contendo
οὐκ ἐν τῷ πολλῷ τὸ εὖ, ἀλλ' ἐν τῷ εὖ τὸ πολύ → good is not found in plenty but plenty in good, quality matters more than quantity
Latin > English (Lewis & Short)
con-tendo: di, tum, 3, v. a. and n.,
I to stretch, stretch out vigorously, to draw tight, strain.
I Lit. (rare and mostly poet.): arcum, Verg. A. 12, 815; Ov. M. 6, 286; id. R. Am. 435: tormenta, Sisen. ap. Non. p. 258, 27; Cic. Tusc. 2, 24, 57: muscipula, Lucil. ap. Non. p. 181, 31: tenacia vincla, Verg. G. 4, 412: ilia risu, Ov. A. A. 3, 285: pontem in alto, Enn. ap. Varr. L. L. 7, § 21 Müll. (Ann. v. 358 Vahl.): oculi contendunt se, Lucr. 4, 810.— Of stringed instruments, to tune by stretching the strings: ut in fidibus pluribus, si nulla earum ita contenta nervis sit, ut concentum servare possit, Cic. Fin. 4, 27, 75; cf. infra, P. a.—
B Meton.
1 (Causa pro effectu.) Of weapons, to shoot, hurl, dart, throw: infensam hastam, Verg. A. 10, 521: tela, id. ib. 12, 815: sagittas nervo, Sil. 1, 323: telum aërias in auras, Verg. A. 5, 520. —
2 Of places, neutr., to stretch, reach, extend: haec patulum vallis contendit in orbem, Calp. Ecl. 7, 30: Cappadocum gens usque ad Cyrresticam ejus regionem parte suā, quae vocatur Cataonia, contendit, Plin. 6, 8, 8, § 24.—
II Trop. (freq. in prose and poetry); act., to strain eagerly, to stretch, exert, to direct one's mental powers to something, to pursue or strive for earnestly; or neutr., to exert one's self, to strive zealously for something, etc.
A In gen.
1 Act.
(a) With acc.: magnum fortasse onus, verum tamen dignum, in quo omnis nervos aetatis industriaeque meae contenderem, Cic. Verr. 1, 12, 35; cf.: contendit omnis nervos Chrysippus, ut persuadeat, etc., id. Fat. 10, 21: summas vires de palmā, Lucr. 4, 990: animum in curas, Ov. P. 1, 5, 11: quo se dira libido, Lucr. 4, 1043: tamen id sibi contendendum aut aliter non transducendum exercitum existimabat, Caes. B. G. 4, 17; cf.: id contendere et laborare, ne ea, etc., id. ib. 1, 31; Cic. Verr. 2, 2, 21, § 52: et petere imperium populi et contendere honores, Varr. ap. Non. p. 259, 32.—
(b) With inf., to exert one's self vigorously to do something, to apply one's self with zeal to, to go to: hunc locum duabus ex partibus oppugnare contendit, Caes. B. G. 5, 21: summā vi transcendere in hostium naves, id. ib. 3, 15: fugā salutem petere, id. ib. al.; Quint. 10, 1, 125: neque ego nunc hoc contendo ... mutare animum, sed, etc., Cic. Q. Fr. 1, 1, 13, § 38.—
2 Neutr.: quantum coniti animo potes, quantum labore contendere ... tantum fac ut efficias, Cic. Off. 3, 2, 6.— With ut: quántum potero voce contendam, ut populus hoc Romanus exaudiat, Cic. Lig. 3, 6; so, remis, ut eam partem insulae caperet, Caes. B. G. 5, 8 et saep.: contende quaeso atque elabora, ut, etc., Cic. Q. Fr. 1, 1, 14, § 42.—Absol.: vociferarer et, quantum maxime possem, contenderem, Cic. Fl. 16, 38 al.: non possis oculo quantum contendere Lynceus (= collineare), to aim at, Hor. Ep. 1, 1, 28.—
B In partic.,
1 To direct or bend one's course eagerly somewhere; or, neutr., to strive to get to a place, to seek to arrive at, to go, march, or journey hastily to, etc.
a Act.
