Lewis & Short

1. assĭdŭus (ads-, perh. only by confusion of 1. assiduus with 2. assiduus), i, m. [as-do; cf. infra, Gell. 16, 10, 15], a tributepayer; a name given by Servius Tullius to the citizens of the upper and more wealthy classes, in opp. to proletarii, citizens of the lowest classes, who benefit the state only by their progeny (proles).

  1. I.
    1. A. Lit.: cum locupletes assiduos (Servius) appellāsset ab aere dando, Cic. Rep. 2, 22, 40.
      So in the Twelve Tables: adsiduo vindex adsiduus esto. Proletario jam civi, cui quis volet vindex esto, Gell. 16, 10, 5; cf. Dirks. Transl. 154 sq.: locuples enim est assiduus, ut ait L. Aelius, appellatus ab aere dando, Cic. Top. 2, 10; Varr. ap. Non. p. 67, 25: quibus erant pecuniae satis locupletes, assiduos; contrarios proletarios, id. ib.: assiduum ab aere dando, Quint. 5, 10, 55: adsiduus in Duodecim Tabulis pro locuplete dictus, ab assibus, id est aere dando, Gell. 16, 10, 15: adsiduus dicitur, qui in eā re, quam frequenter agit, quasi consedisse videatur. Alii assiduum locupletem, quasi multorum assium dictum putārunt. Alii eum, qui sumptu proprio militabat, ab asse dando vocatum existimārunt, Paul. ex Fest. p. 9 Müll.: ditiores qui asses dabant, assidui dicti sunt, Charis. p. 58 P.; cf. vindex ap. Cassiod. Orth. p. 2318 P.: assiduus dicebatur apud antiquos, qui assibus ad aerarii expensam conferendis erat, Isid. Orig. 10, 17; cf. Nieb. Röm. Gesch. 1, pp. 496-502.
    2. B. Meton., a rich person: noctīsque diesque adsiduo satis superque est, Plaut. Am. 1, 1, 14.
  2. II. Trop., adject. of a first-rate, classical writer: classicus adsiduusque aliquis scriptor, non proletarius, Gell. 19, 8, 15 (cf. on the other hand: Proletario sermone nunc quidem utere, common talk, Plaut. Mil. 3, 1, 157).

2. assĭdŭus (ads-, Ritschl, Lachm., Fleck., B. and K., Rib., Weissenb., Jahn; ass-, Merk., Halm, K. and H.), a, um, adj. [from assideo, as continuus from contineo, etc.]: Itaque qui adest, adsiduus (est), Varr. L. L. 7, § 99; but more correctly: adsiduus dicitur, qui in eā re, quam frequenter agit, quasi consedisse videatur, to have sat down to it, Paul. ex Fest. p. 9 Müll.; hence,

