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1. magnus, a, um (archaic gen. magnai for magnae: magnai reipublicai gratia, Plaut. Mil. 2, 1, 23), adj.; comp. mājor, us; sup. maxĭmus (maxŭm-), a, um [root magh-; Sanscr. mahat, mabā, great; Gr. μέγας; cf. μείζων for μεγιων; cf. μῆχος, majestas; also cf. root mak-; Gr. μακρός, and perh. μάκαρ], great, large.
- I. Lit., of physical size or quantity, great, large; of things, vast, extensive, spacious, etc.: nequam et magnus homo, a great, tall fellow, Lucil. ap. Varr. L. L. 7, § 32 Müll.; cf. the double meaning: tu, bis denis grandia libris Qui scribis Priami proelia, magnus homo es, a great man, Mart. 9, 51, 4: magna ossa lacertique Apparent homini, Lucil. ap. Macr. S. 6, 1: magna ossa lacertosque Exuit, Verg. A. 5, 422: (scarus) magnusque bonusque, Enn. ap. App. Mag. p. 299 (Heduph. v. 9 Vahl.): indu mari magno, id. ap. Macr. 6, 2 (Ann. v. 425 Vahl.); so, in mari magno, id. ap. Fest. p. 356 Müll.; cf. Lucr. 2, 554: magnus fluens Nilus, Verg. G. 3, 28; Sen. Q. N. 4, 2, 2: magna et pulcra domus, spacious, Cic. N. D. 2, 6, 17: montes, Cat. 64. 280; cf. Olympum, Enn. ap. Varr. L. L. 7, § 20 Müll. (Ann. v. 1 Vahl.): templa caelitum, vast, id. ib. 7, § 6 (Trag. v. 227 Vahl.): magnae quercus, great oaks, lofty oaks, id. ap. Macr. S. 6, 2 (Ann. v. 194 Vahl.): aquae, great floods, inundations, Liv. 24, 9: saxa maxima, Enn. ap. Cic. Tusc. 1, 16, 37: oppidum maximum, Caes. B. G. 1, 23.
- B. Esp.
- 1. Of measure, weight, quantity, great, much, abundant, considerable, etc.: maximum pondus auri, magnum numerum frumenti, vim mellis maximam exportasse, Cic. Verr. 2, 2, 72, § 176: magna pecunia mutua, id. Att. 11, 3, 3: copia pabuli, Caes. B. G. 1, 16: multitudo peditatus, id. ib. 4, 34: divitiae, Nep. Dion. 1, 2: populus, Verg. A. 1, 148.
- 2. Rarely of time, for longus, multus: interea magnum sol circumvolvitur annum, Verg. A. 3, 284: magnum vocans solis (annum) comparatione lunaris, Macr. S. 2, 11: magno post tempore, Just. 11, 10, 14; 32, 3, 10.
- 3. Of the voice, loud, powerful, strong, mighty: magnā voce confiteri, Cic. Caecin. 32, 92: major pars, the majority: tribunorum, Liv. 9, 46, 7.
- II. Trop.
- A. In gen., great, grand, mighty, noble, lofty, important, of great weight or importance, momentous: cum magnis dis, Enn. ap. Cic. Off. 1, 12, 38 (Ann. v. 207 Vahl.); cf.: Saturnia magna dearum, id. ap. Prisc. p. 1103 P. (Ann. v. 482 Vahl.): vir magnus in primis, Cic. N. D. 1, 43, 120: nemo igitur vir magnus sine aliquo adflatu divino umquam fuit, id. ib. 2, 66, 167: magnus hoc bello Themistocles fuit, nec minor in pace, Nep. Them. 6, 1: Cato clarus atque magnus habetur, Sall. C. 53, 1: amicus, great, wealthy, Juv. 6, 312: res magnas parvasque Eloqui, Enn. ap. Gell. 12, 4 (Ann. v. 244 Vahl.): virtus, Caes. B. G. 2, 15: infamia, Cic. Fam. 1, 1: eloquentia, gravitas, studium, contentio, id. ib.: multo major alacritas, studiumque pugnandi majus, Caes. B. G. 1, 46: causa, great, important, weighty, Cic. Dom. 1, 1: opus et arduum, id. Or. 10, 33.
Absol. in neutr, sing. and plur.: quamquam id magnum, et arduum est, something great, Cic. Fam. 6, 7, 6: magna Di curant (great things, important matters), parva neglegunt, id. N. D. 2, 66, 167: magna loqui, to say great things, speak boastfully, Tib. 2, 6, 11: magnum est efficere, ut quis intellegat, quid sit illud, etc., it is a great, difficult, important thing, Cic. Ac. 1, 2, 7: probitatem vel in eis, quos numquam vidimus, vel, quod majus est, in hoste etiam diligimus, what is far greater, id. Lael. 9, 29: annus magnus, the great year, at the end of which the sun, moon, and planets were supposed to return to the same relative positions, the Piatonic year or cycle, consisting of 15000 years: quarum (stellarum) ex disparibus motionibus, magnum annum mathematici nominaverunt, etc., Cic. N. D. 2, 20, 52; id. Fragm. ap. Tac. Or. 16.
Posit. in comparison: Alexander orbi magnus est, Alex. andro orbis angustus, great in comparison with, i. e. too great for, Sen. Suas. 1, 3.
- B. In partic.
- 1. Of age, with natu, advanced in years, of great age, aged: jam magno natu, Nep. Paus. 5; Liv. 3, 71, 3: homo magnus natu, id. 10, 38, 6.
Usually in the comp. and sup., with or without natu or annis, older, the elder, the oldest or eldest: qui (Livius) fuit major natu quam Plautus et Naevius, older than, earlier, Cic. Tusc. 1, 1, 3: audivi ex majoribus natu, id. Off. 1, 30, 109: hic una e multis, quae maxima natu, Pyrgo, Verg. A. 5, 644: annos natus major quadraginta, more than, Cic. Rosc. Am. 14, 39: civis major annis viginti, Suet. Caes. 42: cum liberis, majoribus quam quindecim annos natis, Liv. 45, 32.
Absol.: senis nostri frater major, the elder of two, Ter. Phorm. 1, 2, 13: ex duobus filiis major, Caes B. C. 3, 108, 3: Fabii Ambusti filiae duae nuptae, Ser. Sulpicio major minor Licinio Stoloni erat, Liv. 6, 34: Gelo maximus stirpis, id. 23, 30: ut nubere vellet mulier viro, major juniori, App. Mag. 27, p. 291, 28; cf. in gen.: Cyrus major, Lact. 4, 5, 7: quaerere uter major aetate fuerit, Homerus an Hesiodus, cum minor Hecuba fuerit quam Helena, Sen. Ep. 88, 5.
In legal lang., major (opp. minor), one who has attained his twenty-fifth year, who is of age: si minor negotiis majoris intervenerit, Dig. 4, 4, 24.
In plur. subst.: mājō-res, um, m., adults (opp. pueri), Varr. L. L. 9, 10, § 16 Müll.
But usually majores, ancestors, forefathers: Itan tandem hanc majores famam tradiderunt tibi tui, Ut, etc., Plaut. Trin. 3, 2, 16: ibi mei sunt majores siti, pater, avos, proavos, abavos, id. Mil. 2, 4, 20: L. Philippus, vir patre, avo, majoribus suis dignissimus, Cic. Phil. 3, 10, 25: patres majoresque nostri, id. Div. in Caecil. 21, 69: more majorum, id. Att. 1, 1, 1: spes tamen una est, aliquando populum Romanum majorum similem fore, id. Fam. 12, 22, 2: majores natu, Nep. Iphicr. 1, 1: maxima virgo, the eldest of the Vestal virgins, Ov. F. 4, 639: major erus, the old master, the master of the house, the old man (opp.: minor erus, the young master): Le. Ubinam est erus? Li. Major apud forum’st, minor hic est intus, Plaut. As. 2, 2, 63: majores natu, of the Senate: de istis rebus in patriā majores natu consulemus, Liv. 1, 32, 10.
