modicus
ἔγνω δὲ φώρ τε φῶρα καὶ λύκος λύκον → the thief knows the thief and the wolf knows the wolf, and thief knows thief and wolf his fellow wolf, set a thief to catch a thief
Latin > English (Lewis & Short)
mŏdĭcus: a, um, adj. modus,
I having or keeping a proper measure, moderate (cf. mediocris); esp. in behavior, modest, temperate; also, of size, moderate-sized; middling, ordinary, mean, bad (class.; syn.: moderatus, mediocris).
I In a good sense: modico gradu ire, Plaut. Poen. 3, 1, 19: potiones, Cic. Div. 1, 51, 115: convivia, id. Sen. 13, 44: severitas, id. ib. 18, 65: industrios, supplices, modicos esse, Sall. J. 85, 1: domi modicus, id. ib. 63, 2: modicum quoddam corpus (historiae), a book of a tolerable size, Cic. Fam. 5, 12, 4: amant (mala) modicas rigationes, gentle, moderate, Pall. 3, 25, 14.—
II In a disparaging sense, middling, ordinary, mean, scanty, small, etc.: genus dicendi subtile in probando, modicum in delectando, Cic. Or. 21, 69: oculi, middling-sized, Plin. 11, 37, 53, § 141: ea, valde et modica, et illustria sunt, few in number, Cic. de Or. 2, 32, 137: Graecis hoc modicum est, not frequent, id. Fin. 2, 19, 62: pecunia, little, scanty, id. Par. 6, 2, 47: acervus, Hor. Ep. 2, 2, 190: incrementa, small, Just. 7, 1: tempus, short, Quint. 1, 2, 12: rem pateris modicam, a trifling affliction, Juv. 13, 143: modici amici, humble, poor, id. 5, 108.—With gen.: Sabinus modicus originis, Tac. A. 6, 39: virium, Vell. 1, 12, 4: pecuniae, Tac. A. 3, 72: voluptatum, id. ib. 2, 73. —As subst.: mŏdĭcum, i, n. (sc. spatium), a little way: modicum progredi, a little, App. M. 6, p. 180, 38: modico contentus. Juv. 9, 9.—Also, in abl., modico adverbially: modico deinde regressa, i. e. after a short time, App. M. 1, p. 112, 20: modico prius, quam Larissam accederem, a short time before, id. ib. p. 105 med.: modico secus progredi, to go a little farther, id. ib. p. 112, 10.—Hence, adv.: mŏdĭcē, with moderation, moderately; modestly; in a proper manner; also, in an ordinary manner, meanly, poorly (class.).
1 Modice hoc faciam, Cic. Fam. 4, 4, 4: dolorem modice ferre, quietly, calmly, id. Tusc. 1, 46, 111; id. Phil. 11, 3, 7: se recipere, quietly, in good order, Liv. 28, 15: verecunde et modice, Enn. ap. Non. 342, 23 (Trag. v. 241 Vahl.): modice et modeste vitam vivere, Plaut. Pers. 3, 1, 18: dicere, Cic. Sull. 29, 80: modice et scienter uti re aliquā, id. de Or. 1, 29, 132.—
2 Slightly, not very, not much: minae Clodii modice me tangunt, Cic. Att. 2, 19, 1: modice vinosus, Liv. 41, 4: locuples, id. 38, 14, 9: modice instratus torus, slightly, meanly, scantily, Suet. Aug. 73.
Latin > French (Gaffiot 2016)
mŏdĭcus,⁸ a, um (modus), qui est dans la mesure, modéré : Cic. Div. 1, 115 ; modica convivia Cic. CM 44, repas où règne la mesure ; modica severitas Cic. CM 65, sévérité raisonnable ; modicum (genus) in delectando Cic. Or. 69, (style) modéré quand il s’agit de plaire ; mea pecunia est ad volgi opinionem mediocris, ad tuam nulla, ad meam modica Cic. Par. 47, ma fortune, si elle est médiocre selon l’opinion de la foule et inexistante selon la tienne, elle est raisonnable (suffisante) selon la mienne, cf. de Or. 2, 137 ; Græcis hoc modicum est Cic. Fin. 2, 62, cela est limité chez les Grecs
