Lewis & Short

1. fĭdes, ĕi (gen. sing. scanned fĭdēï, Enn. ap. Cic. de Sen. 1, 1; Lucr. 5, 102.
Ante-class. and poet. form of the gen. fide, like die, facie, etc., Plaut. Aul. 4, 6, 1; id. Poen. 4, 2, 68; Ov. M. 3, 341; 6, 506; 7, 728; 737; Hor. C. 3, 7, 4; cf. Prisc. p. 781 P.; Charis. p. 53 ib.; Ritschl, Proleg. p. 90.
Dat. fide, Plaut. Trin. 1, 2, 80; 91; 105; Enn. ap. Non. 112, 1, or Ann. v. 111 ed. Vahl.; Hor. S. 1, 3, 95), f. [fido], trust in a person or thing, faith, confidence, reliance, credence, belief (syn.: fidelitas, fiducia, confidentia).

  1. I. Lit.
    1. A. In gen.: si sciat noster senex, fidem non esse huic habitam, that he has not been trusted, Plaut. As. 2, 4, 52; cf.: fides ut habeatur, duabus rebus effici potest … iis fidem habemus, quos plus intelligere quam nos arbitramur … bonis viris ita fides habetur, ut nulla sit in iis fraudis injuriaeque suspicio … prudentia sine justitia nihil valeat ad faciendam fidem, etc., to give confidence, produce confidence, Cic. Off. 2, 9, 33; see in the foll.: neque pauci, neque leves sunt, qui se duo soles vidisse dicant; ut non tam fides non habenda, quam ratio quaerenda sit, to give credence, id. Rep. 1, 10; cf.: quod si insanorum visis fides non est habenda, quia falsa sunt, cur credatur somniantium visis, etc., id. Div. 2, 59, 122: si ita posset defendere, tamen fides huic defensioni non haberetur, id. Verr. 2, 5, 57, § 148: me miseram! forsitan hic mihi parvam habeat fidem, Ter. Eun. 1, 2, 117; cf.: cum jam minor fabulis haberetur fides, Cic. Rep. 2, 10: (fidem) majorem tibi habui quam paene ipsi mihi, id. Fam. 5, 20, 2; cf. id. ib. 7, 18, 1: ex aliis ei maximam fidem habebat, Caes. B. G. 1, 41, 4: cui maximam fidem suarum rerum habeat, Cic. Verr. 2, 2, 53, § 131; cf.: cui summam omnium rerum fidem habebat, Caes. B. G. 1, 19, 3: fidem commenticiis rebus adjungere, Cic. Div. 2, 55, 113: testimonio fidem tribuere, id. Sull. 3, 10; cf.: Cratippus iisdem rebus fidem tribuit, id. Div. 1, 3, 5: et auctoritatem orationi affert et fidem, id. Or. 34, 120: si tota oratio nostra omnem sibi fidem sensibus confirmat, id. Fin. 1, 21, 71: constituere fidem, id. Part. Or. 9, 31: fidem facit oratio, awakens or produces belief, id. Brut. 50, 187; cf.: quoniam auribus vestris … minorem fidem faceret oratio mea, id. Cat. 3, 2, 4: aliquamdiu fides fieri non poterat, Caes. B. C. 2, 37, 1; so with dare (rare): res ipsa fidem sermoni meo dabit, App. M. 4, p. 146, 25: Hercules cui ea res immortalitatis fidem dedit, assured of, Just. 24, 4, 4; Plin. Pan. 74, 3.
