Lewis & Short

rēs, rei (rēi with e long; gen., Lucr. 2, 112; 548; 6, 918; dat., id. 1, 688; 2, 236; rei, gen., monosyl. at the end of the verse, Lucr. 3, 918; and in the middle of the verse, id. 4, 885, and Poët. ap. Lact. 6, 6), f. [ etym. dub.; perh. root ra- of reor, ratus; cf. Germ. Ding; Engl. thing, from denken, to think; prop., that which is thought of; cf. also λόγος, Lid. and Scott, 9], a thing, object, being; a matter, affair, event, fact, circumstance, occurrence, deed, condition, case, etc.; and sometimes merely = something (cf.: causa, ratio, negotium).

  1. I. In gen.: unde initum primum capiat res quaeque movendi, Lucr. 1, 383; cf. id. 1, 536: in partes res quaeque minutas Distrahitur, id. 2, 826: summe Sol, qui omnes res inspicis, Enn. ap. Prob. Verg. E. 6, 31 (Trag. v. 321 Vahl.): versus, quos ego de Rerum Naturā pangere conor, Lucr. 1, 25; cf. id. 1, 126; 5, 54: rerum natura creatrix, id. 2, 1117: divinarum humanarumque rerum, tum initiorum causarumque cujusque rei cognitio, Cic. Tusc. 5, 3, 7 (v. divinus): haeret haec res, Plaut. Am. 2, 2, 182: profecto, ut loquor, ita res est, id. ib. 2, 1, 19: haud mentior, resque uti facta dico, id. ib. 2, 1, 23: de Alcumenā ut rem teneatis rectius, id. ib. prol. 110: in tantis rebus (sc. in re publicā defendendā), Cic. Rep. 1, 3, 4 et saep.: quo Averna vocantur nomine, id ab re Impositum est, quia sunt avibus contraria cunctis, from the nature of the thing, Lucr. 6, 740; cf. id. 6, 424; Liv. 1, 17: si res postulabit, the condition of the case, Cic. Lael. 13, 44: scaena rei totius haec, Cael. ap. Cic. Fam. 8, 11, 3: fugam in se nemo convertitur Nec recedit loco, quin statim rem gerat, does his duty, stands his ground, Plaut. Am. 1, 1, 84; so, res gerere, v. gero; hence, too, rerum scriptor, for a historian, v. scriptor, and cf. II. H. infra.
    1. B. With adj. of quality, to express condition, etc.: illic homo a me sibi malam rem arcessit, is bringing a bad business on himself, Plaut. Am. 1, 1, 171; so, res mala, a wretched condition, Sall. C. 20, 13; and more freq. in plur.: bonis tuis rebus meas res irrides malas, circumstances, condition, Plaut. Trin. 2, 4, 45; id. Rud. 3, 3, 12: res secundae, good fortune, Hor. Ep. 1, 10, 30; cf. Liv. 3, 9: res prosperae, Nep. Dion, 6, 1; id. Eum. 5, 1: in secundissimis rebus, Cic. Off. 1, 26, 91: adversae res, id. ib. 1, 26, 90; Hor. S. 2, 2, 136; 2, 8, 73: res belli adversae, Liv. 10, 6: res dubiae, Sall. C. 10, 2; 39, 3; Liv. 2, 50; 7, 30; v. bonus, florens, salvus, adversus, dubius, novus, arduus, etc.
      Freq. in curses, etc.: in malam rem, go to the bad, Ter. Phorm. 5, 7, 37; id. And. 2, 1, 17: malam rem hinc ibis? id. Eun. 3, 3, 30.
    2. C. With an adj. in a periphrasis: abhorrens ab re uxoriā, matrimony, Ter. And. 5, 1, 10: in arbitrio rei uxoriae, dowry, Cic. Off. 1, 15, 61: rem divinam nisi compitalibus … ne faciat, a religious act, act of worship, a sacrifice, Cato, R. R. 5, 4: bellicam rem administrari majores nostri nisi auspicato noluerunt, Cic. Div. 2, 36, 76; Hor. C. 4, 3, 6: erat ei pecuaria res ampla et rustica, Cic. Quint. 3, 12: res rustica, agriculture: rei rusticae libro primo, Col. 11, 1, 2; id. 1, praef. § 19: liber, quem de rebus rusticis scripsi, Cic. Sen. 15, 54: navalis rei certamina, naval battles, Amm. 26, 3, 5: res militaris, Cic. Rab. Post. 1, 2: rei militaris gloria, id. Mur. 9, 22; Nep. Milt. 8, 4: res frumentaria, forage, Caes. B. C. 3, 16; id. B. G. 1, 23; 4, 7: armatae rei scientissimus, Amm. 25, 4, 7: peritus aquariae rei, id. 28, 2, 2: res judicaria, Cic. Verr. 2, 2, 12, § 31: res ludicra, play, Hor. Ep. 2, 1, 180: uti rebus veneriis, Cic. Sen. 14, 47; Nep. Alc. 11, 4: res Veneris, Lucr. 2, 173; Ov. R. Am. 431; v. also familiaris, judiciaria, militaris, navalis, etc., and cf. II. G. infra.
