potis: Difference between revisions

|lshtext=<b>pŏtis</b>: (in the [[positive]] [[rarely]] declined, and in the<br /><b>I</b> neutr. pŏte), adj. (comp. pŏ-tĭor, ius; [[sup]]. pŏtissĭmus, a, um; [[class]]. [[only]] in the comp.) [Sanscr. patis, [[lord]]; Gr. [[πόσις]], [[husband]]; δες-[[πότης]], [[lord]]; Lat. compotis ([[compos]]) potiri].<br /><b>I</b> Posit., [[able]], [[capable]]; [[possible]] ([[mostly]] [[ante]]-[[class]]. and [[poet]].): divi qui potes pro [[illo]] [[quod]] Samothraces θεοὶ δυνατοί, Varr L. L. 5, § 58 Müll.; Macr. S. 3, 4: [[nisi]] qui colaphos perpeti Potis [[parasitus]], Plaut. Capt. 1, 1, 21.—Usually in the [[connection]] [[potis]] or [[pote]] est, he, she, or it is [[able]], [[may]], or can: at ea supterfugere [[potis]] es pauca, Plaut. Capt. 5, 2, 17: [[neque]] [[sanguis]] ullo [[potis]] est pacto [[profluens]] consistere, old [[poet]] ap. Cic. Tusc. 2, 16, 38: istam non [[potis]] est vis saeva exstinguere venti, Poët. ap. Gell. 19, 9, 12: at non Evandrum [[potis]] est vis ulla [[tenere]], Verg. A. 11, 148: [[quod]] [[nunquam]] [[potis]] est sejungi, Lucr. 1, 452: nec [[potis]] est cerni, id. 5, 719; Cat. 76, 24: qui [[potis]] est? [[how]] is it [[possible]]? id. 72, 7.—With plur.: si [[speres]] [[quicquam]] [[prodesse]] [[potis]] sunt, Enn. ap. Fest. p. 333 Müll. (Ann. v. 410 Vahl.): duae [[plus]] [[satis]] [[dare]] [[potis]] sunt, Plaut. Poen. 1, 2, 17: [[quid]] pastores [[potis]] sint, Varr. R. R. 2, 2.—Without est: [[quis]] [[potis]] ingentes oras evolvere belli? Enn. ap. Diom. p. 381 P. (Ann. v. 178 Vahl.); Verg. A. 3, 671; Hor. C. 3, 17, 13.—Form [[pote]]: si non aliud [[pote]] est, Cat. 43, 16. Without est: nec devitari [[letum]] [[pote]], Lucr. 3, 1079: viget, veget, [[utpote]] plurimum, Varr. ap Non. 2, 876: nec non [[emptor]] [[pote]] ex empto [[vendito]] illum damnare, id. R. R. 2, 2: nec eniti remis [[pote]], Val. Fl. 4, 680; Prop. 2, 1, 46: qui [[pote]]? vis dicam? nugaris, Pers. 1, 56: in te dici [[pote]], Id, [[quod]], Cat. 98, 1: nec [[peccatum]] a me [[quisquam]] [[pote]] dicere [[quicquam]], id. 67, 11: hoc facito, [[sive]] id non [[pote]] [[sive]] [[pote]], be it [[impossible]] or [[possible]], id. 76, 16: [[quid]] [[pote]] simplicius? [[what]] can be [[more]] [[simple]]? Mart. 9, 16, 2: [[nihil]] [[pote]] [[supra]], [[nothing]] could [[exceed]] it, Ter. Ad. 2, 3, 11; Auct. ap. Cic. Brut. 46, 172; Cic. Att. 13, 38, 1: [[quantum]] [[pote]], as [[soon]] as [[possible]], id. ib. 4, 13, 1: [[quam]] [[pote]], as [[much]] as [[possible]] ([[post]]-[[class]].): aufugiamus [[istinc]] [[quam]] [[pote]] longissime, App. M. 1, p. 107, 9; 2, p. 119, 33.—<br /><b>II</b> Comp.: pŏtĭor, us, [[that]] [[may]] be preferred, preferred; [[better]], [[preferable]] ([[class]].).<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<b>A</b> Of persons: [[numquam]] [[edepol]] erit [[ille]] [[potior]] [[Harpax]], [[quam]] ego, Plaut. Ps. 4, 1, 17; 1, 3, 95: quem aequiust potiorem habere [[quam]] te? id. Stich. 