Lewis & Short

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1. sĕro, sēvi, sătum, 3, v. a. [for seso, root sa-; Gr. σάω, σήθω, to sift], to sow, plant (freq. and class.; syn.: planto, semino, consero).

  1. I. Lit., with acc., either of the plant, seed, etc., sown, or of the land cultivated: ubi tempus erit, effodito seritoque recte … Quae diligentius seri voles, in calicibus seri oportet, Cato, R. R. 133, 2: serendum viciam, lentem, cicerculam, etc., Varr. R. R. 1, 32, 2: oleam et vitem, Cic. Rep. 3, 9, 16: frumenta, Caes. B. G. 5, 14: ut tantum decumae sit, quantum severis: hoc est, ut quot jugera sint sata, totidem medimna decumae debeantur, Cic. Verr. 2, 3, 47, § 112: agri molliti et oblimati ad serendum, id. N. D. 2, 52, 130: serit arbores, quae alteri saeculo prosint, Caecil. ap. Cic. Tusc. 1, 14, 31; Cic. Sen. 7, 24; 17, 59: nullam sacrā vite prius severis arborem, Hor. C. 1, 18, 1; cf. id. ib. 3, 10, 6: semina, Verg. G. 1, 193: surculos, Auct. ap. Cic. de Or. 2, 69, 278: aliquid in inculto et derelicto solo, Cic. Brut. 4, 16: iste serendus ager, Ov. A. A. 2, 668: sulcos, Tib. 2, 3, 70: vera ratio serendi, Plin. 18, 25, 60, § 224.
    Freq. in part. perf.: multa erant inter eum locum manu sata, Caes. B. C. 3, 44: saepe satas alio vidi traducere messes, Verg. E. 8, 99; id. G. 3, 176.
    Hence, subst.: săta, ōrum, n., standing corn, crops, Verg. E. 3, 82; id. G. 1, 325; id. A. 2, 306; 12, 454; Ov. M. 1, 286; Plin. 16, 25, 39, § 94; Pall. 1, 43.
    Prov.: mihi istic nec seritur nec metitur, i. e. I have no benefit from it, it’s nothing to me, Plaut. Ep. 2, 2, 80.
    1. B. Transf., of persons, to beget, bring forth, produce; only in part. perf. in pass. sense, begotten, sprung forth, born, etc.: Tertullae nollem abortum: tam enim Cassii sunt jam quam Bruti serendi, Cic. Att. 14, 20, 2; id. Leg. 1, 8, 24: non temere nec fortuito sati et creati sumus, id. Tusc. 1, 49, 118; cf. id. ib. 1, 25, 60; id. Univ. 12, 35: hic satus ad pacem, Prop. 3, 9, 19.
      With ex: ex Tantalo ortus Pelops, ex Pelope autem satus Atreus, Poët. ap. Quint. 9, 3, 57.
      With de: Ilia cum Lauso de Numitore sati, Ov. F. 4, 54.
      With ab: largo satos Curetas ab imbri, Ov. M. 4, 282.
      With simple abl. (so most freq.): Camertem Magnanimo Volscente satum, Verg. A. 10, 562: sole satus Phaëthon, Ov. M. 1, 751: sata Tiresiā Manto, id. ib. 6, 157 et saep.: sate sanguine divum, sprung from, Verg. A. 6, 125: non sanguine humano sed stirpe divinā satum se esse, Liv. 38, 58, 7: o sate gente deum, Verg. A. 8, 36: matre satos unā, Ov. M. 5, 141; so, matre, id. F. 3, 799; Nereide, id. M. 12, 93; cf.: Bacchum vocant satumque iterum solumque bimatrem, id. ib. 4, 12.
      Hence, satus (sata) aliquo, for a son (or daughter) of any one: satus Anchisa, i. e. Æneas, Verg. A. 5, 244; 5, 424; 6, 331; 7, 152: Hammone satus, i. e. Iarbas, id. ib. 4, 198: satae Peliā, Ov. M. 7, 322: sati Curibus, sprung from, natives of Cures, id. ib. 14, 778.
  2. II. Trop., to sow the seeds of any thing, to found, establish, to scatter, disseminate, propagate, produce, to cause, occasion, excite, etc.: leges, instituta, rem publicam, Cic. Tusc. 1, 14, 31: diuturnam rem publicam, to found, establish, id. Rep. 2, 3, 5: mores, id. Leg. 1, 6, 20: aere vulnera vasta serebant, scattered, Lucr. 5, 1290; so, vulnera pugnantis tergo, Sil. 5, 235: lites, Plaut. Poen. 3, 2, 10: negotium, id. Most. 5, 1, 51; cf.: (Hamilcar) Romanum sevit puerili in pectore bellum, Sil. 1, 80: civiles discordias, Liv. 3, 40, 10: causam discordiarum, Suet. Calig. 26: crimina in senatum apud infimae plebis homines, Liv. 24, 23 fin.: invidiam in alios, Tac. H. 2, 86: rumores, Verg. A. 12, 228; Curt. 8, 9, 1: opinionem, Just. 8, 3, 8: sibi causas sollicitudinum, Sen. Ep. 104, 12.