In designating relationship, magnus denotes kindred of the fourth, major of the fifth, and maximus of the sixth degree; so, avunculus magnus, a great-uncle; amita magna, a greataunt; avunculus or amita major; avunculus maximus, amita maxima, etc.; v. h. vv., and cf. Dig. 38, 10, 10.
- 2. In specifications of value, in the neutr. absol., magni or magno, high, dear, of great value, at a high price, etc.; cf.: pretii majoris or maximi, higher, highest, very high: magni esse, to be highly esteemed, Cic. Fam. 13, 72, 2: magni aestimare, id. Tusc. 5, 7, 20: magni existimans interesse ad decus, to be of great consequence, id. N. D. 1, 4, 7: emere agros poterunt quam volent magno, id. Agr. 2, 13, 34: magno vendere, id. Verr. 2, 3, 30, § 71: conducere aliquid nimium magno, too high, too dear, id. Att. 1, 17, 9: magno illi ea cunctatio stetit, cost him dear, Liv. 2, 36.
Comp.: ornatus muliebris majoris pretii, Cic. Inv 1, 31, 51, rarely without pretii: multo majoris alapae mecum veneunt, dearer, higher, Phaedr. 2, 5, 25.
Sup.: te haec solum semper fecit maxumi, most highly prized, Ter And. 1, 5, 58: senatus auctoritatem sibi maximi videri, Cic. Att. 1, 14, 2: in majus, too greatly, too highly, greater than it is: extollere aliquid in majus, more highly than it deserves, Tac. A. 15, 30: celebrare, id. ib. 13, 8: nuntiare, id. H. 3, 38: credere, to believe a thing to be worse than it is, id. ib. 1, 18: accipere, to take a thing to be greater than it is, id. ib. 3, 8 init.: innotescere, in an exaggerated manner, id. ib 4, 50.
Also with abl., in majus vero ferri, Liv. 21, 32, 7.
- 3. Magnum and maximum, adverbially, greatly, loudly (ante- and post-class.): magnum clamat, greatly, with a loud voice, aloud, Plaut. Mil. 3, 2, 10: inclamare, Gell. 5, 9 fin.: exclamat derepente maximum, Plaut. Most. 2, 2, 57.
Hence, măgis, adv., only in comp. in this anomalous form (i. e. mag-ius, like pris-cus for prius-cus, and pris-tinus for prius-tinus); and in sup.: maxĭmē (maxŭmē).
- A. Comp.: magĭs (apocop. form, măgĕ, Plaut. As. 1, 1, 51; 2, 3, 14; id. Mon. 2, 3, 35; id. Poen. 1, 2, 64; 1, 2, 14; id. Trin. 4, 3, 46; id. Truc. 1, 2, 75; 3, 1, 17; 4, 4, 34; Lucr. 4, 81; 756; 5, 1203; Prop. 1, 11, 9; 3 (4), 14, 2; 4 (5), 8, 16; Verg. A. 10, 481; Sol. 22 fin.; but in Enn. ap. Cic. Fam. 7, 13, 2, magis or magi’. Acc. to Serv. Verg. A. 10, 481, Cicero in the Frumentaria wrote: mage condemnatum hominum in judicium adducere non posse), in a higher degree, more completely, more (for the difference between magis, plus, potius, and amplius, v. amplius).
- B. In gen.
- 1. With no qualifying words.
- a. With the addition of the second term of the comparison.
- (α) With verbs: quae (facinora) istaec aetas fugere magis quam sectari solet, Plaut. Mil. 3, 1, 28: saliendo sese exercebant magis, quam scorto aut saviis, id. Bacch. 3, 3, 25; id. Pers. 4, 4, 108; 86: magis honorem tribuere quam salutem accipere, Caes. B. G. 7, 20, 7: nisi forte magis erit parricida, si qui consularem patrem, quam si quis humilem necarit, Cic. Mil. 7, 17: magis ut consuetudinem servem, quam quod, etc., id. Clu. 32, 89.
Repeated: quam magis exhausto spumaverit ubere mulctra, Laeta magis pressis manabunt flumina mammis, i. e. quo magis, … eo magis, Verg. G. 3, 309 sq.; cf.: tam magis illa fremens … quam magis effuso crudescunt sanguine pugnae, id. ib. 7, 787 sq.; v. Hand, Turs. III. p. 566.
Magis est, quod or ut, there is greater reason, there is more cause that, etc.: quamobrem etsi magis est, quod gratuler tibi, quam quod te rogem: tamen etiam rogo, etc., Cic. Att. 16, 5, 2: magis est, ut ipse moleste ferat, errasse se, quam ut, etc., id. Cael. 6, 14.
- (β) With substt., usu. with quam: tu me amoris magis quam honoris servavisti gratiā, Poët. ap. Cic. Tusc. 4, 32, 69: bellipotentes sunt magi’ quam sapientipotentes, Enn. ap. Cic. Div. 2, 56, 116 (Ann. v. 188 Vahl.): umbra es amantum magis quam amator, Plaut. Mil. 3, 1, 31: magis adeo id facilitate quam alia ulla culpa mea contigit, Cic. de Or. 2, 4, 15: aditus ad consulatum non magis nobilitati quam virtuti pateret, id. Mur. 8, 17: magis ratione et consilio quam virtute vicisse, Caes. B. G. 1, 40, 8; cf.: ut magis virtute quam dolo contenderent, id. ib. 1, 13, 6: se magis consuetudine suā quam merito eorum civitatem conservaturum, id. ib. 2, 32, 1: timori magis quam religioni consulere, id. B. C. 1, 67, 3: jus bonumque apud eos non legibus magis quam naturā valebat, Sall. C. 9, 1: non duces magis quam milites callent (obsistere, etc.), Curt. 3, 2, 14.
And after negatives: non magis quam, as little as: in dicendo irasci, dolere … non sunt figurae, non magis quam suadere, Quint. 9, 1, 23: Romanos nec magis jam dolo capi quam armis vinci posse, Liv. 10, 4, 10: pro certo habens non magis Antonio eripi se quam Caesari Brutum posse, Sen. Suas. 6, 17: non magis Alexandri saevitiam quam Bessi parricidium ferre potuisse, Curt. 7, 6, 15; cf.: nec magis post proelium quam in proelio caedibus temperatum est, Liv. 2, 16, 9.
Followed by atque instead of quam (rare): non Apollinis magis verum atque hoc responsum est, Ter. And. 4, 2, 15.
With the comp. abl. (rare): quid philosophiā magis colendum? Cic. Fin. 3, 22, 76: quanto magis Aliensi die Aliam ipsam reformidaturos? Liv. 6, 28, 6 Weissenb. ad loc.: quam Juno fertur terris magis omnibus unam … coluisse, Verg. A. 1, 15 (cf. B. 3. infra): Albanum sive Falernum Te magis appositis delectat, Hor. S. 2, 8, 17.
- (γ) With pronn.: quid habetis, qui mage immortales vos credam esse quam ego siem? Plaut. Poen. 1, 2, 64: quis homo sit magis meus quam tu es? id. Mil. 3, 1, 20: quam mage amo quam matrem meam, id. Truc. 3, 1, 17; cf.: quem ego ecastor mage amo quam me, id. ib. 4, 4, 34.
With utrum, followed by an: jam scibo, utrum haec me mage amet, an marsupium, Plaut. Men. 2, 3, 35.
With the abl. instead of quam: nec magis hac infra quicquam est in corpore nostro, Lucr. 3, 274; Verg. A. 1, 15.
- (δ) With adjj. and advv., and esp. with those which do not admit the comparative termination (most freq. without adding the second term of the comparison; v. under b. δ): numquam potuisti mihi Magis opportunus advenire quam advenis, Plaut. Most. 3, 1, 47: neque lac lacti magis est simile, quam ille ego similis est mei, id. Am. 2, 1, 54: ars magis magna atque uber, quam difficilis et obscura, Cic. de Or. 1, 42, 190: corpora magna magis quam firma, Liv. 5, 44, 4: vultu pulchro magis quam venusto, Suet. Ner. 51.