1, 2, 40: qui [[plus]] pollet potiorque est patre, old [[poet]] ap. Cic. Tusc. 4, 32, 69; id. Fam. 10, 3, 2: [[itaque]] cives potiores [[quam]] peregrini, id. Lael. 5, 19: Sosim et Moericum quibus tantam crederem rem, potiores habui, Liv. 26, 31, 4: at tu, qui [[potior]] [[nunc]] es, happier in [[love]], preferred, Tib. 1, 6, 33 (5, 69): ut in judicio possessionis [[potior]] esset, Dig. 18, 1, 34.—<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<b>B</b> Of things, [[better]], stronger, [[preferable]], [[more]] [[useful]] or [[important]]: nulla [[potior]] serenda, Varr. R. R. 1, 15: [[sucus]], Plin. 36, 22, 43, § 158: novistine locum potiorem rure beato? Hor. Ep. 1, 10, 14: [[sententia]], id. Epod. 16, 17: [[mors]] civibus Romanis [[semper]] fuit servitute [[potior]], Cic. Phil. 10, 9, 19: [[illi]] [[turpis]] [[vita]] integrā famā [[potior]] fuit, Sall. J. 67, 3: [[nihil]] mihi [[potius]] fuit [[quam]] ut Massinissam convenirem, I had [[nothing]] [[more]] [[important]], [[nothing]] [[more]] [[urgent]] to do, Cic. Rep. 6, 9, 9: [[illa]] [[semper]] potiora duxisti, quae, etc., id. de Or. 3, 22, 82: [[semper]] se rei publicae commoda privatis necessitatibus habuisse potiora, Caes. B. C. 1, 8.— Subst.: ut probetis potiora, Vulg. Phil. 1, 10: [[hem]], [[mater]] mea, [[tibi]] rem potiorem [[video]] (sc. verbis), I see a [[fact]] stronger [[than]] words, i. e. a clearer [[proof]], Plaut. Aul. 4, 7, 12.—<br /><b>III</b> Sup.: pŏtissĭmus, a, um, the [[chief]], [[principal]], [[most]] [[prominent]], [[most]] [[important]].<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<b>A</b> Of persons ([[poet]]. and in [[post]]-Aug. [[prose]]): [[item]] huic [[ultro]] [[fit]], ut Meret, potissimus nostrae domi ut [[sit]], Plaut. Men. 2, 3, 9: tantis potissimus umbris, Stat. Th. 4, 627: potissimos libertorum [[veneno]] interficere, Tac. A. 14, 65.—<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<b>B</b> Of things ([[class]].): [[utrum]] [[potius]], aut [[quid]] potissimum [[sit]], quaeritur, Cic. Inv. 1, 12, 17: [[cura]], Stat. S. 4, 4, 20: [[nobilitas]], Plin. 14, 2, 4, § 25: [[opusculum]], Plin. Ep. 4, 14, 10: [[causa]], Tac. A. 4, 16.—Hence, adv., [[only]] in the comp. and [[sup]].<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<b>A</b> Comp.: pŏtĭus, [[rather]], [[preferably]], [[more]] ([[class]].; cf.: [[satius]], [[prius]]): quo nos vocabis nomine? Ar. Libortos. Le. Non patronos? Ar. Id [[potius]], Plaut. As. 3, 3, 62: sed [[scin']], [[quid]] [[volo]] [[potius]], [[sodes]], facias? Ter. Hec. 5, 1, 27; id. And. 5, 3, 2: nec [[vero]] imperia expetenda: ac [[potius]] non accipienda [[interdum]], Cic. Off. 1, 20, 68.— With [[quam]], Plaut. Aul. 4, 2, 11: Galliam [[potius]] esse Ariovisti [[quam]] populi Romani, Caes. B. G. 1, 45.—When the predicates are compared, the [[verb]] in the [[following]] [[clause]] is [[always]] in the subj.: [[perpessus]] est omnia [[potius]] [[quam]] conscios indicaret, [[rather]] [[than]], Cic. Tusc. 2, 22, 52: in oratione non vis [[potius]] [[quam]] [[delectatio]] postulatur, Cic. de Or. 2, 78, 317: privabo [[potius]] illum debito testimonio [[quam]] id cum meā laude communicem, id. Ac. 2, 1, 3: scribam aliquid [[potius]], [[quam]] committam ut litterae non reddantur, id. Att. 5, 6, 2: nos [[potius]] nostro delicto plectemur, [[quam]] res publica nostra peccata luat, Liv. 8, 7, 17: per interregem [[comitia]] habenda [[potius]], [[quam]] consulum [[alter]] a [[bello]] avocaretur, id. 22, 23, 10; 9, 14, 16.