2. sĕro (ui), tum, 3, v. a. [Sanscr. sarat, thread; Gr. σειρά, rope; cf.: εἴρω, ἕρμα, ὅρμος; Lat. series, servus], to join or bind together, to plait, interweave, entwine, etc.

  1. I. Lit. (so only in part. perf.): accipiunt sertas nardo florente coronas, Luc. 10, 164; Cypr. Ep. 4, 3: flores, App. M. 4, p. 156, 4; 10, p. 254, 38: rosa, id. ib. 2, p. 121, 131: loricae, linked, Nep. Iph. 1 fin.; cf. Serv. Verg. A. 1, 421.
    1. B. Subst.: serta, ōrum, n., wreaths of flowers, garlands (freq. and class.): arae sertis recentibus halant, Verg. A. 1, 417: coronae, serta, Plaut. As. 4, 1, 58; Lucr. 4, 1128; 4, 1174; Cic. Tusc. 3, 18, 43; id. Cat. 2, 5, 10; Cat. 6, 8; Verg. E. 6, 16; Tib. 1, 1, 12; 1, 2, 14; 1, 7, 52 et saep. al.
      Rarely in sing.: roseo Venus aurea serto, Aus. Idyll. 6, 88.
      Collat. form serta, ae, f. (sc. corona): cum tua praependent demissae in pocula sertae, Prop. 2, 33 (3, 31), 37; id. et Corn. Sev. ap. Charis. p. 83 P.
  2. II. Trop., to join, connect, interweave; to combine, compose, contrive (class. but rare; syn.: jungo, cieo, instruo): seritote diem concorditer ambo, i. e. alternate according to the succession (in the government), Enn. ap. Charis. p. 177 P. (Ann. v. 110 Vahl.): ex aeternitate causa causam serens, joining in order, following, Cic. Fat. 12, 27: cujus (fati) lege immobilis rerum humanarum ordo seritur, is arranged, disposed, Liv. 25, 6: bella ex bellis serendo, by joining war to war, Sall. H. 4, 61, 20 Dietsch: tumultum ex tumultu, bellum ex bello serunt, id. ib. 1, 48, 7 ib.; cf. Liv. 21, 10; cf.: certamina cum Patribus, to join, engage in, id. 2, 1; so, certamina, id. 27, 12; 27, 41; 40, 48: crebra proelia, Tac. H. 5, 11: quod mihi servus sermonem serat, joins speech, i. e. bandies words with me, Plaut. Curc. 1, 3, 37; cf. id. Mil. 3, 1, 106: multa inter sese vario sermone serebant, Verg. A. 6, 160; Stat. Achill. 2, 38, id. Th. 6, 941: aliquid sermonibus occultis, Liv. 3, 43; 7, 39; 33, 32: secreta colloquia cum eo, id. 34, 61: populares orationes, to put together, compose, id. 10, 19; cf.: (Livius) ab saturis ausus est primus argumento fabulam serere, id. 7, 2, 8: quid seris fando moras? why are you contriving? Sen. Med. 281: negotium, to make, prepare, Plaut. Most. 5, 1, 51: crimina belli, Verg. A. 7, 339.

sĕrum, i, n. (collat. form sĕrū, acc. to Charis. p. 23 P.) [prob. sibilated from ὀρός].

  1. I. The watery part of curdled milk, whey, Plin. 11, 41, 96, § 239; 28, 9, 33, § 126; Col. 7, 12, 10; Verg. G. 3, 406; Tib. 2, 3, 16; Ov. F. 4, 770.
  2. II. Transf., like ὀρός, of the watery parts, serum, of other things; of resin, Plin. 16, 12, 23, § 60: seminis genitalis, Cat. 80, 8.

sērus, a, um, adj. [cf. series; Sanscr. sărat, thread; that which is long drawn out],