With the abl., Plaut. As. 3, 3, 114: neque ego hoc homine quemquam vidi magis malum, id. Ps. 4, 1, 27: ab secundis rebus magis etiam solito incauti, Liv. 5, 44, 6.
With compp. (adding to their force): ita fustibus sum mollior miser magis quam ullus cinaedus, Plaut. Aul. 3, 2, 8.
- b. Without the addition of the second term.
- (α) With verbs: ergo plusque magisque viri nunc gloria claret, Enn. ap. Macr. S. 6, 1 (Ann. v. 315 Vahl.): sapiunt magis, Plaut. Bacch. 3, 3, 4: magis curae est, magisque afformido, ne, etc., id. ib. 4, 10, 3: magis metuant, id. Mil. 5, 44: tum magis id diceres, Fanni, si, etc., Cic. Lael. 7 fin.; cf. id. Rep. 1, 40, 62: cum Pompeius ita contendisset, ut nihil umquam magis, id. Fam. 1, 9, 20: magis velle, for malle: quod magis vellem evenire, Ter. Eun. 5, 7, 1; Val. Fl. 3, 270.
- (β) With substt.: non ex jure manum consertum sed magi’ ferro, Enn. ap. Gell. 20, 10 (Ann. v. 276 Vahl.): magis aedilis fieri non potuisset, better, finer, Cic. Planc. 24, 60.
- (γ) With pronn.: ecastor neminem hodie mage Amat corde atque animo suo, Plaut. Truc. 1, 2, 75.
- (δ) With adjj. and advv. (so most freq.).
With adjj.: ut quadam magis necessaria ratione recte sit vivendum, Cic. Verr. 2, 3, 1, § 2: magis anxius, Ov. M. 1, 182: hic magis tranquillu’st, Plaut. Bacch. 5, 2, 55: nihil videtur mundius, nec magis compositum quicquam, nec magis elegans, Ter. Eun. 5, 4, 12: nemo fuit magis severus nec magis continens, id. ib. 2, 1, 21: quod est magis verisimile, Caes. B. G. 3, 13, 6: magis admirabilis oratio, Quint. 8, 3, 24: magis communia verba, id. 8, 2, 24 et saep.; rare: magis quam in aliis = praeter ceteros; nescio quo pacto magis quam in aliis suum cuique pulchrum est, Cic. Tusc. 5, 22, 63.
With advv.: magis aperte, Ter. Ad. 4, 5, 30: magis impense, id. ib. 5, 9, 36.
With compp. adding to their force: magis est dulcius, Plaut. Stich. 5, 4, 22: magis majores nugae, id. Men. prol. 55: magis modum in majorem, id. Am. 1, 1, 145: contentiores mage erunt, id. Poen. 2, 15.
- 2. Strengthened.
- a. By etiam, multo, tanto, eo, hoc, quo, tam, quam; and negatively, nihilo: qualis in dicendo Hierocles Alabandeus, magis etiam Menecles, frater ejus, fuit, Cic. Brut. 95, 325; id. Off. 1, 21, 72: illud ad me, ac multo etiam magis ad vos, id. de Or. 2, 32, 139: tanto magis Dic, quis est? Plaut. Bacch. 3, 6, 28: ut quidque magis contemplor, tanto magis placet, id. Most. 3, 2, 146: vicina cacumina caelo, quam sint magis, tanto magis fument, Lucr. 6, 460: quanto ille plura miscebat, tanto hic magis in dies convalescebat, Cic. Mil. 9, 25: sed eo magis cauto est Opus, ne huc exeat, qui, etc., Plaut. Most. 4, 2, 22: atque eo magis, si, etc., Cic. Verr. 2, 3, 1, § 1: eoque magis quod, etc., id. Lael. 2, 7; Caes. B. G. 1, 23; 1, 47; 3, 14; 5, 1: immo vero etiam hoc magis, quam illi veteres, quod, etc., Cic. Agr. 2, 35, 97: hoc vero magis properare Varro, ut, etc., Caes. B. C. 2, 20: quo magis cogito ego cum meo animo, Plaut. Most. 3, 2, 13; Nep. Thras. 2: magis quam id reputo, tam magis uror, Plaut. Bacch. 5, 1, 5: tam magis illa fremens … Quam magis, etc., Verg. A. 7, 787: quanto mage … tam magis, Lucr. 4, 81 sq.: quam magis in pectore meo foveo, quas meus filius turbas turbet … magis curae est magisque afformido, ne, etc., Plaut. Bacch. 4, 10, 1; 4, 4, 27; id. Men. 1, 1, 19: quam magis te in altum capessis, tam aestus te in portum refert, id. As. 1, 3, 6: densior hinc suboles Quam magis, etc., Verg. G. 3, 309: cum Vercingetorix nihilo magis in aequum locum descenderet, Caes. B. G. 6, 53.
- b. By reduplication: magis magisque, magis et magis, magis ac magis; and poet. also, magis magis, more and more: ex desiderio magis magisque maceror, Afran. ap. Charis. p. 182 P.: cum cotidie magis magisque perditi homines tectis ac templis urbis minarentur, Cic. Phil. 1, 2, 5; id. Fam. 2, 18, 2; 16, 21, 2; Sall. C. 5, 7; cf. Cic. Fil. Fam. 16, 21, 2: de Graecia cotidie magis et magis cogito, Cic. Att. 14, 18, 4; 16, 3, 1; id. Brut. 90, 308; Liv. 7, 32, 6; Sall. J. 8, 6: magis deinde ac magis, Suet. Vit. 10: post hoc magis ac magis, id. Gram. 3; for which also: magisque ac magis deinceps, id. Tit. 3; Tac. A. 14, 8; Sen. de Ira, 3, 1, 4; id. Ep. 114, 25; id. Ben. 2, 14, 4; Plin. Ep. 1, 12, 10; 7, 3, 4; 10, 28, 3.
Poet. also: magis atque magis, Verg. A. 12, 239; Cat. 68, 48: post, vento crescente, magis magis increbescunt, id. 64, 275; cf. Verg. G. 4, 311.
- 3. Pleon.
- a. With potius (anteclass.): magis decorum’st Libertum potius quam patronum onus in via portare, Plaut. As. 3, 3, 99: mihi magis lubet cum probis potius quam cum improbis vivere, id. Trin. 2, 1, 38.
- b. With malle: quam cum lego, nihil malo quam has res relinquere; his vero auditis multo magis, Cic. Tusc. 1, 31, 76: finge enim malle eum magis suum consequi quam, etc., Dig. 17, 2, 52, § 10.
- C. In partic.: non (neque) magis quam.
- 1. To signify perfect equality between two enunciations, no more … than; just as much … as; or neg., no more … than; just as little … as: domus erat non domino magis ornamento quam civitati, i. e. just as much to the city as to its owner, Cic. Verr. 2, 4, 3, § 5; Planc. ap. Cic. Fam. 10, 4, 2: non Hannibale magis victo a se quam Q. Fabio, Liv. 22, 27, 2: conficior enim maerore, mea Terentia, nec me meae miseriae magis excruciant quam tuae vestraeque, Cic. Fam. 13, 3, 1; Liv. 9, 22.
Neg.: qui est enim animus in aliquo morbo … non magis est sanus, quam id corpus, quod in morbo est, i. e. is just as far from being sound as a body, etc., Cic. Tusc. 3, 5, 10: si aliquā in re Verris similis fuero, non magis mihi deerit inimicus quam Verri defuit, id. Verr. 2, 3, 69, § 162; id. Fam. 5, 12, 3; id. de Or. 2, 8, 31: non nascitur itaque ex malo bonum, non magis quam ficus ex olea, Sen. Ep. 87, 25; Quint. prooem. § 26: non magis Gaium imperaturum, quam per Baianum sinum equis discursurum, Suet. Calig. 19.
Ellipt.: nec eo magis lege liberi sunto, just as little from that as from the rest, Cic. Leg. 3, 4, 11.
