Lewis & Short

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artĭfex, fĭcis, m. [ars-facio]. Subst.

  1. A.
    1. 1. One that is master in the liberal arts (while opifex is a master in the artes sordidae; cf. ars, I. B. 1.), an artist, artificer: illi artifices corporis simulacra ignotis nota faciebant, Cic. Fam. 5, 12: reponendarum (tegularum) nemo artifex (i. e. architectus) inire rationem potuit, Liv. 42, 3: in armamentario multis talium operum (sc. tormentorum) artificibus de industriā inclusis, id. 29, 35: ut aiunt in Graecis artificibus eos auloedos esse, qui citharoedi fieri non potuerint, sic, etc., Cic. Mur. 13, 29; cf. Ov. M. 11, 169 al.: artifices scaenici, Cic. Arch. 5, 10; id. Quinct. 25; Suet. Caes. 84: artifex lignorum, a carpenter, Vulg. 2 Reg. 5, 11; so, artifex lignarius, ib. Isa. 44, 13: artifices lapidum, masons, ib. 2 Reg. 5, 11: artifex aerarius, a worker in bronze, ib. 3 Reg. 7, 14 (often thus used in Vulg. for opifex).
      Also absol.: artifex, Plaut. Am. prol. 70: multi artifices ex Graeciā venerunt, Liv. 39, 22; so id. 5, 1; 5, 7; 5, 2; 41, 20; so Vulg. Exod. 36, 4; ib. Isa. 40, 20; ib. Act. 19, 24 et saep.
      So of a charioteer, as in Gr. τεχνίτης: ne hoc gloriae artificis daretur (auriga standing just before), Plin. 7, 53, 54, § 186.
      Of a physician, Liv. 5, 3.
      Of an orator or writer: Graeci dicendi artifices et doctores, Cic. de Or. 1, 6, 23: cum contra talem artificem (sc. Hortensium oratorem) dicturus essem, id. Quinct. 24 fin.: politus scriptor atque artifex, id. Or. 51, 172.
      1. 2. Trop., a master in any thing, in doing any thing, etc.: artifices ad corrumpendum judicium, Cic. Verr. 2, 5, 71: artifex callidus comparandarum voluptatum, id. Fin. 2, 35, 116: Cotta in ambitione artifex, Q. Cic. Petit. Cons. 12, 47: serendae in alios invidiae artifex, Tac. H. 2, 86 al.
    2. B. A maker, originator, author, contriver: si pulcher est hic mundus, si probus ejus artifex, etc., Cic. Tim. 2: cujus (civitatis) artifex et conditor (est) Deus, Vulg. Heb. 11, 10: artifex omnium natura, Plin. 2, 1, 1, § 3: si indocta consuetudo tam est artifex suavitatis, id. Or. 48, 161: artificem (sc. malorum) mediis immittam Terea flammis, Ov. M. 6, 615: vadit ad artificem dirae Polymestora caedis, id. ib. 13, 551: sceleris infandi artifex, Sen. Agam. 975.
      Ironic.: O artificem probum! Ter. Phorm. 2, 1, 29.
      Also for a sly, cunning contriver, inventor of a thing (cf. ars, II. fin.): et mihi jam multi crudele canebant Artificis scelus, Verg. A. 2, 125; 11, 407.
  2. II. Adj.
    1. A. Act., skilled in a thing; skilful, practised, ingenious, dexterous: Bomilcar et per homines talis negotii artifices itinera explorat, Sall. J. 35, 5: miles decollandi artifex, Suet. Calig. 32: artifex faber de silvā, Vulg. Sap. 13, 11: tam artifices saltationis, Suet. Tit. 7.
      Also of inanimate things: artifices Natura manus admovit, Ov. M. 15, 218: Tellus artifices ne terat Osca manus, Prop. 5, 2, 62: artifex, ut ita dicam, stilus, Cic. Brut. 25, 95: mobilitas ignea artifex ad formanda corpora, Plin. 6, 30, 35, § 187: vir tam artificis ingenii, id. 8, 16, 21, § 55 al.
      Poet. with inf.: venter, negatas artifex sequi voces, Pers. prol. 11.
    2. B. Pass., skilfully prepared or made, artistic, artificial, ingenious: quattuor artifices vivida signa boves, Prop. 3, 29, 8: tantae tamque artifices argutiae, Plin. 10, 29, 4, § 85: artifex dimicatio, id. 8, 40, 61, § 150: motus, Quint. 9, 4, 8: manus libratur artifici temperamento, Plin. 12, 25, 54, § 115: artifex vultus, Pers. 5, 40: plaga, Sol. 35 al.
      Poet. of a horse, broken, trained, Ov. A. A. 3, 556.