(a) With acc. (very rare): rectā plateā cursum suum, Plaut. Cist. 2, 1, 58: nocte unā tantum itineris, Cic. Rosc. Am. 34, 97.—
(b) With inf. (freq.): Bibracte ire, Caes. B. G. 1, 23; so, ire cum his legionibus, id. ib. 1, 10: in Britanniam proficisci, id. ib. 4, 20: in provinciam reverti, id. ib. 3, 6 fin.: Dyrrhachium petere, Cic. Planc. 41, 97; cf.: proxima litora petere cursu, Verg. A. 1, 158; and: iter a Vibone Brundisium terrā petere, Cic. Planc. 40, 96 Wund.—
b Neutr. (so most freq.): in Italiam magnis itineribus, Caes. B. G. 1, 10; cf.: huc magnis itineribus, id. ib. 1, 38 fin.: huc magno cursu, id. ib. 3, 19: inde in Italiam, id. ib. 1, 33: in fines Sigambrorum, id. ib. 4, 18: in castra, id. ib. 4, 37: ex eo loco ad flumen, id. ib. 2, 9: ad Rhenum finesque Germanorum, id. ib. 1, 27 fin.: ad oppidum Noviodunum, id. ib. 2, 12: ad castra, id. ib. 2, 19 fin.; 3, 24 fin.: ad hostes, id. ib. 5, 9: ad Amanum, Cic. Att. 5, 20, 3: Tarentum ad Heraclidem Ponticum, Varr. ap. Non. p. 260, 19: Lacedaemonem, Nep. Cim. 3, 3: domum, Caes. B. G. 2, 24 fin. et saep.: ad ultimum animo, Cic. Mur. 31, 65; cf.: magna spectare atque ad ea rectis studiis contendere, id. Off. 2, 13, 44: ad summam laudem gloriamque maximis laboribus et periculis, id. Phil. 14, 12, 32: ad salutem, Caes. B. G. 3, 3 fin.—
2 (Neutr.) To measure or try one's strength with, with weapons, by words, in action, etc.; to strive, dispute, fight, contend against, vie with; constr. with cum aliquo, contra or adversus aliquem, the dat., inter se, or absol.
(a) Cum aliquo: neque post id tempus umquam summis nobiscum copiis hostes contenderunt, Caes. B. G. 5, 17 fin.; 1, 36: cum Sequanis bello, id. ib. 7, 67 fin.: cum eo armis, Cic. Att. 7, 9, 2: cum magnis legionibus parvā manu, Sall. C. 53, 3: cum barbaro, Nep. Con. 4, 3: cum victore, Hor. S. 1, 9, 42: mecum ingenio et arte, Prop. 2 (3), 24, 23 al.: cum eo de principatu, Nep. Arist. 1, 1; cf. id. Ages. 1, 4 al.: divitiis et sumptibus, non probitate neque industriā cum majoribus suis, Sall. J. 4, 7: humilitas cum dignitate et amplitudine, Cic. Rosc. Am. 47, 136.—So with acc. of neutr. pron.: tamenne vereris, ut possis haec contra Hortensium contendere? Cic. Quint. 25, 78.—
(b) Contra aliquem: contra populum Romanum armis, Caes. B. G. 2, 13: tauri pro vitulis contra leones summā vi impetuque contendunt, Cic. Fin. 3, 20, 66: contra vim gravitatemque morbi, id. Phil. 9, 7, 15: nihil contra naturam universam, id. Off. 1, 31, 110; Cat. 64, 101.—*
(g) Adversus aliquem: non contendam ego adversus te, Anton. ap. Cic. Att. 14, 13, A, 2.—