- 2. For restricting the idea expressed in the clause with non magis, so that not more, according to a common figure of speech, = less; in Engl. not so much … as; less … than: deinde credas mihi affirmanti velim, me hoc non pro Lysone magis quam pro omnibus scribere, Cic. Fam. 13, 24; Planc. ap. Cic. Fam. 10, 17: miserebat non poenae magis homines, quam sceleris, quo poenam meriti essent, Liv. 2, 5; 1, 28.
- 3. Magis minusve, magis aut minus, or magis ac minus; post-Aug. for the usual plus minusve, more or less: sed istud magis minusve vitiosum est pro personis dicentium, Quint. 11, 1, 27; Plin. 17, 24, 37, § 220: minora vero plerumque sunt talia, ut pro persona, tempore, loco, causa magis ac minus vel excusata debeant videri vel reprehendenda, Quint. 11, 1, 14; Plin. 37, 5, 18, § 67: quaedam tamen et nationibus puto magis aut minus convenire, Sen. Ep. 40, 11; cf.: quosdam minus aut magis osos veritatem, id. Suas. 1, 5: aut minus, aut magis, id. Ep. 82, 14.
- 4. With alius … alio, etc.: ceterae philosophorum disciplinae, omnino alia magis alia, sed tamen omnes, one more than another, i. e. in different degrees, Cic. Fin. 3, 3, 11 Madvig. ad loc. (al.: alia magis, alia minus, v. Hand, Turs. III. p. 560): mihi videntur omnes quidem illi errasse … sed alius alio magis, Cic. Fin. 4, 16, 43: sunt omnino omnes fere similes, sed declarant communis notiones, alia magis alia, id. Tusc. 4, 24, 53: alii aliis magis recusare, Liv. 29, 15, 11.
Sup.: maxĭmē (maxŭmē), in the highest degree, most of all, most particularly, especially, exceedingly, very, etc.
- A. Lit.
- 1. Alone.
- a. With a verb: haec una res in omni libero populo maximeque in pacatis tranquillisque civitatibus praecipue semper floruit, Cic. de Or. 1, 8, 30: quid commemorem primum aut laudem maxime? Ter. Eun. 5, 9, 14; 3, 1, 79: nos coluit maxime, id. Ad. 3, 2, 54: quem convenire maxime cupiebam, Plaut. Pers. 2, 4, 30; id. As. 3, 3, 133: de te audiebamus ea, quae maxime vellemus, Cic. Fam. 12, 25, a, 7; cf. id. Att. 13, 1: extra quos (fines) egredi non possim, si maxime velim, id. Quint. 10, 35: in re publica maxime conservanda sunt jura belli, most especially, id. Off. 1, 11, 33: huic legioni Caesar propter virtutem confidebat maxime, Caes. B. G. 1, 40: quem Homero crederet maxime accedere, came nearest to, Quint. 10, 1, 86; cf. pugnare, most violently, Plaut. Am. 1, 1, 271; 1, 1, 44: jubere, most positively, id. Bacch. 4, 9, 80: id enim est profecto, quod constituta religione rem publicam contineat maxime, Cic. Leg. 2, 27, 69; cf. maxime fin.: ab eo exordiri volui maxime, id. Off. 1, 2, 4: cernere naturae vim maxime, id. Tusc. 1, 15, 35.
- b. With an adj.: res maxime necessaria, Cic. Lael. 23, 86: loca maxime frumentaria, Caes. B. G. 1, 10: loci ad hoc maxime idonei, Quint. 1, 11, 13: maxime naturali carent amicitiā, Cic. Lael. 21, 80: maxime feri, Caes. B. G. 2, 4: qui eo tempore maxime plebi acceptus erat, id. ib. 1, 3: īdem ad augendam eloquentiam maxime accommodati erunt, Quint. 1, 11, 13: elegans maxime auctor, id. 10, 1, 93: maxime vero commune est quaerere, an sit honesta? etc., id. 2, 4, 37: noto enim maxime utar exemplo, id. 7, 3, 3.
So with supp.: quae maxime liberalissima, Cic. Att. 12, 38, 3: maxime gravissimam omniumque (rerum), Liv. 41, 23, 4 MS. (dub.: maxumam gravissimamque, Weissenb.).
- c. With numerals, at most: puer ad annos maxime natus octo, Gell. 17, 8, 4.
- d. With an adv.: ut dicatis quam maxime ad veritatem accommodate, Cic. de Or. 1, 33, 149 (v. infra 2).
- 2. Strengthened by unus, unus omnium, omnium, multo, vel, tam, quam, etc. (supply potest): qui proelium unus maxime accenderat, Curt. 5, 2, 5: cum suā modestiā unus omnium maxime floreret, Nep. Milt. 1, 1: quae maxime omnium belli avida, Liv. 23, 49; 4, 59; cf. Drak. ad Liv. 36, 19, 4: atque ea res multo maxime disjunxit illum ab illa, Ter. Hec. 1, 2, 85: imperium populi Romani multo maxime miserabile visum est, Sall. C. 36, 4: illud mihi videtur vel maxime confirmare, etc., Cic. N. D. 2, 65, 162: hoc enim uno praestamus vel maxime feris, id. de Or. 1, 8, 32: quae quidem vel maxime suspicionem movent, id. Part. Or. 33, 114: quam potes, tam verba confer maxime ad compendium, as much as possible, Plaut. Mil. 3, 1, 186: ego jubeo quam maxime unam facere nos hanc familiam, Ter. Ad. 5, 8, 2: ut quam maxime permaneant diuturna corpora, Cic. Tusc. 1, 45, 108; id. de Or. 1, 34, 154: quo mihi rectius videtur, memoriam nostri quam maxime longam efficere, Sall. C. 1, 3: ceterum illum juvenem incipere a quam maxime facili ac favorabili causa velim, Quint. 12, 6, 6.
- 3. With the relative qui in the phrases, quam qui maxime and ut qui maxime: tam enim sum amicus rei publicae, quam qui maxime, as any one whatever, Cic. Fam. 5, 2, 6: grata ea res, ut quae maxime senatui umquam fuit, Liv. 5, 25; 7, 33.
- 4. With ut quisque … ita (maxime, potissimum or minime), the more … the more (or less): hoc maxime officii est, ut quisque maxime opis indigeat, ita ei potissimum opitulari, Cic. Off. 1, 15, 49: ut quisque magnitudine animae maxime excellit, ita maxime, etc., id. ib. 1, 19, 64; cf., in the contrary order: colendum autem esse ita quemque maxime, ut quisque maxime virtutibus his lenioribus erit ornatus, id. ib. 1, 15, 47: ut enim quisque maxime ad suum commodum refert, quaecumque agit, ita minime est vir bonus, id. Leg. 1, 18, 49.
- 5. In gradations, to denote the first and most desirable, first of all, in the first place: hujus industriam maxime quidem vellem, ut imitarentur ii, quos oportebat: secundo autem loco, ne alterius labori inviderent, Cic. Phil. 8, 10, 31; cf. id. Caecin. 9, 23: si per eum reductus insidiose redissem, me scilicet maxime sed proxime illum quoque fefellissem, id. Rab. Post. 12, 33: in quo genere sunt maxime oves, deinde caprae, Varr. R. R. 2, 9, 1: maxime … dein, Plin. 9, 16, 23, § 56: sed vitem maxime populus videtur alere, deinde ulmus, post etiam fraxinus, Col. 5, 6, 4: maxime … deinde … postea … minume, Plin. 37, 12, 75, § 196: maxime … postea … ultimae, Col. 6, 3, 6: post Chium maxime laudatur Creticum, mox Aegyptium, Plin. 18, 7, 17, § 77.
- B. Transf.
- 1. Like potissimum, to give prominence to an idea, especially, particularly, principally: quae ratio poetas, maximeque Homerum impulit, ut, etc., Cic. N. D. 2, 6, 6; Varr. R. R. 1, 51, 1: scribe aliquid, et maxime, si Pompeius Italiā cedit, Cic. Att. 7, 12, 4: de Cocceio et Libone quae scribis, approbo: maxime quod de judicatu meo, id. ib. 12, 19, 2; id. Fin. 5, 1, 1: cognoscat etiam rerum gestarum et memoriae veteris ordinem, maxime scilicet nostrae civitatis, id. Or. 34, 120; id. Att. 13, 1, 2.
