bes
Δελφῖνα νήχεσθαι διδάσκεις: ἐπὶ τῶν ἐν ἐκείνοις τινὰ παιδοτριβούντων, ἐν οἷς ἤσκηται → Teaching dolphins to swim: is applied to those who are teaching something among people who are already well versed in it
Latin > English (Lewis & Short)
bes: bessis, m. (nom. bessis, Paul. ex Fest. p. 33 Müll.; Prisc. Ponder. p. 1348 P.) [be-is = binae partes assis.
I Two thirds of a unit (the as); eight unciae, or twelfths (cf. as): bessis octo sunt unciae (8/12 = 2/3), triens quattuor, Paul. ex Fest. l. l.
A As a coin: fenus ex triente Idib. Quint. factum erat bessibus, i. e. instead of the previous monthly interest of 1/3 %, 2/3 % was now reckoned; thus, acc. to the present mode of calculating, for the year, the interest advanced from 4 % (12X1/3) to 8 % (12X2/3), * Cic. Att. 4, 15, 7.—
B In gen., two thirds of any whole.
1 Of shares in a partnership: Nerva constituit, ut tu ex triente socius esses, ego ex besse, Dig. 17, 2, 76.—
2 Of a sum of money: exsolvere bessem pretii, Dig. 17, 1, 12.—
3 Of a tract of land: emere bessem fundi, Dig. 16, 21, 2, § 39: bisque novem, Nemeaee, dabis, bessemque (i. e. eight months) sub illis, Manil. 3, 367.—
4 Of a jugerum: partes duae tertiae pedes decem novem milia et ducentos, hoc est bes, in quo sunt scripula CXCII., Col. 5, 1, 11.—
5 Of a measure of capacity: bes sextarii, Scrib. Comp. 126.—
6 Of a pound, = 8 ounces: in binos semodios farinae satis esse bessem fermenti, Plin. 18, 11, 26, § 102; Scrib. Comp. 157.—
7 Of an inheritance: heres ex besse, Plin. Ep. 7, 24, 2.—
C Meton. for eight: quincunces et sex cyathos bessemque bibamus, Caïus ut fiat Julius et Proculus (i. e. so many letters were comprised in these names; cf. 1. bibo, 2. e.), Mart. 11, 36, 7 and 8.—
D Bes alter = (12+8)/12 = 1 2/3, Fest. s. v. triens, p. 363 Müll.—
II In mathematics, where the cardinal number is six (cf. as !*?), bes = 4, Gr. δίμοιρος, Vitr. 3, 1, p. 61 Rod. and bes alter = (6+4)/6 = 1 2/3, Gr. ἐπιδίμοιρος, id. ib.
Latin > French (Gaffiot 2016)
bēs,¹⁵ bessis, m., les 2/3 d’un tout de 12 parties :
1 [héritage] : heres ex besse Plin. Min. Ep. 7, 24, 2, héritier des 2/3
2 [poids] les 2/3 d’une livre, huit onces : Plin. 18, 102
3 les 2/3 d’un arpent : Col. Rust. 5, 1, 11
4 [intérêt] 2/3 \\% par mois = 8 \\% par an : Cic. Att. 4, 15, 7
5 = huit : bessem bibamus Mart. 11, 36, 7, buvons huit coupes
6 [math.] 2/3 de 6 [nombre parfait] = 4 : Vitr. Arch. 3, 1, 6.
Latin > German (Georges)
bēs, bēssis (bēsis), m.; altlat. dēs, Varr. LL. 5, 172 (st. be-is = binae partes assis; vgl. as), I) zwei Drittel (= 8 unciae) von einem jeden zwölfteiligen Ganzen, A) eig.: a) vom Pfunde = 8 Unzen, Plin. 18, 102. – b) von einem iugerum, Col. 5, 1, 11. – c) vom Fuße, 2 / 3 Fuß = 8 Zoll, u. bes alter = 12+8 / 12 = 12 / 3, s. Fest. p. 363 (in v. Trientem tertium etc.). – d) vom as als Münze (s. Varr. LL. 5, 172), fenus ex triente Idib. Quinct. factum erat bessibus, anstatt daß früher 1/3 % Zinsen monatlich bezahlt wurden, bezahlte man nun 2/3 %, also nach unserer Berechnung aufs Jahr = die Zinsen stiegen von 4% (12 × 1/3) auf 8% (12 × ⅔), Cic. ad Att. 4, 15, 7. – e) von der Erbschaft, heres ex besse, Plin. ep. 7, 24, 2. – B) meton. = acht, bessem bibamus, 8 Becher (so viel als der Name Proculus Buchstaben enthält), Mart. 11, 36, 7. – II) bei den Mathematikern, 2/3 von 6 (s. as no. II) = 4, griech. δίμοιρος, u. bes alter = 6+4/6 = 1⅔, griech. επιδίμοιρος, Vitr. 3, 1, 6. – / Spät. Nbf. bēssis, is, m., Bassus de asse § 2. 8. 14. 16 (Metrol. scriptt. p. 72 sqq. ed. Hultsch). Prisc. de fig. num. 10. p. 408, 25 u. 31. p. 416, 20 K. Cod. Theod. 9, 42, 8. § 1. Paul. ex Fest. 33, 1 zw.
Latin > English
bes NUM :: two thirds; [bes alter => one and two thirds]
bes bes besis N M :: two thirds of any whole; [ex bese => in ratio of 2:3; or 8, 2/3 of 12 (L+S)]
bes bes bessis N M :: two thirds of any whole; [ex bese => in ratio of 2:); or 8, 2/3 of 12 (L+S)]