  1. I. Constantly present somewhere, attending to, busy or occupied with something (cf. deses, idle, from desideo): cum hic filius adsiduus in praediis esset, Cic. Rosc. Am. 7; id. Att. 4, 8, b, § 3: fuit adsiduus mecum praetore me, id. Cael. 4, 10; Varr. R. R. 2, 10, 6; Vulg. Eccli. 9, 4; 37, 15: semper boni adsiduique domini (i. e. qui frequenter adest in praediis) referta cella vinariā, oleariā, etc., Cic. Sen. 16, 56: suos liberos agricolas adsiduos esse cupiunt, id. Rosc. Am. 16, 47: flagitator, id. Brut. 5, 18: his potius tradam adsiduis uno opere eandem incudem diem noctemque tundentibus, id. de Or. 2, 39, 162: Elevat adsiduos copia longa viros, Prop. 3, 31, 44: campus, Assiduis pulsatus equis, Ov. M. 6, 219: adsiduus in oculis hominum fuerat, Liv. 35, 10: hostis, adsiduus magis quam gravis, id. 2, 48: canes adsiduiores, Varr. R. R. 2, 9: circa scholas adsiduus, Suet. Tib. 11: (patrimonia) majora fiunt Incude adsiduā semperque ardente camino, by the busy anvil, Juv. 14, 118: Retibus adsiduis penitus scrutante macello Proxima, id. 5, 95: Quem cavat adsiduis sudibus, id. 6, 248: in mandatis illius maxime adsiduus esto, Vulg. Eccli. 6, 37; 12, 3.
    So of the constant attendance of candidates for office, Q. Cic. Petit. Cons. 9, 37 (cf. these passages in their connection).
    Hence sarcastically of parasites: urbani adsidui cives, quos scurras vocant, Plaut. Trin. 1, 2, 165.
  2. II. With the prominent idea of continuance in time, continual, unremitting, incessant, perpetual, constant (very freq. both in prose and poetry): foro operam adsiduam dare, Plaut. As. 2, 4, 22: ludis adsiduas operas dare, Lucr. 4, 974: pars terraï perusta solibus adsiduis, id. 5, 252: imbres, id. 5, 341; Cic. Att. 13, 16: motus, Lucr. 1, 995, and 4, 392; 2, 97: repulsus, id. 4, 106: casus, id. 5, 205: frequentia, Cic. Planc. 8 fin.; Q. Cic. Petit. Cons. 9, 37: febricula, Planc. ap. Cic. Fam. 10, 21 fin.: adsidua ac diligens scriptura, Cic. Or. 1, 33, 150: recordatio, id. Fin. 1, 12, 41: deorum adsidua insidens cura, Liv. 1, 21: deprecatio justi adsidua, Vulg. Jac. 5, 16: (portae) adsiduus custos, Liv. 34, 9: longa temporum quies et continuum populi otium et assidua senatūs tranquillitas, etc., Tac. Or. 38: sterilitates, Suet. Claud. 18: quantum (nominis) Octavius abstulit udo Caedibus adsiduis gladio, Juv. 8, 243: barbarorum incursus, Suet. Vesp. 8: vasa aurea adsiduissimi usūs, id. Aug. 71: ignis, Tib. 1, 1, 6: aqua, Prop. 2, 1, 68; 2, 19, 31; 3, 11, 56 al.: libidines, id. 2, 16, 14: Hic ver adsiduum atque alienis mensibus aestas, Verg. G. 2, 149: nubes, Ov. M. 1, 66: gemitus, id. ib. 2, 486 et saep.: Non feret assiduas potiori te dare noctes, * Hor. Epod. 15, 13.
    Sometimes said with a degree of impatience, constant, everlasting, eternal: lapsus Tectorum adsiduos, Juv. 3, 8: obvius adsiduo Syrophoenix udus amomo, with his everlasting perfume, id. 8, 159 Jahn: adsiduo ruptae lectore columnae, id. 1, 13.
    Hence adv., continually, constantly, without intermission.
  1. I. Form as-sĭdŭō (ads-): operam dare alicui, Plaut. Cist. 1, 3, 37: edere, id. Mil. 1, 1, 50: perpotare, id. Most. 4, 2, 60: esse cum aliquo, id. Truc. 2, 4, 68: quaerere aliquid, Plin. 26, 3, 8, § 16: adesse, Dig. 40, 4, 44.
    Far more freq.,
  2. II. Form assĭdŭē (ads-): ubi sum adsidue, scio, Ter. Hec. 2, 1, 20: in ore indisciplinatorum adsidue erit, Vulg. Eccli. 20, 26: Adsidue veniebat, Verg. E. 2, 4: homines nobiles adsidue unā scribere, Ter. Ad. prol. 16: adsidue cantare, Cic. Div. 1, 34, 74: alia, quae suis locis dicentur adsidue, Plin. 24, 1, 1, § 3: Cum assidue minores parentibus liberi essent, Quint. 6, 3, 67: agere aliquid, Ter. Heaut. prol. 29: ut oculis adsidue videmus, Cic. N. D. 2, 41, 104: audire aliquid, id. Mil. 34, 93: frequenter et adsidue consequi aliquid, Auct. ad Her. 4, 56, 69: laudare aliquid, Vulg. Eccli. 51, 15: interrogari, ib. ib. 23, 11: litteris uti, Cic. Fam. 5, 15: convivari, Suet. Aug. 74: frequentare aedem, id. ib. 91: gestare aliquem ornatum, id. Calig. 52: DEFLERE ALIQVEM, Inscr. Grut. 950, 8: adsidue recens, Plin. 11, 53, 115, § 277.
    Comp not found.
    * Sup. assĭdŭissimē (ads-): Adsiduissime mecum fuit Dionysius, Cic. Brut. 91, 316: salientes (aquae) adsiduissime interdiu et noctu, Sen. Cons. ap. Front. Aquaed. 2, p. 252; for the comparison of the adj. and adv. (as in arduus, exiguus, egregius, industrius, perpetuus, etc.), v. Rudd. I. p. 180, n. 58.