      With object-clauses: fac fidem, te nihil nisi populi utilitatem et fructum quaerere, evince, show, Cic. Agr. 2, 8, 22: tibi fidem faciemus, nos ea suadere, quae, etc., will convince, Balb. et Opp. ap. Cic. Att. 9, 8, A. fin.: mihi fides apud hunc est, nihil me istius facturum, Ter. Heaut. 3, 3, 10; cf.: cum vix fides esset, rem ullo modo successuram, Suet. Vesp. 7: male fidem servando illis quoque abrogant fidem, Plaut. Trin. 4, 3, 41: quorum rebus gestis, fidem et auctoritatem in testimonio inimicitiarum suspicio derogavit, Cic. Font. 7, 13; cf.: alicui abrogare fidem juris jurandi, id. Rosc. Com. 15, 44; and: omnibus abrogatur fides, id. Ac. 2, 11, 36: quae res fidem abrogat orationi, Auct. Her. 1, 10, 17: imminuit et oratoris auctoritatem et orationis fidem, Cic. de Or. 2, 37, 156: multa fidem promissa levant, Hor. Ep. 2, 2, 10: fidem addere, to give credence (opp. fidem demere): ex ingenio suo quisque demat vel addat fidem, Tac. G. 3 fin.
    2. B. In partic., in mercant. lang., credit: cum fides totā Italiā esset angustior, neque creditae pecuniae solverentur, Caes. B. C. 3, 1, 2; cf.: scimus, Romae solutione impedita fidem concidisse, Cic. de Imp. Pomp. 7, 19: fides de foro sublata erat, id. Agr. 2, 3, 8: labefacta jam fide, credit being impaired, Suet. Vesp. 4: pecunia suā aut amicorum fide sumpta mutua, Sall. C. 24, 2: non contentus agrariis legibus fidem moliri coepit, Liv. 6, 11, 8; cf.: fidem abrogare, id. 6, 41, 11: fidemque remque, perdere, credit and means, Plaut. Ep. 2, 2, 36; cf.: res eos jampridem, fides deficere nuper coepit, Cic. Cat. 2, 5, 10: nisi fide staret res publica, opibus non staturam, Liv. 23, 48, 9 Drak.; freq.: res fidesque, for fame and fortune, property and credit, i. e. entire resources, Plaut. Curc. 4, 2, 18; id. Truc. 1, 1, 24; 38; id. Most. 1, 2, 64; Sall. J. 73, 6 Cort.
      1. 2. Beyond the mercant. sphere (poet. and in post-Aug. prose): segetis certa fides meae, i. e. return, yield, Hor. C. 3, 16, 30: at tibi … Persolvat nullā semina certa fide, Tib. 2, 3, 62: fallax fides unius anni, Plin. Pan. 32, 4: quia hanc ejus terrae fidem Menander eludit, Quint. 12, 10, 25.
  2. II. Transf., that which produces confidence or belief.
    1. A. The quality that produces confidence in a person, trustworthiness, faithfulness, conscientiousness, credibility, honesty; in things, credibility, truth, etc.
      1. 1. In gen. (erroneously regarded by Cicero as the primary signif. of the word; wherefore he derived it from fio; v. the foll. passages): fundamentum justitiae est fides, id est dictorum conventorumque constantia et veritas. Ex quo, audeamus imitari Stoicos, credamusque, quia fiat, quod dictum est, appellatam fidem, Cic. Off. 1, 7, 23 Beier; cf. id. Fragm. ap. Non. 24, 17 (Rep. 4, 7, p. 428 ed. Mos.); id. Fam. 16, 10 fin.: justitia creditis in rebus fides nominatur, id. Part. Or. 22, 78: meo periculo hujus ego experiar fidem, Plaut. Capt. 2, 2, 99; cf.: fides fidelitasque amicum erga, id. Trin. 5, 2, 2: homo antiqua virtute ac fide, Ter. Ad. 3, 3, 88; cf.: exemplum antiquae probitatis et fidei, Cic. Rep. 3, 5: esse summa probitate ac fide, id. ib. 3, 17: vir aequissimus, singulari fide, id. ib. 3, 17: quorum fides est laudata, id. ib. 2, 36: quibus facillime justitia et fides convalescit, id. ib. 2, 14: unde justitia, fides, aequitas? id. ib. 1, 2: cujus virtuti, fidei, felicitati (Gallia) commendata est, id. Prov. Cons. 14, 35: aequitas et fides, id. Rep. 1, 35; cf.: si pudor quaeritur, si probitas, si fides, id. ib. 3, 18 fin.: quanta fide, quanta