So in the connection, cum … tum maxime; tum … tum maxime; ut … tum maxime, but more especially: scio et perspexi saepe: cum antehac, tum hodie maxime, Plaut. Mil. 4, 8, 56: plena exemplorum est nostra res publica, cum saepe, tum maxime bello Punico secundo, Cic. Off. 3, 11, 47; id. Att. 11, 6, 1; id. Fl. 38, 94: tum exercitationibus crebris atque magnis, tum scribendo maxime persequatur, id. de Or. 2, 23, 96: longius autem procedens, ut in ceteris eloquentiae partibus, tum maxime, etc., id. Brut. 93, 320.
With nunc, nuper, tum, cum, just, precisely, exactly: Me. Quid? vostrum patri Filii quot eratis? M. Su. Ut nunc maxime memini, duo, just now, Plaut. Men. 5, 9, 58: cum iis, quos nuper maxime liberaverat, Caes. B. C. 3, 9: ipse tum maxime admoto igne refovebat artus, Curt. 8, 4, 25; 6, 6, 10; 5, 7, 2; Liv. 27, 4, 2 Drak.: haec cum maxime loqueretur, sex lictores eum circumsistunt valentissimi, Cic. Verr. 2, 5, 54, § 142; cf. id. ib. 2, 2, 76, § 187; 2, 4, 38, § 72: totius autem injustitiae nulla capitalior, quam eorum, qui cum maxime fallunt, id agunt, ut viri boni esse videantur, id. Off. 1, 13, 41; Liv. 4, 3; 30, 33: tum cum maxime, at that precise time, at that moment, Liv. 40, 13, 4; 40, 32, 1; 33, 9, 3; 43, 7, 8; so, tunc cum maxime, Curt. 3, 2, 17: nunc cum maxime, Cic. Clu. 5, 12; id. Sen. 11, 38; Liv. 29, 17, 7; v. 2. cum.
- 2. In colloquial lang., to denote emphatic assent, certainly, by all means, very well, yes; and with immo, to express emphatic dissent, certainly not, by no means: Ar. Jace, pater, talos, ut porro nos jaciamus. De. Maxime, Plaut. As. 5, 2, 54; id. Curc. 2, 3, 36: Th. Nisi quid magis Es occupatus, operam mihi da. Si. Maxime, id. Most. 4, 3, 17; Ter. And. 4, 5, 23: Ca. Numquid peccatum est, Simo? Si. Immo maxime, Plaut. Ps. 1, 5, 80; Ter. Hec. 2, 1, 31: scilicet res ipsa aspera est, sed vos non timetis eam. Immo vero maxime, Sall. C. 52, 28 (v. immo); v. Hand, Turs. III. p. 552-607.
2. Magnus, i, m., a Roman surname, e. g. Cn. Pompeius Magnus; v. Pompeius.
maxĭmē (maxŭmē), adv., v. magnus fin.
maxĭmus (maxŭm-), a, um, v. magnus.
multus (old form moltus), a, um; comp. plus; sup. plurimus (v. at the end of this art.), adj. [etym. dub.], much, great, many, of things corporeal and incorporeal.
- I. Posit.
- A. In gen.: multi mortales, Cato ap. Gell. 10, 3, 17: multi suam rem bene gessere: multi qui, etc., Enn. ap. Cic. Fam. 7, 6, 1 (Trag. v. 295 sq. Vahl.): multi fortissimi viri, Cic. Fam. 5, 17, 3: rationes, id. de Or. 1, 51, 222. tam multis verbis scribere, at such length, id. Fam. 3, 8, 1: beneficia. Cato ap. Fest. s. v. ratissima, p. 286 Müll.: multi alii, Ter. And. 5, 4, 28.
When used with another adjective it is usually connected with it by a conjunction: multae et magnae contentiones, many great conlests, Cic. Phil. 2, 3, 7; 3, 10, 26: O multas et graves offensiones, id. Att. 11, 7, 3: multi et graves dolores, id. Verr. 2, 5, 45, § 119: multi et varii timores, Liv. 3, 16, 3: multae bonaeque artes animi, Sall. J. 28, 5: multa et clara facinora, Tac. A. 12, 31.
But when the second adjective is used substantively the conjunction is omitted: multi improbi, Cic. Off. 2, 8, 28; 2, 19, 65: multi boni, docti, prudentes, id. Fl. 4, 8: multi nobiles, id. Planc. 20, 50: multa acerba habuit ille annus, id. Sest. 27, 58; 66, 139: multa infanda, Liv. 28, 12, 5: multa falsa, id. 35, 23, 2.
Also, when the second adjective forms with its substantive a single conception: multa secunda proelia, victories, Liv. 9, 42, 5; 35, 1, 3; 41, 17, 1: multa libera capita, freemen, id. 42, 41, 11: multae liberae civitates, republics, Cic. Verr. 2, 4, 30, § 68: multos fortes viros, id. Cat. 3, 2, 7; id. Mur. 8, 17: multi clari viri, noblemen, id. Leg. 1, 5, 17: multi primarii viri, id. Verr. 2, 2, 61, § 149.
Similarly, et is omitted between multi and adjectives which form with their substantives familiar phrases: multi clarissimi viri, Cic. Phil. 11, 10, 24: multi amplissimi viri, id. Fin. 2, 17, 55; id. Deiot. 14, 39; id. Fam. 10, 25, 2; id. Att. 10, 8, 7; 16, 16, 11; id. Verr. 1, 7, 19: multi honestissimi homines, id. Fam. 15, 15, 3: multi peritissimi homines, id. Caecin. 24, 69: multi summi homines, id. Arch. 12, 30; id. Har. Resp. 26, 56: multi clarissimi et sapientissimi viri, id. Planc. 4, 11; id. Cael. 18, 43.
Et is also omitted when the substantive stands between the two adjectives: in veteribus patronis multis, Cic. Div. in Caecil. 1, 2: multa praeterea bella gravia, id. Agr. 2, 33, 90: multis suppliciis justis, id. Cat. 1, 8, 20: multa majores nostri magna et gravia bella gesserunt, id. Imp. Pomp. 2, 6: plurima signa pulcherrima, id. Verr. 2, 1, 23, § 61.
When both adjectives follow the substantive, et is sometimes inserted: virtutes animi multae et magnae, Cic. Imp. Pomp. 22, 64: causas ille multas et graves habuit, id. Clu. 30, 82; and is sometimes omitted, the emphasis then falling on the second adjective: utebatur hominibus improbis, multis, id. Cael. 5, 12: prodigia multa, foeda, Liv. 40, 29, 1.
With a partitive gen.: multi hominum, Plin. 16, 25, 40, § 96: multae silvestrium arborum, id. 16, 31, 56, § 128.
In neutr. plur.: multa, ōrum, many things, much: nimium multa, Cic. Fam. 4, 14, 3: nimis multa, id. Fin. 2, 18, 57: insulae non ita multae, not so many, not so very many, Plin. 5, 7, 7, § 41: parum multa scire, too few, Auct. Her. 1, 1, 1: bene multi, a good many, Asin. ap. Cic. Fam. 10, 33, 4: quam minime multa vestigia servitutis, as few as possible, Nep. Tim. 3, 3: minime multi remiges, exceedingly few, Cic. Verr. 2, 5, 34, § 88: in multas pecunias alienissimorum hominum invasit, id. Phil. 2, 16, 41; id. Verr. 2, 5, 19, § 48: multae pecuniae variis ex causis a privatis detinentur, Plin. Ep. 10, 17, 3.
Sometimes multi stands for multi alii, many others: nam certe Pompeio, et a Curionibus patre et filio, et a multis exprobratum est, Suet. Caes. 50.