  1. I. late (freq. and class.; cf.: tardus, lentus): nescis quid vesper serus vehat (the title of a work by Varro), Varr. ap. Gell. 1, 22, 4; 13, 11, 1: sero a vespere, Ov. M. 4, 415: serā nocte, Liv. 1, 57, 9; Col. 1 praef.; Prop. 1, 3, 10; Val. Fl. 7, 400: crepuscula, Ov. M. 1, 219: lux, id. ib. 15, 651: dies, Tac. H. 3, 82 (cf. infra, B.): hiems, Liv. 32, 28, 6: anni, i. e. ripe years, age, Ov. M. 6, 29; 9, 434; id. F. 5, 63; cf. aetas, id. A. A. 1, 65; Plaut. Aul. 4, 1, 4: gratulatio, Cic. Fam. 2, 7, 1: portenta deūm Tarda et sera nimis, id. poët. Div. 2, 30, 64: nepotes, Ov. M. 6, 138: posteritas, id. P. 1, 4, 24: sera eruditio, quam Graeci ὀψιμαθίαν appellant, Gell. 11, 7, 3; cf. poet., of persons, with gen.: o seri studiorum! ye late-learned, ὀψιμαθεῖς (i. e. backward, ignorant), Hor. S. 1, 10, 21 (v. infra, b. α): ulmus, late- or slowly-growing (acc. to others, old), Verg. G. 4, 144; so, ficus, late in bearing, Col. 5, 10, 10; cf. serotinus, and v. the foll. under sup.
    Comp.     (rare; not in Cic. or Cæs.; cf. adv. infra fin.): serior mors (opp. maturior), Cels. 2, 6 med.: senectus, Mart. 5, 6, 3: spe omnium serius bellum, Liv. 2, 3, 1: serior putatio, Col. 4, 23, 1; 2, 10, 15.
    Poet., for posterior: serior aetas, Ov. Tr. 5, 9, 7; Tib. 1, 4, 33: hora, Ov. H. 19, 14.
    Sup.: successores quam serissimi, Vell. 2, 131, 2: serissima omnium (pirorum) Amerina, etc., ripening the latest, Plin. 15, 15, 16, § 55; cf. supra.
        1. b. Poet.
          1. (α) For the adv. sero, of one who does any thing late: serus in caelum redeas, Hor. C. 1, 2, 45: serus Graecis admovit acumina chartis, id. Ep. 2, 1, 161: jusserit ad se Maecenas serum sub lumina prima venire Convivam, late in the day, id. S. 2, 7, 33: nec nisi serus abi, Ov. A. A. 2, 224: poena tamen tacitis sera venit pedibus, Tib. 1, 10, 3: (me) Arguit incepto serum accessisse labori, Ov. M. 13, 297.
            So with things as subjects: sera rubens accendit lumina Vesper, Verg. G. 1, 251: imposita est sero tandem manus ultima bello, Ov. M. 13, 403: seros pedes assumere, id. ib. 15, 384: Cantaber serā domitus catenā, Hor. C. 3, 8, 22: serum ut veniamus ad amnem Phasidos, Val. Fl. 4, 708.
            With gen.: o seri studiorum! Hor. S. 1, 10, 21 (v. supra); so, belli serus, Sil. 3, 255.
            With inf.: cur serus versare boves et plaustra Bootes? Prop. 3, 5 (4, 4), 35.
          2. (β) For adverb. use of sera and serum, v. adv. infra.
    1. B. Substt. ‡
      1. 1. sēra, ae, f. (sc. hora), a late hour, the evening hour, ἑσπέρα, sera, vespra, crepusculum, Gloss. Vet.
      2. 2. sērum, i, n., late time, late hour (of the day or night; first in Liv.; esp. in the historians): serum erat diei, Liv. 7, 8, 4: quia serum diei fuerit, id. 26, 3, 1: jamque sero diei subducit ex acie legionem, Tac. A. 2, 21 fin.: extrahebatur in quam maxime serum diei certamen, Liv. 10, 28, 2 Drak. N. cr.: in serum noctis convivium productum, id. 33, 48; cf.: ad serum usque diem, Tac. H. 3, 82.
        Absol., in Sueton., of a late hour of the day: in serum dimicatione protractā, Suet. Aug. 17; id. Ner. 22: in serum usque patente cubiculo, id. Oth. 11.
  2. II. Pregn., too late (class.): ut magis exoptatae Kalendae Januariae quam serae esse videantur, Cic. Phil. 5, 1: neque rectae voluntati serum est tempus ullum, etc., Quint. 12, 1, 31: tempus cavendi, Sen. Thyest. 487: bellum, Sall. Fragm. ap. Philarg. Verg. G. 4, 144: Antiates serum auxilium post proelium venerant, Liv. 3, 5 fin.; 31, 24: auxilia, Val. Fl. 3, 562: improbum consilium serum, ut debuit, fuit: et jam profectus Virginius erat, etc., Liv. 3, 46 fin.: redit Alcidae jam sera cupido, Val. Fl. 4, 247: seras conditiones pacis tentare, Suet. Aug. 17: cum tandem ex somno surrexissent, in quod serum erat, aliquot horas remis in naves collocandis absumpserunt, which was too late, Liv. 33, 48, 8: hoc serum est, Mart. 8, 44, 1; and with a subj.-clause: dum deliberamus, quando incipiendum sit, incipere jam serum est, Quint. 12, 6, 3; so, serum est, advocare iis rebus affectum, etc., id. 4, 2, 115.