religione, id. Font. 6, 13: hinc fides, illinc fraudatio, id. Cat. 2, 11, 25: ille vir haud magna cum re sed plenu’ fidei, Enn. ap. Cic. de Sen. 1, 1 (Ann. v. 342 ed. Vahl.): ubi societas? ubi fides majorum? Cato ap. Gell. 10, 3, 17: nulla sancta societas, nec fides regni est, Enn. ap. Cic. Off. 1, 8, 26 (Trag. v. 412 ed. Vahl.): mea eraga te fides et benevolentia, Cic. Fam. 1, 5, 1: pro vetere ac perpetua erga populum Romanum fide, Caes. B. G. 5, 54, 4: in fide atque amicitia civitatis Aeduae, id. ib. 2, 14, 2: in fide manere, id. ib. 7, 4, 5; cf.: sincera fide in pace Ligures esse, Liv. 40, 34, 11: si tibi optima fide sua omnia concessit, Cic. Rosc. Am. 49, 144: praestare fidem, id. Div. 2, 37, 79; id. Top. 10, 42; id. Att. 16, 7, 2; id. Fam. 1, 7, 6: te oro per tuam fidem, ne, etc., Ter. And. 1, 5, 55: Eu. Dic bona fide: tu id aurum non surripuisti? Ly. Bona. Eu. Neque scis, quis abstulerit? Ly. Istuc quoque bona, Plaut. Mil. 4, 10, 42: de pace cum fide agere, Liv. 32, 33, 10: jussas cum fide poenas luam, Hor. Epod. 17, 37: haecne marita fides? Prop. 4 (5), 3, 11: Aeacidae dederat pacis pignusque fidemque, faithful bail, Ov. M. 12, 365: perjura patris fides, perjured faith, dishonesty, Hor. C. 3, 24, 59 et saep.
        Prov.: fides ut anima, unde abiit, eo numquam redit, Pub. Syr. 181 (Rib.): fidem qui perdit, quo se servet relicuo, id. 166.
        1. b. Of inanim. and abstr. things: nam cum Gabinii levitas … omnem tabularum fidem resignasset, etc., trustworthiness, credibility, Cic. Arch. 5, 9; cf.: nunc vero quam habere auctoritatem et quam fidem possunt (litterae)? id. Fl. 9, 21; and: visa, quae fidem nullam habebunt, id. Ac. 2, 18, 58 fin.; and: qui non speciem expositionis sed fidem quaerit, truth, Quint. 10, 1, 32: aliter oraculorum, aliter haruspicum fides confirmari aut refelli potest, id. 5, 7, 36: probationum, id. 4 praef. § 6: liber spectatae fidei, Gell. 1, 7, 1: paulum distare ab eo (lapide) in unguentorum fide multi existimant Lygdinos, etc., in faithful preservation, keeping in good condition, Plin. 36, 8, 13, § 62.
        2. c. In poets several times, faithful, true fulfilment of a promise: dicta fides sequitur, Ov. M. 3, 527 (cf.: res dicta secuta est, id. ib. 4, 550): vota fides sequitur, id. ib. 8, 713: promissa exhibuere fidem, were fulfilled, id. ib. 7, 323; cf.: en haec promissa fides est? is this the fulfilment of the oracle? Verg. A. 6, 346.
      2. 2. In partic., in jurid. lang., bona fides, good faith, sincerity; hence, EX FIDE BONA or BONA FIDE, in good faith, sincerely, honestly, conscientiously: arbitrum illum adegit, QVICQVID SIBI DARE FACERE OPORTERET EX FIDE BONA, Cic. Off. 3, 16, 66; cf.: quanti verba illa: VTI NE PROPTER TE FIDEMVE TVAM CAPTVS FRAVDATVSVE SIEM, etc. … Q. quidem Scaevola, pontifex maximus, summam vim esse dicebat in omnibus iis arbitriis, in quibus adderetur EX FIDE BONA; fideique bonae, nomen existimabat manare latissime, idque versari in tutelis societatibus, fiduciis mandatis, rebus emptis venditis, conductis locatis, etc., id. ib. 3, 17, 70; id. Att. 6, 1, 15: praetor ait: QVI BONA FIDE EMIT, etc., Dig. 6, 2, 7, § 11 sq.; cf.: bonae fidei emptori subrepta re quam emerit, Just. Inst. 4, 1, 15: ubi lex inhibet usucapionem, bona fides possidenti nihil prodest, Dig. 41, 3, 24: tot judicia de fide mala, quae ex empto aut vendito aut conducto aut locato contra fidem fiunt, etc., i. e. deception, dishonesty, Cic. N. D. 3, 30, 74: bonā fide = certissime, Plaut. Truc. 2, 7, 30; id. Aul. 4, 10, 42; id. Capt. 4, 2, 110; cf.: mala fide, Dig. 41, 2, 1, § 6.