(d) With dat. (poet.): hirundo cycnis, Lucr. 3, 6: Homero, Prop. 1, 7, 3; 1, 14, 7: Pindaricis plectris, Stat. S. 1, 3, 101.—(ε) Inter se: hi cum tantopere de potentatu inter se multos annos contenderent, Caes. B. G. 1, 31, 4; 1, 5, 3: viribus inter se, Lucr. 3, 784.—Impers.: interim proelio equestri inter duas acies contendebatur, the contest was carried on, Caes. B. G. 2, 9.—(ζ) Absol.: proelio, Caes. B. G. 1, 48; 1, 50 fin.; 3, 28 al.: magis virtute quam dolo, id. ib. 1, 13; Nep. Epam. 2, 5: translatio non habet quaestionem, de quā contendit orator, sed propter quam contendit, Quint. 3, 6, 72; cf. id. 6, 1, 50; 7, 9, 3 al.—Impers.: summo jure contenditur, Cic. Caecin. 23, 65: de his lite contenditur, Quint. 3, 4, 8: de personis judicatur, sed de rebus contenditur, id. 10, 5, 13.—*
b In auctions, to vie with in bidding, to bid against: is liceri non destitit; illi quoad videbatur ferri aliquo modo posse, contenderunt, Cic. Verr. 2, 3, 42, § 99.—
3 (Act.) To place together in comparison, to compare, contrast; constr. with cum, ad, the dat., or acc. only.
(a) With cum: tuam iram contra cum ira Liberi, Naev. ap. Non. p. 259, 7; Caecil. ib. p. 259, 1: id cum defensione nostrā, Cic. Rosc. Am. 33, 93: rationem meam cum tuā ratione, id. N. D. 3, 4, 10; Tac. A. 4, 32 al.: suam vitam mecum, Licinius, Macer. ap. Non. p. 259, 3.—*
(b) With ad: ut vim contendas tuam ad majestatem viri, Att. ap. Non. p. 259, 5 (Trag. Rel. v. 648 Rib.).—
(g) With dat.: Thestiadas Ledae, Lucil. ap. Non. p. 258, 30: vellera potantia Aquinatem fucum Sidonio ostro, Hor. Ep. 1, 10, 26; Aus. Grat. Act. 14 al.—
(d) With acc. only: anulum, Plaut. Fragm. ap. Non. p. 258, 29: ipsas causas, quae inter se confligunt, Cic. Cat. 2, 11, 25: leges, id. Inv. 2, 49, 145: suam quaeque nobilitatem, formam, opes, Tac. A. 12, 1: vetera et praesentia, id. ib. 13, 3.—
4 (Act.) To demand, ask, solicit, entreat, beg earnestly, to seek to gain: cum a me peteret et summe contenderet, ut suum propinquum defenderem, Cic. Quint. 24, 77: verecundius a te, si quae magna res mihi petenda esset, contenderem, id. Fam. 2, 6, 1; so, ab aliquo, id. Verr. 2, 2, 53, § 131; id. de Or. 1, 36, 166; id. Rosc. Am. 1, 4; id. Fam. 13, 7, 3; cf.: a magistris de proferendo die, id. ib. 12, 30, 5; id. Q. Fr. 3, 1, 5, § 15: ne quid contra aequitatem, id. Off. 2, 20, 71: omni opere, ut, etc., Suet. Dom. 2: magno opere, ne, etc., id. Aug. 27; id. Vit. 3: pertinaciter, id. Caes. 1.—
5 (Act.) To assert, affirm earnestly, to maintain or contend energetically.
(a) With acc. and inf.: sic ego hoc contendo, me tibi ipsi adversario cujuscumque tribus rationem poposceris redditurum, Cic. Planc. 19, 48; id. Sest. 50, 107; id. Arch. 7, 15: apud eos contendit falsa esse delata, Nep. Them. 7, 2; id. Epam. 8, 1: illud pro me majoribusque meis contendere ausim, nihil nos ... scientes fuisse, Liv. 6, 40, 5; Quint. prooem. § 11; 1, 2, 25; Suet. Calig. 15; id. Dom. 6; Lucr. 5, 1343; Cat. 44, 4; Ov. M. 2, 855; Hor. Ep. 1, 16, 37 al.—
(b) Absol. (very rare): si manantia corpuscula iter claudunt, ut Asclepiades contendit, Cels. 1, praef. § 28.—Hence, contentus, a, um, P. a.