    3. D. With pronouns or adjectives, as an emphatic periphrase for the neutr.: ibi me inclamat Alcumena: jam ea res me horrore afficit, this now, Plaut. Am. 5, 1, 16; cf.: De. Estne hoc, ut dico? Li. Rectam instas viam: Ea res est, it is even so, id. As. 1, 1, 40: de fratre confido ita esse ut semper volui. Multa signa sunt ejus rei, of it, Cic. Att. 1, 10, 5: quos (μελιττῶνας) alii μελιττοτροφεῖα appellant, eandem rem quidam mellaria. Varr. R. R. 3, 16, 12: sunt ex te quae scitari volo, Quarum rerum, etc., Plaut. Capt. 2, 2, 13; cf. Caes. B. G. 3, 4: quibus de rebus quoniam nobis contigit ut aliquid essemus consecuti, Cic. Rep. 1, 8, 13: quā super re interfectum esse Hippotem dixisti? Pac. ap. Fest. s. v. superescit, p. 244: resciscet Amphitruo rem omnem, every thing, all, Plaut. Am. 1, 2, 30: nulla res tam delirantes homines concinat cito, nothing, id. Am. 2, 2, 96; cf.: neque est ulla res, in quā, etc., Cic. Rep. 1, 7, 12; 1, 5, 9; cf. also: sumptu ne parcas ullā in re, quod ad valetudinem opus sit, id. Fam. 16, 4, 2: magna res principio statim bello, a great thing, a great advantage, Liv. 31, 23 fin.: nil admirari prope res est una Solaque, quae, etc., the only thing, only means, Hor. Ep. 1, 6, 1 et saep.
      Emphatically with sup.: scilicet rerum facta est pulcherrima Roma, the most beautiful thing in the world, Verg. G. 2, 534; Quint. 1, 12, 16 Spald. p. 81.
      Of persons, etc.: est genus hominum, qui esse primos se omnium rerum volunt, Ter. Eun. 2, 2, 17: maxime rerum, Ov. H. 9, 107; cf.: maxima rerum Roma, Verg. A. 7, 602; Ov. M. 13, 508: fortissima rerum animalia, id. ib. 12, 502: pulcherrime rerum, id. H. 4, 125; id. A. A. 1, 213; id. M. 8, 49: dulcissime rerum, Hor. S. 1, 9, 4.
    4. E. In adverb. phrases: e re natā melius fieri haud potuit, after what has happened, Ter. Ad. 3, 1, 8: pro re natā, according to circumstances, Cic. Att. 7, 8, 2; 14, 6, 1: pro tempore et pro re, Caes. B. G. 5, 8: factis benignus pro re, according to circumstances, Liv. 7, 33, 3; Sall. J. 50, 2: pro re pauca loquar, Verg. A. 4, 337; Lucr. 6, 1280: ex re et ex tempore, Cic. Fam. 12, 19, 3: e re respondi, Cat. 10, 8.
  2. II. In partic.
    1. A. Pregn., an actual thing, the thing itself, reality, truth, fact; opposed to appearance, mere talk, the mere name of a thing: ecastor, re experior, quanti facias uxorem tuam, Plaut. Am. 1, 3, 10: desiste dictis nunc jam miseram me consolari: Nisi quid re praesidium apparas, etc., id. Rud. 3, 3, 21: rem ipsam loqui. Ter. And. 1, 2, 31: rem fabulari, Plaut. Trin 2, 4, 87: nihil est aliud in re, in fact, Liv. 10, 8, 11 Weissenb. ad loc.: se ipsa res aperit, Nep. Paus. 3, 7: ex re decerpere fructus, Hor. S. 1, 2, 79; opp. verbum, vox, opinio, spes, nomen, etc.: rem opinor spectari oportere, non verba, Cic. Tusc. 5, 11, 32; cf.: te rogo, ut rem potiorem oratione ducas, Matius ap. Cic. Fam. 11, 28, 5: non modo res omnes, sed etiam rumores cognoscamus, Cic. Att. 5, 5, 1: qui hos deos non re, sed opinione esse dicunt, id. N. D. 3, 21, 53: Peripateticos et Academicos nominibus differentes, re congruentes, id. Ac. 2, 5, 15: quod nos honestum, illi vanum … verbis quam re probabilius vocant, Quint. 3, 8, 22; Sen. Ep. 120, 9: eum, tametsi verbo non audeat, tamen re ipsā de maleficio suo confiteri, id. Rosc. Am. 42, 123; cf. Ter. Ad. 4, 7, 15: vides quantum distet argumentatio tua ab re ipsā atque a veritate, Cic. Rosc. Am. 15, 44.