— So [[with]] [[quam]] ut: se miliens morituros [[potius]] [[quam]] ut [[tantum]] dedecoris admitti patiantur, Liv. 4, 2, 8: [[audeo]] dicere hoc [[malo]] domitos ipsos [[potius]] cultores agrorum [[fore]], [[quam]] ut armati, etc., id. 2, 34, 11; 6, 28, 8; 9, 14, 7.—But [[after]] verbs of [[willing]], wishing ([[sometimes]] of declaring), the inf. is used: dictatore obstinato tollere [[potius]] totum e re publicā consulatum, [[quam]] promiscuum facere, Liv. 7, 21, 1; 23, 9, 8; 21, 13, 8: v. Weissenb. ad Liv. 2, 15, 2; Fest. s. v. olivitam, p. 202 Müll.; v. Muuml;ll. ad. loc. p. 203, a. —In an [[inverted]] [[order]]: [[quam]] [[potius]], Verg. Copa, 5: [[quid]] mihi negotii est eum istis nugacibus, [[quam]] [[potius]] potamus [[mulsum]]? C. [[Titius]] ap. Macr. S. 2, 12.—Sometimes [[potius]] is to be supplied: tacita, bona est [[mulier]] [[semper]], [[quam]] loquens, Plaut. Rud. 4, 4, 70; id. Men. 5, 1, 26: [[tamen]] statuit congredi, [[quam]] cum tantis copiis refugere, Nep. Dat. 8, 1.—Pleon., [[with]] words [[which]] [[already]] [[express]] [[comparison]].—Comp., Ter. Hec. 4, 1, 19: Uticae [[potius]] [[quam]] Romae esse malle, Cic. Lig. 2, 5: favorabiliores rei [[potius]], [[quam]] actores habentur, Dig. 50, 17, 167.—<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<b>2</b>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Esp., introducing a [[repetition]] of a [[thought]] in a corrected or strengthened form: aut [[potius]], vel [[potius]], or [[rather]], or I [[may]] [[better]] [[say]], etc.: efficiet [[enim]] [[ratio]] ut ... [[mors]] aut [[malum]] non [[sit]], aut [[sit]] [[bonum]] [[potius]], Cic. Tusc. 1, 11, 23: [[quam]] fuit [[imbecillus]] P. Africani [[filius]], [[quam]] tenui aut nullā [[potius]] valetudine, id. Sen. 11, 35: erravit aut [[potius]] insanivit [[Apronius]]? id. Verr. 2, 3, 48, § 113: [[Cato]] [[magnus]] [[hercule]] [[homo]], vel [[potius]] [[summus]] et [[singularis]] vir, id. Brut. 85, 293; Dig. 1, 5, 16.—<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<b>B</b> Sup.: pŏtissĭmē (pŏtissŭ-), and [[more]] freq. pŏtissĭmum (pŏtissŭ-), [[chiefly]], [[principally]], [[especially]], in [[preference]] to all others, [[above]] all, [[most]] of all ([[class]].).—Form [[potissime]], Cels. 3, 6.—Form potissimum: responde, quo [[leto]] censes me ut peream potissimum? Plaut. Merc. 2, 4, 15; Ter. And. 2, 6, 23: exsistat [[aliquis]] et potissimum [[Caecus]] [[ille]], Cic. Cael. 14, 33; id. Mur. 2, 4: nos id potissimum consecuti sumus, id. Tusc. 5, 4, 11: tanta erat [[contentio]], qui potissimum ex magno [[numero]] conscenderent, ut, Caes. B. C. 2, 43: [[quid]] agam? aut quo potissimum [[infelix]] accedam? Sall. J. 14, 15; Auct. Her. 3, 2, 2; Lact. 2, 18, 3.