A Lit., stretched, strained, tense, tight: qui jam contento, jam laxo fune laborat, Hor. S. 2, 7, 20: acies oculorum, Lucr. 1, 325; cf.: contentis oculis prosequi aliquem, Suet. Tib. 7: contentis corporibus facilius feruntur onera (opp. remissa), Cic. Tusc. 2, 23, 54; cf.: contentā cervice trahunt plaustra (boves), Verg. G. 3, 536: Placideiani contento poplite miror Proelia, with the knee stiffly bent, Hor. S. 2, 7, 97.—
B Trop., eager, intent: contenta mens fuit in eā ratione, Lucr. 4, 965; cf. Ov. M. 15, 515: et contentā voce atrociter dicere et summissā leniter, Cic. Or. 17, 56: ad tribunatum contento studio cursuque veniamus, id. Sest. 6, 13.—Sup.: contentissimā voce clamitans, App. M. 4, p. 147.—Adv.: con-tentē, earnestly, with great exertion, vehemently: pro se dicere ... mittere contentius, Cic. Tusc. 2, 24, 57; cf.: acriter atque contente pro suis decretis propugnare, Gell. 18, 1, 2: contentissime clamitare, App. Flor. n. 8: contentius ambulare, Cic. Tusc. 5, 34, 97: ornamentis iisdem uti fere licebit, alias contentius, alias summissius, id. de Or. 3, 55, 212: aliquid curiose atque contente lectitare, Gell. 3, 3, 1.
Latin > French (Gaffiot 2016)
contendō,⁷ tendī, tentum, ĕre.
I tr.,
1 tendre [avec force] : tormenta telorum Cic. Tusc. 2, 57, tendre les machines à lancer des traits ; (fides) contenta nervis Cic. Fin. 4, 75, (lyre) tendue au moyen de ses cordes ; nervos Varro L. 8, 63 ( Cic. Fato 21 ; Fam. 15, 14, 5 ), tendre les muscles (fig. = faire effort) || lancer [un trait, un javelot] : Virg. En. 10, 521 ; Sil. 1, 323 || [fig.] vires Lucr. 4, 989, tendre ses forces ; animum in tales curas Ov. P. 1, 5, 11, tendre son esprit vers de telles occupations || qui cursum huc contendit suum Pl. Cist. 534, celui qui dirige vivement sa course ici, cf. Virg. En. 5, 834
2 chercher à atteindre, à obtenir qqch., prétendre à : honores Varro Men. 450, solliciter les charges ; hic magistratus a populo summa ambitione contenditur Cic. Verr. 2, 2, 131, cette magistrature, on la sollicite du peuple avec les plus vives compétitions, cf. Læl. 39 ; Att. 1, 8, 10, etc. || abst] contendere ab aliquo, solliciter qqn avec insistance : Cic. Amer. 4 ; Planc. 12 ; Att. 6, 2, 10, etc. ; a me valde contendit de reditu in gratiam Cic. Q. 3, 1, 15, il m’entreprend vivement pour une réconciliation || [avec ut, ne ] : contendit ab eo, ut causam cognosceret Cic. Verr. 2, 1, 73, il le pressa d’instruire la cause ; pro suo jure contendet, ne patiamini... Cic. Verr. 2, 5, 2, comme c’est son droit, il vous demandera avec insistance de ne pas souffrir... ( Cæs. C. 3, 97, 1 ) || [avec inf.] hoc non contendo... mutare animum Cic. Q. 1, 1, 38, je ne prétends pas modifier un caractère ; [avec prop. inf.] Vell. 2, 48, 1
3 soutenir énergiquement, affirmer, prétendre, aliquid, qqch. : Cic. Off. 2, 71 ; Amer. 47, etc. || [surtout avec prop. inf.] soutenir que : Verr. 2, 5, 19 ; Font. 1 ; Arch. 15 ; Sest. 107, etc. ; Cæs. G. 6, 37, 7, etc. ; apud eos contendit falsa iis esse delata Nep. Them. 7, 2, devant eux, il affirme qu’on leur a fait de faux rapports
4 comparer : leges Cic. Inv. 2, 145 ; causas Cic. Cat. 2, 25, comparer les lois, les partis en présence ; rem cum re Cic. Agr. 2, 96 ; Inv. 2, 173, comparer une chose avec une autre ; [poét.] rem rei, aliquem alicui : Lucil. Sat. 24 ; 277 ; Hor. Ep. 1, 10, 26 ; Aus. Parent. 1, 9 ; Grat. 7.