    2. B. An assurance that produces confidence, a promise, engagement, word, assurance, confirmation.
      1. 1. In gen.: fide data, credamus, Plaut. Pers. 2, 2, 61: accipe daque fidem, Enn. ap. Macr. S. 6, 1 (Ann. v. 33 ed. Vahl.): atque etiam, si quid singuli temporibus adducti hosti promiserunt, est in eo ipso fides conservanda: ut primo Punico bello Regulus … ad supplicium redire maluit, quam fidem hosti datam fallere, Cic. Off. 1, 13, 39; cf. id. Fin. 2, 20, 65: fidem dare, violare, in fide non stare, id. Rab. Perd. 10, 28: Pompei fides, quam de me Caesari dederat, id. Fam. 1, 9, 12: inter se fidem et jusjurandum dare, Caes. B. G. 1, 3 fin.: obligare fidem alicui, to plight one’s faith, Cic. Phil. 5, 18, 51; cf.: fidem reliquis interponere, Caes. B. G. 5, 6 fin.: fide mea spondeo, futurum ut, etc., Plin. Ep. 1, 14, 10: diffidens, de numero dierum Caesarem fidem servaturum, Caes. B. G. 6, 36, 1: si fidem mecum servas, Plaut. Curc. 1, 2, 48: tecum servavi fidem, id. Capt. 5, 1, 10; id. Merc. 3, 1, 33: fides juris jurandi cum hoste servanda, Cic. Off. 3, 29, 107: fidem erga imperatorem conservare, Caes. B. C. 1, 84, 3: fidem erga populum Romanum servare, Liv. 24, 4, 5: servata erga Galbam, Tac. H. 1, 71: in regem suum servata, Curt. 6, 5, 2: ut fidem vobis praestaremus, Liv. 28, 39, 2; so, fidem alicui praestare, Curt. 6, 4, 9; Liv. 30, 15, 5; Sen. Ben. 5, 21, 1: non servata fides deditis est, Liv. 24, 1, 10; cf. Cic. de Sen. 20, 75; Sen. Ep. 71, 17: fidem suam liberare, to perform his promise, Cic. Fl. 20, 47; cf.: fidem alicujus liberare, id. Fam. 12, 7, 2: so, fidem exsolvere, Liv. 3, 19, 1; 22, 23, 8; 24, 16, 12; Plin. Ep. 2, 12, 6; Luc. 9, 98 al.: fidem frangere, Cic. Rosc. Com. 6, 16; for which violare, v. above, id. Rab. Perd. 10, 28: fidem amittere, Nep. Eum. 10: istius fide ac potius perfidiā decepti, Cic. Rosc. Am. 38, 110: quantum mea fides studii mihi afferat, my plighted word (to defend the king), id. Deiot. 1, 1: contioni deinde edicto addidit fidem, confirmed, Liv. 2, 24, 6.