The sing. also is used poet. for the plur., many a: aut trudit acres hinc et hinc multā cane Apros in obstantes plagas, with many dogs, Hor. Epod. 2, 31: multa prece prosequi, id. C. 4, 5, 33: multā victima, Verg. E. 1, 34: agna. Ov. F. 4, 772: avis, id. Am. 3, 5, 4: tabella, Tib. 1, 3, 28; so of persons: multus sua vulnera puppi Affixit moriens, many a one, for multi affixerunt, Luc. 3, 707.
In sing., to denote quantity, much, great, abundant: multum aurum et argentum. Plaut. Rud. 5, 2, 8; 22: exstructa mensa multā carne rancidā, Cic. Pis. 27, 67: multo labore quaerere aliquid, with much labor, great exertion, Cic. Sull. 26, 73: cura, Sall. J. 7, 4: sol, much sun, Plin. 31, 7, 39, § 81: sermo, much conversalion, Brut. ap. Cic. Fam. 11, 20, 1: stilus tuus multi sudoris est. Cic. de Or. 1, 60, 257: multo cibo et potione completi, id. Tusc. 5, 35, 100: multo sanguine ea Poenis victoria stetit, Liv. 23, 30, 2: multum sanguinem haurire, Curt. 4, 14, 17; 8, 14, 32: multam harenam mare evomit, id. 4, 6, 8: arbor, id. 7, 4, 26: silva, id. 8, 10, 14: multae vestis injectu opprimi, Tac. A. 6, 50: multa et lauta supellex, Cic. Phil. 2, 27, 66: aurum, Sall. J. 13, 6; Tac. A. 6, 33; Liv. 26, 11, 9; Curt. 3, 3, 12: libertas, Hor. S. 1, 4, 5: multam salutem dicere alicui, to greet heartily, Plaut. Poen. 1, 2, 194: cum auro et argento multo, Sall. J. 13, 6.
Of time: Itaque multum diei processerat, a great part of the day, Sall. J. 51, 2: ad multum diem, till far in the day, Cic. Att. 13, 9, 1: multo adhuc die, when much of the day was still remaining, when it was still high day, Tac. H. 2, 44: multo denique die, when the day was far spent, Caes. B. G. 1, 22: multā nocte, late at night, Cic. Q. Fr. 2, 9, 2: multo mane, very early, id. Att. 5, 4, 1: multa opinio, for multorum, the general opinion, Gell. 3, 16, 1: velut multā pace, as in a general peace, as if there were peace everywhere, Tac. H. 4, 35: multus homo, one who gives himself up to the lusts of many, Cat. 112, 1.—multi, ōrum, m., the many, the common mass, the multitude: probis probatus potius, quam multis forem, Att. ap. Non. 519, 9: video ego te, mulier, more multarum utier, id. ib.
Esp.: unus e (or de) multis, one of the multitude, a man of no distinction: tenuis L. Virginius unusque e multis, Cic. Fin. 2, 20, 62: unus de multis esse, id. Off. 1, 30, 109: M. Calidius non fuit orator unus e multis; potius inter multos prope singularis fuit, id. Brut. 79, 274: numerarer in multis, among the herd of orators, id. ib. 97, 333: e multis una sit tibi, no better than others, Ov. R. Am. 682: multum est, it is of importance, Verg. G. 2, 272.
In neutr. absol.: ne multa, or ne multis, not to be prolix, in short: ne multa: perquiritur a coactoribus, Cic. Clu. 64, 181: ne multis: Diogenes emitur, id. ib. 16, 47: quid multis moror? Ter. And. 1, 1, 87.
Sometimes multa is used (particularly by the poets) adverbially, much, greatly, very: multa reluctari, Verg. G. 4, 301: gemens, id. ib. 3, 226; id. A. 5, 869: deos testatus, id. ib. 7, 593: invehi, Nep. Ep. 6, 1 (cf. nonnulla invehi, id. Tim. 5, 3): haud multa moratus, Verg. A. 3, 610.
Rarely in multum: in multum velociores, by far, Plin. 10, 36, 52, § 108.
- B. In partic.
- 1. Too much, overmuch, excessive: supellex modica, non multa, Nep. Att. 13, 5.
- 2. In speech, much-speaking, diffuse, prolix: qui in aliquo genere aut inconcinnus aut multus est, Cic. de Or. 2, 4, 17: ne in re notā et pervulgatā multus et insolens sim, id. ib. 2, 87, 358: nolo in stellarum ratione multus vobis videri, id. N. D. 2, 46, 119.
- 3. Frequent, frequently present: in operibus, in agmine, atque ad vigilias multus adesse, Sall. J. 96, 3: multus in eo proelio Caesar fuit, was in many places, Flor. 4, 2, 50: hen hercle hominem multum et odiosum mihi! troublesome, tedious, Plaut. Men. 2, 2, 41: instare, Sall. J. 84, 1.
Hence, adv., in two forms.
- A. multum, much, very much, greatly, very, often, frequently, far, etc. (class.): salve multum, gnate mi, Plaut. Trin. 5, 2, 56: multum vale, farewell, id. Stich. 3, 2, 40: hominem ineptum multum et odiosum mihi, id. Men. 2, 2, 42: opinor, Cassium uti non ita multum sorore, not very much, Cic. Fam. 7, 23, 3: multum mecum municipales homines loquuntur, often, id. Att. 8, 13, 2: non multum ille quidem nec saepe dicebat, id. Brut. 34, 128: non multum confidere, not very much, not particularly, Caes. B. G. 3, 25: sunt in venationibus, often, frequently, id. ib. 4, 1: in eodem genere causarum multum erat T. Juventius, Cic. Brut. 48, 178: multum fuisse cum aliquo, to have had much intercourse with, id. Rep. 1, 10, 16: sum multum equidem cum Phaedro in Epicuri hortis, id. Fin. 5, 1, 3: gratiā valere, to be in great favor, Nep. Con. 2, 1: res multum et saepe quaesita, Cic. Leg. 3, 15, 33: longe omnes multumque superabit, id. Verr. 2, 5, 44, § 115: multum et diu cogitans, id. Div. 2, 1, 1: diu multumque scriptitare, id. de Or. 1, 33, 152.
With an adj.: multum loquaces, very talkative, Plaut. Aul. 2, 1, 5: mepti labores, very, Plin. Ep. 1, 9.
Poet. also with comp.: multum improbiores sunt quam a primo credidi, much, far, Plaut. Most. 3, 2, 139: multum robustior illo, Juv. 19, 197: majora, Sil. 13, 708.
So with infra, post: haud multum infra viam, Liv. 5, 37, 7; Plin. 98, 7, § 20: haud multum post mortem ejus, Tac. A. 5, 3: ut multum, at most, Mart. 10, 11, 6; Vop. Aur. 46.
- B. multō by much, much, a great deal, far, by far (class.).
- 1. With comparatives and verbs which imply comparison: multo tanto carior, Plaut. Bacch. 2, 3, 76: pauciores oratores, Cic. de Or. 1, 3, 11: facilius atque expeditius iter, Caes. B. G. 1, 6.
With verbs: virtutem omnibus rebus multo anteponentes, Cic. Fin. 4, 18, 49: multo ceteros anteibant, Tac. H. 4, 13: multo praestat beneficii, quam maleficii immemorem esse, Sall. J. 31, 28.
With malle: multo mavolo, Plaut. Poen. 1, 2, 88; id. Ps. 2, 4, 38: meo judicio multo stare malo, quam, etc., Cic. Att. 12, 21, 1.
- 2. With sup. (rare but class.), by far, by much: quae tibi mulier videtur multo sapientissuma, Plaut. Stich. 1, 2, 66; id. Am. 2, 2, 150: multo optimus hostis, by far, Lucil. ap. Non. 4, 413: simulacrum multo antiquissimum, Cic. Verr. 2, 4, 49, § 109; 2, 4, 23, § 50; id. Cat. 4, 8, 17: maxima pars, id. Imp. Pomp. 18, 54; cf. Hor. S. 2, 3, 82: multo id bellum maximum fuit, Liv. 1, 11, 5: pars multo maxima, id. 30, 18, 14: multo molestissima, Cic. Div. in. Caecil. 11, 36: multo gratissima lux, Hor. S. 1, 5, 39: foedissimum, Quint. 9, 4, 72: optimum, id. ib. 26: pulcherrimum, id. 1, 2, 24: utilissima, id. 2, 10, 1: maxime, Auct. Her. 4, 44, 58: multo maxime miserabile, Sall. C. 36, 4: multo maxime ingenio validus, id. J. 6, 1.