II intr.,
1 bander les ressorts, tendre son énergie, faire effort, se raidir : lateribus Cic. de Or. 1, 255 ; voce Cic. Lig. 6, faire effort des poumons, de la voix ; ad summam gloriam Cic. Phil. 14, 32, tendre vers la gloire la plus haute ; ad ultimum animo Cic. Mur. 65, tendre de toute son énergie vers le point le plus éloigné || [avec inf.] : tranare contenderunt Cæs. G. 1, 53, 2, ils s’efforcèrent de traverser à la nage (3, 15, 1 ; 3, 26, 5 ; 5, 21, 4, etc.) || [avec ut, ne ] : eos vidimus contendere ut... pervenirent Cic. Verr. 2, 5, 181, nous les avons vus s’efforcer de parvenir... (Sest. 5 ; Phil. 9, 15, etc.) ; remis contendit ut... Cæs. G. 5, 8, 2, il tente à force de rames de...; ea ne fierent, contendit Cic. Att. 12, 4, 2, il s’est opposé à cela de toutes ses forces
2 marcher vivement, faire diligence : quæ res eum nocte una tantum itineris contendere coegit ? Cic. Amer. 97, qu’est-ce qui le forçait à fournir une telle course en une seule nuit [= marcher sur un si long parcours] ? in Italiam magnis itineribus contendit Cæs. G. 1, 10, 3, il se porte vivement en Italie par grandes étapes (1, 7, 1 ; 4, 18, 2) ; [avec ad ] G. 2, 7, 3, etc. ; statim exanimatus ad ædes contendit Cic. Verr. 2, 1, 67, aussitôt il se hâte à perdre haleine vers la maison || [avec inf.] : Bibracte ire contendit Cæs. G. 1, 23, 1, il se hâte d’aller à Bibracte (G. 3, 6, 4, etc.)
3 se mesurer, lutter, rivaliser : cum aliquo, cum aliqua re, avec qqn, avec qqch. : Cic. Fl. 5 ; Balbo 59 ; Mil. 68 ; Off. 1, 38 ; Nat. 3, 10, etc. ; ingenio cum aliquo Cic. Verr. 2, 5, 174, rivaliser de talent avec qqn ; de aliqua re eum aliquo Cic. Sulla 83, lutter avec qqn pour qqch. || prœlio Cæs. G. 1, 48, 3 ; contra populum Romanum armis Cæs. G. 2, 13, 3, se mesurer dans un combat (les armes à la main) contre le peuple romain ; cum aliquo Cæs. G. 1, 31, 6, etc., avec qqn ; inter se de potentatu contendebant Cæs. G. 1, 31, 4, ils luttaient entre eux pour la suprématie || lutter pour les magistratures, pour les honneurs, etc., de honore, de dignitate, etc.: Cic. Mur. 21 ; Sulla 24, etc. || discuter : cum aliquo de mittendis legatis Cæs. C. 3, 90, 2, discuter avec qqn pour l’envoi d’une ambassade || [poét.] rivaliser, lutter avec qqn, alicui : Lucr. 3, 6 ; Prop. 1, 7, 3 ; 1, 14, 7 ; Sen. Nat. 1, 11, 2.