      Hence, abl. sing., often strengthened by verā (sometimes as one word, reverā), in fact, really, in truth, indeed, in reality: haec ille, si verbis non audet, re quidem verā palam loquitur, Cic. Quint. 17, 56; so, re quidem verā, id. Clu. 19, 54; id. Sest. 7, 15: re autem verā, id. Fam. 1, 4, 2; and simply re verā, id. Quint. 2, 7; id. Div. 2, 54, 110; id. Balb. 3, 7: re verāque, Lucr. 2, 48; cf.: et re verā, indeed, in fact, Cic. Fam. 3, 5, 1; Liv. 33, 11, 3; 35, 31, 12; 36, 6, 1; Nep. Ages. 2, 3; id. Phoc. 3, 3; Curt. 3, 13, 5; 4, 16, 19; Val. Max. 9, 13, ext. 1; Just. 5, 1, 8; 12, 13, 10; Plin. Ep. 6, 33, 1.
    2. B. Effects, substance, property, possessions: mihi Chrysalus Perdidit filium, me atque rem omnem Meam, Plaut. Bacch. 5, 1, 26; cf.: Ph. Habuitne rem? Ly. Habuit. Ph. Qui eam perdidit … Mercaturamne an venales habuit, ubi rem perdidit? id. Trin. 2, 2, 49 sq.: quibus et re salvā et perditā profueram, Ter. Eun. 2, 2, 27: rem talentum decem, id. Phorm. 2, 3, 46; Juv. 3, 16: avidior ad rem, Ter. Eun. 1, 2, 51: rem facere, to make money, Cic. Att. 2, 2, 12: res eos jampridem, fides deficere nuper coepit, id. Cat. 2, 5, 10: qui duo patrimonia accepisset remque praeterea bonis et honestis rationibus auxisset, id. Rab. Post. 14, 38: libertino natum patre et in tenui re, in narrow circumstances, Hor. Ep. 1, 20, 20 et saep.; v. also familiaris.
      In plur.: quantis opibus, quibus de rebus, Enn. ap. Cic. Tusc. 3, 19, 44 (Trag. v. 396 Vahl.): privatae res, Cic. Att. 9, 7, 5.
      1. 2. Hence, law t. t., whatever may be the subject of a right, whether corporeal or incorporeal (v. Sandars, Introd. to Just. Inst. p. 42 sqq.): res corporales, Just. Inst. 2, 2, 1 sq.; Gai. Inst. 2, 12; Dig. 1, 8, 1: res in patrimonio, res extra patrimonium, Just. Inst. 2, 1 pr.; Gai. Inst. 2, 1: res sanctae, Just. Inst. 2, 1, 10; v. also mancipium, privatus, etc.
    3. C. Benefit, profit, advantage, interest, weal: res magis quaeritur, quam, etc., Plaut. Men. 4, 2, 6: melius illi consulas quam rei tuae, id. Cist. 1, 1, 98: haec tuā re feceris, to your advantage, id. Capt. 2, 2, 46.
      Most freq. with the prepositions in, ex, ob, ab, etc.: quasi istic minor mea res agatur quam tua, is interested, affected, Ter. Heaut. 2, 3, 113 (v. ago): si in rem tuam esse videatur, Plaut. Trin. 3, 2, 2: vide si hoc in rem deputas, id. ib. 3, 3, 19: quod in rem recte conducat tuam, id. Capt. 2, 3, 26: si in remst utrique, Ter. And. 3, 3, 14: quid mihi melius est, quid magis in rem est, quam? etc., useful, Plaut. Rud. 1, 4, 1: tamen in rem fore credens universos adpellare, Sall. C. 20, 1: omnia quae in rem videbantur esse, Curt. 6, 2, 21: ad conparanda ea quae in rem erant, Liv. 30, 4, 6: imperat quae in rem sunt, id. 26, 44, 7; 22, 3, 2: ex tuā re non est, ut ego emoriar, for your advantage, Plaut. Ps. 1, 3, 102: An. Non pudet Vanitatis? Do. Minime, dum ob rem, to the purpose, with advantage, Ter. Phorm. 3, 2, 41: ob rem facere, usefully, with advantage or profit, Sall. J. 31, 5: subdole blanditur, ab re Consulit blandiloquentulus, contrary to his interest, i. e. to his injury, Plaut. Trin. 2, 1, 12 Brix ad loc.: haud id est ab re aucupis, id. As. 1, 3, 71: haec haud ab re duxi referre, Liv. 8, 11, 1: non ab re esse Quinctio visum est interesse, etc., id. 35, 32, 6; Plin. 27, 8, 35, § 57; Suet. Aug. 94; Gell. 18, 4, 6; 1, 26, 4; Macr. S. 1, 4, 19.