- 3. With particles denoting a difference, far, greatly, very: multo aliter, Ter. And. prol. 4: multo aliter ac sperabat, far otherwise than, Nep. Ham. 2: quod non multo secus fieret, si, not far otherwise, not very different, Cic. Fam. 4, 9, 1: multo infra Cyrenaicum. Plin. 19, 3, 15, § 40.
- 4. In specifications of time, before ante and post, long, much: non multo ante urbem captam, Cic. Div. 1, 45, 101: non multo ante, not long before, Nep. Eum. 3, 3: multo ante, Cic. Fam. 4, 1, 1: non multo post, quam, etc., not long after, id. Att. 12, 49, 9: haud multo ante solis occasum, Liv. 5, 39, 2: multo ante noctem, id. 27, 42, 13.
- 5. Very rarely with the positive for multum: maligna multo, very, Ter. Hec. 1, 2, 83 Umpf.
- 6. Doubled, multo multoque, with comparatives: multo multoque longior, far, very much, Front. ad M. Caes. 2, 5: multo multoque operosius est, Val. Max. 4, 1, 2: multo multoque magis, Front. Laud. Negl. § 3.
- II. Comp.: plūs, plūris; in the plur., plūres, plūra (in sing. anciently written plous; three times in the S. C. de Bacch. Here perh. belongs, in the plur., pleores and pleoris, for plures, in the Song of the Arval Brothers.
For the class. neuter of the plur., plura, the form pluria was used in ante-class. Latinity. Gellius cites M. Cato, Q. Claudius, Valerius Antias, L. Ælius, P. Nigidius, and M. Varro as authorities for this form, Gell. 5, 21, 6; yet Plautus and Terence have only plura; and the earlier reading pluria, in Lucr. 1, 877; 2, 1135; 4, 1085, is now supplanted by the critically certain plura and plurima.
The gen. plur. plurium, however, has remained the predominant form, e. g. Quint. 7, 1, 1; 8, 4, 27; 9, 4, 66 et saep.) [from the root ple; Gr. πλέον, πίμπλημι; cf. plenus, plera, compleo, etc.; also locu-ples, plebes, populus, etc.], more.
- A. In the sing. (used both substantively and adverbially): LIBRAS FARRIS ENDO DIES DATO. SI VOLET PLVS DATO, Fragm. XII. Tab. in Gell. 20, 1, 45: SI PLVS MINVSVE SECVERVNT, SE FRAVDE ESTO, ib.; so (perh. in imitation of this legal phrase): ebeu, cur ego plus minusve feci quam aequom fuit! Plaut. Capt. 5, 3, 18; Ter. Phorm. 3, 3, 21: ne plus minusve loqueretur, Suet. Aug. 84; cf. Plaut. Men. 4, 2, 27; and in the signif. of circiter, about: septingenti sunt paulo plus aut minus anni … postquam, etc., Enn. ap. Varr. R. R. 3, 1, 2 (Ann. v. 493 Vahl.); so. non longius abesse plus minus octo milibus, Hirt. B. G. 8, 20, 1 Oud.; cf.: speranti plures … venerunt plusve minusve duae, Mart. 8, 71, 4: aut ne quid faciam plus, quod post me minus fecisse satius sit, too much … too little, Ter. Hec. 5, 1, 4: tantum et plus etiam ipse mihi deberet, Cic. Att. 7, 3, 7: vos et decem numero, et, quod plus est, Romani estis, and what is more, Liv. 9, 24, 8: verbane plus an sententia valere debeat, Cic. Top. 25, 96: cf.: apud me argumenta plus quam testes valent, id. Rep. 1, 38, 59: valet enim salus plus quam libido, id. ib. 1, 40, 63.
- (β) With a partitive gen.: vultis pecuniae plus habere, Cic. Inv. 1, 47, 88; cf.: nostri casus plus honoris habuerunt quam laboris, id. Rep. 1, 4, 7; so, plus virium, id. Leg. 1, 2, 6: plus hostium, Liv. 2, 42: plus dapis et rixae multo minus invidiaeque, Hor. Ep. 1, 17, 51: in hac causā eo plus auctoritatis habent, quia, etc., Cic. Rep. 3, 16, 26; cf.: plus ingenii, id. ib. 1, 14, 22: Albano non plus animi erat quam fidei, as little courage as fidelity, Liv. 1, 27, 5.
- (γ) With quam (some examples of which have already been given above): non plus quam semel, Cic. Off. 3, 15, 61: confiteor eos … plus quam sicarios esse, id. Phil. 2, 13, 31: ne plus reddat quam acceperit, id. Lael. 16, 58 et saep.: non plus quam in tres partis posse distribui putaverunt, into not more than, id. Inv. 1, 34, 57: plus quam decem dies abesse, id. Phil. 2, 13, 31: nulla (navis) plus quam triginta remis agatur, with more than, Liv. 38, 38, 8.
- (δ) Without quam: HOMINES PLOVS V. OINVORSEI VIREI ATQVE MVLIERES, S. C. de Bacch. 19 (Wordsw. Fragm. and Spec. p. 173): plus mille capti, Liv. 24, 44: plus milies audivi, Ter. Eun. 3, 1, 32: plus semel, Varr. ap. Plin. 14, 14, 17, § 96: plus quingentos colaphos infregit mihi, Ter. Ad. 2, 1, 46: ferre plus dimidiati mensis cibaria, Cic. Tusc. 2, 16, 37: non plus mille quingentos aeris, id. Rep. 2, 22, 40: paulo plus ducentos passus a castris, Liv. 31, 34: cum plus annum aeger fuisset, id. 40, 2: parte plus dimidiā rem auctam, id. 29, 25.
(ε) With a compar. or adverbial abl., or with an abl. of measure: VIREI PLOVS DVOBVS, S. C. de Bacch. 20 (Wordsw. Fragm. and Spec. p. 173): de paupertate tacentes Plus poscente ferent, more than the importunate, Hor. Ep. 1, 17, 44: ex his alius alio plus habet virium, Cic. Leg. 1, 2, 6: cave putes hoc tempore plus me quemquam cruciari, Balb. ap. Cic. Att. 8, 15, A, 2: alterum certe non potest, ut plus una vera sit, Cic. N. D. 1, 2, 5; cf.: in columbā plures videri colores, nec esse plus uno, id. Ac. 2, 25, 79: HOC PLVS NE FACITO, more than this, Fragm. XII. Tab. ap. Cic. Leg. 2, 23, 59: annos sexaginta natus es Aut plus eo, or more than that, Ter. Heaut. 1, 1, 11: plus aequo, Cic. Lael. 16, 58: plus paulo, Ter. Heaut. 2, 1, 8: paulo plus, Liv. 31, 34: multo plus, Anton. ap. Cic. Att. 10, 8, A, 1: plus nimio, overmuch, Hor. Ep. 1, 10, 30: quam molestum est uno digito plus habere, too much by a finger, i. e. a finger too much, Cic. N. D. 1, 35, 99: uno plus Etruscorum cecidisse in acie, one man more, Liv. 2, 7, 2.
