncia = 1/288 assis.The multiples of the as received the following designations: dupondius = 2 asses. tripondius s. tressis = 3 asses. (quadressis) = 4 asses. quinquessis = 5 asses. sexis (only in the connection decussissexis in Vitr. 1. c.) = 6 asses. septissis = 7 asses. octussis = 8 asses. nonussis (novissis?) = 9 asses. decussis = 10 asses. bicessis = 20 asses. tricessis = 30 asses, and so on to centussis = 100 asses. (Cf. Varr. L. L. 5, § 169 sq. Müll.)

Esp.

1.. As a copper coin, the as was, acc. to the ancient custom of weighing money, originally a pound (asses librales or aes grave), of the value of about 8 8 d. /89, or 16 2/3 cents, and was uncoined (aes rude) until Servius Tullius stamped it with the figures of animals (hence pecunia, from pecus); cf. Varr. R. R. 2, 1, 9; Plin. 33, 3, 13, § 42 sqq. In the first Punic war, on account of the scarcity of money, the as was reduced to a sixth part of its original weight, i. e. two ounces; hence asses sextantarii (of the value of about 1 103 d. /297, or 2.8 cents), and the state gained five sixths. In the second Punic war, and the dictatorship of Fabius, the as was again reduced one half, to one ounce; hence asses unciales, about equal to 200 d. /297, or 1.4 cents. Finally, the Lex Papiria (A.U.C. 563, B.C. 191) reduced the as to half an ounce; hence asses semiunciales = 100 d. /297, or 7.9 1/3 mills, which continued as a standard even under the emperors. In all these reductions, however, the names of coins remained, independent of the weight of the as: uncia, sextans, quadrans, etc.; cf. Grotef. Gr. II. p. 253 sq.—From the small value of the as after the last reduction, the following phrases arose: quod non opus est, asse carum est, Cato ap. Sen. Ep. 94:

Quod (sc. pondus auri) si comminuas, vilem redigatur ad assem,

Hor. S. 1, 1, 43:

viatica ad assem Perdiderat,

to the last farthing, id. Ep. 2, 2, 27:

ad assem impendium reddere,

Plin. Ep. 1, 15:

rumores Omnes unius aestimemus assis,

Cat. 5, 3:

Non assis facis?

id. 42, 13.—Hence,

The proverbs,

Assem habeas, assem valeas, your worth is estimated by your possessions, Petr. 77, 6:

crumena plena assium,

Gell. 20, 1.—

Assem elephanto dare, to give something (as a petition, and the like) with trembling to a superior (a metaphor derived from trained elephants, which, after playing their parts, were accustomed to take pay for themselves, which was given them with fear by the multitude; cf. Plin. 8, 5, 5, § 14), Augustus ap. Quint. 6, 3, 59, and Macr. S. 2, 4; Varr. ap. Non. p. 531, 10 sq.—

In inheritances and other money matters, where a division was made, the as, with its parts, was used to designate the portions. Thus haeres ex asse, sole heir; haeres ex semisse, he who receives one half of the inheritance; haeres ex dodrante, he who receives three fourths; and so, haeres ex besse, triente, quadrante, sextante, etc.;

ex semiunciā, ex sextulā, ex duabus sextulis, etc.,

Dig. 28, 5, 50; 34, 9, 2; Suet. Caes. 83; Cic. Caecin. 6 et saep.:

Nerva constituit, ut tu ex triente socius esses, ego ex besse,

Dig. 17, 2, 76:

bessem fundi emere ab aliquo,

ib. 26, 21, 2, § 39:

quadrans et semissis fundi,

ib. 6, 1, 8 al.;

hence, in assem, in asse, or ex asse,

in all, entirely, completely, Dig. 36, 45:

vendere fundum in assem,

ib. 20, 6, 9; so Col. 3, 3, 8 and 9:

in asse,

id. 2, 12, 7:

sic in asse flunt octo menses et dies decem,

id. 2, 12, 7:

ex asse aut ex parte possidere,

Dig. 2, 8, 15; Sid. Ep. 2, 1; 6, 12; 8, 6 al.—

As a measure of extent.

An acre, acc. to the same divisions as above, from scripulum to the as, Col. 5, 1, 9 sq.:

proscindere semissem, iterare assem,

Plin. 18, 19, 49, § 178.—

A foot, Col. 5, 3.—

Of weight, a pound, acc. to the same division; cf.

Fann. Pond. 41: In haec solide sexta face assis eat,

Ov. Med. Fac. 60.← Mathematicians (v. Vitr. l. c.) called the number 6 perfectus numerus (since 1 + 2 + 3 = 6), and formed, accordingly, the following terminology: 1 = sextans, as a dice-number. unio. 2 = triens.......... binio. 3 = semissis.......... ternio. 4 = bessis (dimoiros)..... quaternio. 5 = quintarius....... quinio. 6 = perfectus numerus.... senio. 7 = ephektos, sex adjecto asse = 6 + 1. 8 = adtertiarius, sex adjectā tertiā = 6 + 2 (epitritos). 9 = sesquialter, sex adjectā dimidiā = 6 + 3 (hêmiolios). 10 = bes alter, sex duabus partibus additis = 6 + 4 (epidimoiros). 11 = adquintarius, sex quinque partibus additis = 6 + 5 (epipentamoiros). 12 = duplio (diplasiôn).