        1. b. Poet. for the adverb (cf. supra, I. b. α): tum decuit metuisse tuis: nunc sera querelis Haud justis assurgis, too late, Verg. A. 10, 94: ad possessa venis praeceptaque gaudia serus, Ov. H. 17, 107: Herculeas jam serus opes spretique vocabis Arma viri, Val. Fl. 3, 713: serā ope vincere fata Nititur, Ov. M. 2, 617: auxilia ciere, Val. Fl. 3, 562.
          Hence, adv., in three forms.
      1. 1. sēră, late (poet. and very rare): sera comans Narcissus, late in flowering, Verg. G. 4, 122.
      2. 2. sērum, late at night (poet. and very rare): quae nocte sedens serum canit, Verg. A. 12, 864.
      3. 3. sērō̆.
    1. A. (Acc. to I.) Late.
        1. a. Late, at a late hour of the day or night (rare but class.): eo die Lentulus venit sero, Cic. Att. 7, 21, 1 (cf. infra, B.): domum sero redire, id. Fam. 7, 22.
        2. b. Late, at a late period of time, in gen. (freq. and class.): res rustica sic est: si unam rem sero feceris omnia opera sero facies, Cato, R. R. 5, 7; Cic. Brut. 10, 39; Quint. 6, 3, 103: doctores artis sero repertos, id. 2, 17, 7; 2, 5, 3.
          Comp.: modo surgis Eoo Temperius caelo, modo serius incidis undis, Ov. M. 4, 198; Liv. 31, 11, 10: serius, quam ratio postulat, Quint. 2, 1, 1: scripsi ad Pompeium serius quam oportuit, Cic. Fam. 14, 10; 15, 1, 4; id. Sest. 31, 67; Liv. 37, 45, 18; 42, 28, 1: itaque serius aliquanto notatus et cognitus (numerus), Cic. Or. 56, 186: serius egressus vestigia vidit in alto Pulvere, Ov. M. 4, 105: ipse salutabo decimā vel serius horā, Mart. 1, 109, 9: omnium Versatur urna serius ocius Sors exitura, later or earlier (or, as we say, inverting the order, sooner or later), Hor. C. 2, 3, 26; so, serius aut citius sedem properamus ad unam, Ov. M. 10, 33: serius ei triumphandi causa fuit, ne, etc., Liv. 39, 6, 4; 38, 27, 4: in acutis morbis serius aeger alendus est, Cels. 3, 2.
          Sup.: ut quam serissime ejus profectio cognosceretur, Caes. B. C. 3, 75 (Scaliger ex conj.); so, legi pira Tarentina, Plin. 15, 17, 18, § 61 (al. serissima).
    2. B. (Acc to II.) Too late (freq. and class.): abi stultus, sero post tempus venis, Plaut. Capt. 4, 2, 90: idem, quando illaec occasio periit, post sero cupit, id. Aul. 2, 2, 71; id. Am. 2, 2, 34; id. Men. 5, 6, 31; id. Pers. 5, 1, 16 (Opp. temperi); id. Trin. 2, 4, 14; 2, 4, 167; 4, 2, 147; Ter. Heaut. 2, 3, 103; id. Ad. 2, 4, 8. (Scipio) factus est consul bis: primum ante tempus: iterum sibi suo tempore, rei publicae paene sero, Cic. Lael. 3, 11; id. Q. Fr. 1, 2, 3, § 9: sero resistimus ei, quem per annos decem aluimus contra nos, id. Att. 7, 5, 5; id. Verr. 2, 5, 63, § 164 et saep.: ne nimis sero ad extrema veniamus, far too late, id. Phil. 2, 19, 47; Liv. 21, 3, 5.
      Hence, in a double sense, alluding to the signif. A. a.: cum interrogaret (accusator), quo tempore Clodius occisus esset? respondit (Milo), Sero, Quint. 6, 3, 49.
      Prov.: sero sapiunt Phryges, are wise too late, are troubled with after-wit; v. sapio.
      Comp., in the same sense: possumus audire aliquid, an serius venimus? Cic. Rep. 1, 13, 20: ad quae (mysteria) biduo serius veneram, id. de Or. 3, 20, 75: doleo me in vitam paulo serius tamquam in viam ingressum, id. Brut. 96, 330: erit verendum mihi, ne non hoc potius omnes boni serius a me, quam quisquam crudelius factum esse dicat, id. Cat. 1, 2, 5: serius a terrā provectae naves, Caes. B. C. 3, 8; Suet. Tib. 52.