- 2. In the gen. pretii, pluris, of more value, of a higher price, for more, higher, dearer: ut plus reddant musti et olei, et pretii pluris, of greater value, Varr. R. R. 1, 7, 4: ager multo pluris est, is worth much more, Cic. Rosc. Com. 12, 33; cf.: quo pluris sint nostra oliveta, id. Rep. 3, 9, 16: pluris emere, dearer, id. Fam. 7, 2, 1; so, vendere, id. Off. 3, 12, 51; id. Verr. 2, 3, 19, § 48; Hor. S. 2, 3, 300: aedificare, Col. 1, 4, 7: pluris est oculatus testis quam auriti decem, of more value, Plaut. Truc. 2, 6, 8: mea mihi conscientia pluris est, quam omnium sermo, Cic. Att. 12, 28, 2: facio pluris omnium hominem neminem, id. ib. 8, 2, 4: facere aliquem pluris, make more of one, esteem him more highly, id. Fam. 3, 4, 2: pluris habere, id. Phil. 6, 4, 10: aestimare, id. Par. 6, 2, 48: ducere, id. Att. 7, 3, 5: putare, id. Off. 3, 4, 18 et saep.
- 3. Rarely, instead of the genitive, in the abl. pretii: plure vendunt, Lucil. ap. Charis. 2, p. 189 P.: plure altero tanto, quanto ejus fundus est, velim, Plaut. ib.: plure venit, Cic. ib.
- 4. Plus plusque, more and more: quem mehercule plus plusque in dies diligo. Cic. Att. 6, 2, 10.
- * 5. Like magis, with an adj.: plus formosus, for formosior, Nemes. Ecl. 4, 72.
- B. In the plur.
- 1. Comparatively, more in number: omnes qui aere alieno premantur, quos plures esse intellego quam putāram, Cic. Att. 7, 3, 5; id. Rep. 2, 22, 40: nemini ego plura acerba esse credo ex amore homini umquam oblata quam mihi, Ter. Hec. 3, 1, 1: ne plura insignia essent imperii in libero populo quam in regno fuissent, Cic. Rep. 2, 31, 55: multo plura, many more things, Quint. 3, 6, 28.
- 2. In gen., of a great number, many: qui plus fore dicant in pluribus consilii quam in uno. Cic. Rep. 1, 35, 55: cf.: quid quaeso interest inter unum et plures, si justitia est in pluribus? id. ib. 1, 39, 61; 1, 34, 52: non possunt unā in civitate multi rem ac fortunas amittere, ut non plures secum in eandem trahant calamitatem, id. Imp. Pomp. 7, 19: quod pluribus praesentibus eas res jactari nolebat, Caes. B. G. 1, 18: plura castella Pompeius tentaverat, id. B. C. 3, 52: summus dolor plures dies manere non potest, Cic. Fin. 2, 28, 93: pluribus diebus, Quint. prooem. § 7: illic plurium rerum est congeries, id. 8, 4, 27: quae consuetudo sit, pluribus verbis docere, Cic. Clu. 41, 115: eum pluribus verbis rogat, ut, etc., id. Verr. 2, 4, 28, § 64; without verba: quid ego plura dicam? id. de Or. 1, 5, 18: pluribus haec exsecutus sum, Phaedr. 3, 10, 59; also elliptically, quid plura? and, ne plura, like quid multa? and ne multa: hic sacra, hic genus, hic majorum multa vestigia. Quid plura? hanc vides villam, etc., what need of many words? in short, Cic. Leg. 2, 1, 3: sed—ne plura—dicendum enim aliquando est
Pomponium Atticum sic amo, ut alterum fratrem, id. Fam. 13, 1, 5.
- b. Esp.: plures.
- (α) The mass, the multitude, opp. pauciores, = οἱ ὀλίγοι, Plaut. Trin. 1, 1, 13.
- (β) Euphemistically, acc. to the Gr. οἱ πλείονες, the dead: quin prius Me ad plures penetravi? Plaut. Trin. 2, 2, 14.
- (γ) The greater number, the majority: plures nesciebant quā ex causā convenissent, Vulg. Act. 19, 32.
- III. Sup.: plūrĭmus (archaic form, plisima plurima, Paul. ex Fest. p. 204 and 205 Müll.: PLIOIRVME (I), Epit. of Scipio), a, um [from root ple; whence also plus, q. v., ploirumus for ploisumus; and thence the predominant form plurimus], most, very much, or many (as an adj. in good prose mostly in the plur., except the standing formula of greeting: salutem plurimam dicere alicui; v. infra): hujus sunt plurima simulacra, Caes. B. G. 6, 17: nos plurimis ignotissimi gentibus, Cic. Rep. 1, 17, 26: plurimae et maximae partes, id. ib. 1, 4, 8: plurimorum seculorum memoria, id. ib. 3, 9, 14: haec plurimis a me verbis dicta sunt, id. ib. 1, 7, 12 et saep.
In sing.: me plurimā praedā onustum, Plaut. Rud. 4, 2, 4: sermo, Quint. 2, 2, 5: risus, id. 6, 3, 85: res, id. 6, 1, 51: exercitatio, id. 8 prooem. § 28: mons, very large, Verg. A. 1, 419: cervix, id. G. 3, 52: Aetna, Ov. Ib. 600.
Of a greeting: impertit salutem plurimam, Lucil. ap. Non. 472. 16; and esp. freq.: salutem plurimam dicit (commonly abbrev. S. P. D.) at the beginning of letters; v. salus.
Poet.: medio cum plurimus orbe Sol erat, very powerful, oppressive, Ov. M. 14, 53: plurima quā silva est. thickest, id. ib. 14, 361: coma plurima, very thick, id. ib. 13, 844: sed plurima nantis in ore Alcyone conjux, mostly, chiefly, id. ib. 11, 562.
And collect.: plurimus in Junonis honorem Aptum dicet equis Argos, many a one, very many, Hor. C. 1, 7, 8; so, oleaster plurimus, Verg. G. 2, 183: quā plurima mittitur ales, Mart. 9, 56, 1: plurima lecta rosa est, Ov. F. 4, 441.
In neutr. absol. (substant. or adverb.): ut haberet quam plurimum, as much as possible, Cic. Rab. Post. 14, 39: caput autem est, quam plurimum scribere, id. de Or. 1, 33, 150: ut in quoque oratore plurimum esset, id. Rep. 1, 27, 123.
Adv.: plūrĭmum: et is valebat in suffragio plurimum, cujus plurimum intererat, esse in optimo statu civitatem, Cic. Rep. 2, 22, 40: auspiciis plurimum obsecutus est Romulus, id. ib. 2, 9, 16: si vero populus plurimum potest, id. ib. 3, 14, 23; cf.: qui apud me dignitate plurimum possunt, id. Rosc. Am. 1, 4: plurimum aliis praestare, id. Inv. 2, 1, 1: ut te plurimum diligam, id. Fam. 1, 7, 1; id. Tusc. 5, 27, 78: hoc ego utor uno omnium plurimum, id. Fam. 11, 16, 2: quantum (al. quanto) plurimum possunt, Quint. 11, 3, 120: plurimum quantum also signifies very much indeed, exceedingly (post-class.): plurimum quantum veritati nocuere, Min. Fel. Oct. 22: gratulor, id. ib. 40: (elleborum) ex aquā datur plurimum drachma, at the most, Plin. 25, 5, 22, § 54; 9, 36, 60, § 125; 30, 6, 16, § 48; so, cum plurimum, id. 2, 17, 15, § 78 (opp. to cum minimum); 18, 7, 10, § 60: nec tam numerosa differentia; tribus ut plurimum bonitatibus distat, for the most part, commonly, usually, = plerumque, Plin. 15, 3, 4, § 18.
- (β) In neutr. with a partit. gen.: sententiarum et gravitatis plurimum, Cic. Inv. 1, 18, 25: artis, Quint. 10, 5, 3: auctoritatis et ponderis, id. 9, 4, 91: ut laboris sic utilitatis etiam longe plurimum, id. 10, 3, 1: virtutum, id. 12, 1, 20 plurimum quantum favoris partibus dabat fratermtas ducum, Flor. 4, 2, 74.
- (γ) In the gen. pretii: plurimi: immo unice unum plurimi pendit, values very highly, esteems very much, Plaut. Bacch. 2, 2, 29: quem unum Alexander plurimi fecerat, Nep. Eum. 2, 2: ut quisque quod plurimi est possidet, Cic. Par. 6, 2, 48.