      2. 2. Pregn., a given promise of protection or security, a guaranty; hence, in gen., protection, guardian care: introduxi Vulturcium sine Gallis: fidem ei publicam jussu senatus dedi, promised him protection, security, in the name of the public, Cic. Cat. 3, 4, 8; cf.: Vulturcius interrogatus … primo fingere alia; post, ubi fide publica dicere jussus est, omnia uti gesta erant aperit, Sall. C. 47, 1: cum se diceret indicaturum de conjuratione, si fides publica data esset, id. ib. 48, 4: uti L. Cassius ad Jugurtham mitteretur, eumque interposita fide publica Romam duceret, id. J. 32, 1; cf.: privatim praeterea fidem suam interponit, quam ille non minoris quam publicam ducebat, id. ib. fin.: qui Romam fide publica venerat, id. ib. 35, 7; so, too, simply fides: Lusitani contra interpositam fidem interfecti, Cic. Brut. 23, 89: fide accepta ab legatis, vim abfuturam, Liv. 38, 33, 3: Thais patri se commendavit in clientelam et fidem, Ter. Eun. 5, 9, 9; cf.: se in Chrysogoni fidem et clientelam contulerunt, Cic. Rosc. Am. 37, 106: quaere in cujus fide sint et clientela, id. ib. 33, 93: aliquid in fidem alicujus tradere, Liv. 38, 31, 2: frugi hominem, plenum religionis videtis positum in vestra fide ac potestate: atque ita, ut commissus sit fidei, permissus potestati, Cic. Font. 14, 30; cf.: se suaque omnia in fidem atque potestatem populi Romani permittere, Caes. B. G. 2, 3, 2: in alicujus fidem ac potestatem venire, id. ib. 2, 13, 2: in fide alicujus esse, Cic. Planc. 41, 97; cf. id. Fam. 13, 65, 2: ea (jura) fidei suae commissa, id. Off. 1, 34, 124: civitas in Catonis fide locata, id. Att. 6, 1, 5: recipere aliquid in fidem, id. ib. 15, 14, 3; cf.: aliquem in fidem necessitudinemque suam recipere, id. Fam. 13, 19, 2: recipere aliquem in fidem, Caes. B. G. 2, 15, 1; 4, 22, 3: hortatur, ut populi Romani fidem sequantur, id. ib. 4, 21, 8: jura fidemque supplicis erubuit (Achilles), the protection due to a suppliant, Verg. A. 2, 541: di, obsecro vostram fidem! your protection, assistance, help, Plaut. Cist. 4, 1, 11; id. Am. 5, 1, 78; id. Most. 1, 1, 74; 2, 2, 97; cf.: fidem vestram oro atque obsecro, judices, Cic. Mur. 40, 86: deum atque hominum fidem implorabis, id. Verr. 2, 1, 9, § 25; so in colloq. lang. frequently elliptic. as an exclamation: Di vostram fidem! by the protection of the gods! for heaven’s sake! Plaut. Capt. 2, 3, 58, id. Men. 5, 2, 119; id. Poen. 4, 78 al.; Ter. And. 4, 3, 1; 4, 4, 5; id. Eun. 3, 1, 28 al.; cf.: tuam fidem, Venus! Plaut. Curc. 1, 3, 40: pro deum atque hominum fidem! id. ib. 5, 3, 16; id. Ep. 4, 2, 10; Ter. And. 1. 5, 2; 1, 5, 11; id. Heaut. 1, 1, 9 al.; Sall. C. 20, 10 al.; for which: pro deorum atque hominum fidem! Cic. Tusc. 5, 16, 48; and in a different order: pro deorum fidem atque hominum, id. Lael. 15, 52; also simply pro deum fidem, Liv. 3, 67, 7 Drak. N. cr.; and: per fidem! Petr. 100, 5; Tac. Or. 35; App. M. 6, p. 175.
    3. C. The faith, the Christian religion as a system of belief (eccl. Lat.): domicilium fidei, Lact. 4, 30 fin.; Vulg. Apoc. 14, 12 al.
  3. III. Fides, personified as a goddess: praeclare Ennius: O Fides alma, apta pinnis, et jus jurandum Jovis! Qui jus igitur jurandum violat, is Fidem violat, Cic. Off. 3, 29, 104 (Enn. Trag. v. 410 ed. Vahl.); cf. Varr. L. L. 5, § 74 Müll.; Cic. N. D. 3, 18, 47; 2, 23, 61; 31, 79; id. Leg. 2, 8, 19; 11, 28; Plaut. Cas. prol. 2; id. Aul. 3, 6, 46; 50; 4, 2, 14; Verg. A. 1, 292; Hor. C. 1, 35, 21; 4, 5, 20; id. C. S. 57.