    4. D. Cause, reason, ground, account; only in the connection eā (hac) re, and eam ob rem, adverb., therefore, on that account: eā re tot res sunt, ubi bene deicias, Cato, R. R. 158, 2: hac re nequeunt ex omnibus omnia gigni, Quod, etc., Lucr. 1, 172; cf.: illud eā re a se esse concessum, quod, etc., Cic. Ac. 2, 34, 111: patrem exoravi, tibi ne noceat, neu quid ob eam rem succenseat, Plaut. Bacch. 4, 4, 39; cf.: quoi rei? for what purpose? id. As. 3, 2, 43; id. Poen. 2, 3, 3.
      Hence (by uniting into one word) the causal adverbs quare and quamobrem, v. h. vv.
    5. E. An affair, matter of business, business: cum et de societate inter se multa communicarent et de totā illā ratione atque re Gallicanā, Cic. Quint. 4, 15: rem cum aliquo transigere, id. Clu. 13, 39.
      Hence, transf., in gen.: res alicui est cum aliquo, to have to do with any one, Cic. Rosc. Am. 30, 84; id. Sest. 16, 37; id. Fam. 9, 20, 2; Caes. B. G. 7, 77; cf.: famigeratori res sit cum damno et malo, Plaut. Trin. 1, 2, 182 Brix ad loc.
      Also without a dat.: quoniam cum senatore res est, Cic. Fam. 13, 26, 3; esp., in mal. part.: rem habere cum aliquo or aliquā, to have to do with any one, Plaut. Bacch. 3, 6, 35; id. Merc. 3, 1, 37; Ter. Eun. 1, 2, 39; 58.
      Ellipt.: jam biennium est, quom mecum rem coepit, Plaut. Merc. 3, 1, 15.
  3. F. A case in law, a lawsuit, cause, suit (more gen. than causa): ubi res prolatae sunt, Plaut. Capt. 1, 1, 10: res agi, id. Men. 4, 2, 19; id. Aul. 3, 4, 13: quibus res erat in controversiā, ea vocabatur lis, Varr. L. L. 7, § 93; cf. (prob. in allusion to this legal form): tot homines … statuere non potuisse, utrum diem tertium an perendinum … rem an litem dici oporteret, Cic. Mur. 12, 27; cf. also: quarum rerum litium causarum condixit pater patratus, etc., an ancient formula, Liv. 1, 32: de rebus ab aliquo cognitis judicatisque dicere, Cic. Verr. 2, 2, 48, § 118: pecunias capere ob rem judicandam, id. Fin. 2, 16, 54: si res certabitur olim, Hor. S. 2, 5, 27; 1, 10, 15; 1, 9, 41; id. Ep. 1, 16, 43: tractu temporis futurum, ut res pereat, Dig. 3, 3, 12: rem differre, ib. 43, 30, 3: res judicata dicitur, quae finem controversiarum pronuntiatione judicis accipit, ib. 42, 1, 1 et saep.
  4. G. An affair, esp. a battle, campaign, military operations; in phrase rem (or res) gerere: res gesta virtute, Cic. Fin. 5, 23, 66: ut res gesta est ordine narrare, Ter. Ad. 3, 5, 3: his rebus gestis, Caes. B. G. 5, 8: res gerere, Hor. Ep. 1, 17, 33: rem bene gerere, id. ib. 1, 8, 1; Ter. Ad. 5, 1, 13: comminus rem gerunt, Caes. B. G. 5, 44: res gestae, Hor. Ep. 1, 3, 7; 2, 1, 251: adversus duos simul rem gerere, Liv. 21, 60: rem male gerere, Nep. Them. 3, 3; Hor. S. 2, 3, 74: in relatione rerum ab Scythis gestarum, Just. 2, 1, 1; cf.: rem agere, Hor. S. 1, 9, 4; id. A. P. 82: ante rem, before the battle, Liv. 4, 40: cum Thebanis sibi rem esse existimant, Nep. Pel. 1, 3; Cic. Sest. 16, 37.
  5. H. Acts, events, as the subject of narration, a story, history: res in unam sententiam scripta, Auct. Her. 1, 12, 20: cui lecta potenter erit res, Hor. A. P. 40; id. S. 1, 10, 57; id. Ep. 1, 19, 29: in medias res auditorem rapere, id. A. P. 148; 310: agitur res in scaenis, id. ib. 179; cf.: numeros animosque secutus, non res, id. Ep. 1, 19, 25; Phaedr. 5, 1, 12: sicut in rebus ejus (Neronis) exposuimus, Plin. 2, 83, 85, § 199: litterae, quibus non modo res omnis, sed etiam rumores cognoscamus, Cic. Att. 5, 5, 1: res populi Romani perscribere, Liv. praef. § 1: res Persicae, history, Nep. Con. 5, 4; id. Cat. 3, 2.
  6. K. Res publica, also as one word, respublica, the common weal, a commonwealth, state, republic (cf. civitas); also, civil affairs, administration, or power, etc.: qui pro republicā, non pro suā obsonat, Cato ap. Ruf. 18, p. 210; cf.: erat tuae virtutis, in minimis tuas res ponere, de re publicā vehementius laborare, Cic. Fam. 4, 9, 3: dummodo ista privata sit calamitas et a rei publicae periculis sejungatur, id. Cat. 1, 9; cf.: si re publicā non possis frui, stultum est nolle privatā, id. Fam. 4, 9, 4: egestates tot egentissimorum hominum nec privatas posse res nec rem publicam sustinere, id. Att. 9, 7, 5 (v. publicus); Cato ap. Gell. 10, 14, 3: auguratum est, rem Romanam publicam summam fore, Att. ap. Cic. Div. 1, 22, 45: quo utiliores rebus suis publicis essent, Cic. Off. 1, 44, 155: commutata ratio est rei totius publicae, id. Att. 1, 8, 4: pro republicā niti, Cato ap. Charis. p. 196 fin.: merere de republicā, Plaut. Am. prol. 40: de re publicā disputatio . . . dubitationem ad rem publicam adeundi tollere, etc., Cic. Rep. 1, 7, 12: oppugnare rem publicam, id. Cael. 1, 1; id. Har. Resp. 8, 15; id. Sest. 23, 52: paene victā re publicā, id. Fam. 12, 13, 1: delere rem publicam, id. Sest. 15, 33; Lact. 6, 18, 28.
    Esp. in the phrase e re publicā, for the good of the State, for the public benefit: senatūs consultis bene et e re publicā factis, Cic. Phil. 3, 12, 30: ea si dicam non esse e re publicā dividi, id. Fam. 13, 8, 2; id. Mil. 5, 14; Liv. 8, 4, 12; 25, 7, 4; 34, 34, 9; Suet. Rhet. 1 init.
    Post-class. and rare, also ex republicā, Gell. 6, 3, 47; 11, 9, 1; but exque is used for euphony (class.): id eum recte atque ordine exque re publicā fecisse, Cic. Phil. 3, 15, 38; 5, 13, 36; 10, 11, 26.
    In plur.: eae nationes respublicas suas amiserunt, C. Gracch. ap. Fest. s. h. v. p. 286 Müll.: hoc loquor de tribus his generibus rerum publicarum, Cic. Rep. 1, 28, 44: circuitus in rebus publicis commutationum, id. ib. 1, 29, 45 et saep.
      1. 2. Sometimes simply res, the State (in the poets, and since the Aug. per. in prose): unus homo nobis cunctando restituit rem, Enn. ap. Cic. Off. 1, 24, 84 (Ann. v. 313 Vahl.): hic (Marcellus) rem Romanam sistet, Verg. A. 6, 858; cf.: nec rem Romanam tam desidem umquam fuisse, Liv. 21, 16; 1, 28: parva ista non contemnendo majores nostri maximam hanc rem fecerunt, id. 6, 41 fin.: Romana, Hor. C. S. 66; id. Ep. 1, 12, 25; Ov. M. 14, 809; Sall. C. 6, 3; cf.: ut paulo ante animum inter Fidenatem Romanamque rem ancipitem gessisti, Liv. 1, 28 fin.: Albana, id. 1, 6.
        In plur.: res Asiae evertere, Verg. A. 3, 1: custode rerum Caesare, Hor. C. 4, 15, 17; cf.: res sine discordiā translatae, Tac. H. 1, 29; so (also in Cic.), rerum potiri, v. potior.
  7. L. Res novae, political changes, a revolution, etc.; v. novus.