sinister: Difference between revisions

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|lshtext=<b>sĭnister</b>: tra, trum (<br /><b>I</b> comp. sinisterior; [[sup]]. [[sinistimus]], Prisc. pp. 605 and 607 P.; Fest. s. v. dextimum, p. 74; and s. v. sinistrae, p. 339 Müll.), adj. etym. dub.; perh. from [[sinus]] (i. e. togae); cf. Pott, Etym. Forsch. 2, 555; the [[ending]] is a [[double]] comp. -is and -ter; cf.: [[magister]], [[minister]].<br /><b>I</b> Left, on the [[left]], on the [[left]] [[hand]] or [[side]] (syn.: [[laevus]], [[scaevus]]): [[manus]] [[sinistra]] (opp. [[dextra]]), Quint. 11, 3, 114: [[manus]], Nep. Dat. 3; Quint. 11, 3, 159: [[bracchium]], id. 11, 3, 141: [[latus]], id. 11, 3, 99: [[numerus]], id. 11, 3, 93; 11, 3, 113; 11, 3, 140: pes, id. 11, 3, 125; 11, 3, 159: [[cornu]] (opp. dextrum), Ter. Eun. 4, 7, 5; Caes. B. G. 7, 62; id. B. C. 2, 34; 3, 67 al.: [[pars]], id. B. G. 2, 23; id. B. C. 2, 4 fin.: [[angulus]] castrorum, id. ib. 3, 66: [[ripa]], Hor. C. 1, 2, 18: [[calceus]], Suet. Aug. 92: [[tibia]], Phaedr. 5, 7, 7 et saep.—As substt.<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<b>1</b>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; sĭnistrum, i, n. (sc. [[latus]]), the [[left]] [[side]]: reicere a sinistro togam, Quint. 11, 3, 144; so, in sinistrum, id. 11, 3, 109; 11, 3, 113; 11, 3, 114; 11, 3, 135.—<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<b>2</b>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; sĭnistra, ae, f. (sc. [[manus]]), the [[left]] [[hand]], the [[left]]: sinistrā impeditā [[satis]] [[commode]] pugnare non poterant, Caes. B. G. 1, 25; id. B. C. 1, 75 fin.; Quint. 11, 3, 131; 11, 3, 160; Suet. Claud. 21; Ov. M. 12, 89 et saep.—Used in [[stealing]]: natae ad furta sinistrae, Ov. M. 13, 111; cf. Cat. 12, 1; [[hence]], of a [[thief]]'s accomplices: Porci et Socration, duae sinistrae Pisonis, id. 47, 1.—As [[bearing]] the [[shield]] and defending: [[idem]] ([[Afer]]) per allegoriam M. Caelium [[melius]] obicientem crimina [[quam]] defendentem, Bonam dextram, malam sinistram habere dicebat, Quint. 6, 3, 69—<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<b>B</b> Transf., the [[left]] [[side]]: [[cur]] a dextrā [[corvus]], a sinistrā [[cornix]] faciat ratum? Cic. Div. 1, 39, 85: aspicite a sinistrā, id. Phil. 6, 5, 12: aspice [[nunc]] ad sinistram, Plaut. Merc. 5, 2, 38: sub sinistrā Britanniam relictam conspexit, Caes. B. G. 5, 8: [[miles]] dexterā ac sinistrā [[muro]] [[tectus]], id. B. C. 2, 15; cf.: innumerabiles [[supra]] [[infra]], dextrā sinistrā, [[ante]] [[post]] ejusmodi mundos esse, Cic. Ac. 2, 40, 125.— Rarely in plur.: sinistris [[repentino]] consilio Poetelii consulis additae [[vires]] (opp. [[dextra]] [[pars]]), Liv. 9, 27, 9.—Comp.: in sinisteriore parte (= sinistrā), Varr. L. L. 9, § 34 Müll.; so, [[cornu]] (opp. dexterius), Galb. ap. Cic. Fam. 10, 30, 4: [[bracchium]], Suet. Dom. 17: [[mamma]], Cels. 4, 1 med.: [[equus]] [[funalis]], Suet. Tib. 6 fin.: [[rota]], Ov. M. 2, 139.—Sup.,<br /> v. [[supra]] init.—<br /><b>II</b> Trop.<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<b>A</b> Awkward, [[wrong]], [[perverse]], [[improper]] ([[poet]]. and in [[post]]-Aug. [[prose]]): [[mores]], Verg. A. 11, 347: [[liberalitas]], Cat. 29, 16: instituta (Judaeorum), Tac. H. 5, 5: [[natura]] ([[with]] prava), Curt. 7, 4, 10.—<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<b>B</b> Unlucky, [[injurious]], [[adverse]], unfavorable, [[ill]], [[bad]], etc. ([[poet]]. and in [[post]]-Aug. [[prose]]): arboribus satisque [[Notus]] pecorique [[sinister]], Verg. G. 1, 444: [[interpretatio]], Tac. Agr. 5 fin.; cf.: sermones de Tiberio, id. A. 1, 74; so, sermones, Plin. Ep. 1, 9, 5: [[fama]] eo de homine, Tac. A. 6, 32; 11, 19; id. H. 1, 51 fin.: [[rumor]] lenti itineris, id. ib. 2, 93 fin.: [[diligentia]], Plin. Ep. 7, 28, 3 et saep.: [[pugna]] Cannensis, Prop. 3, 3 (4, 2), 9: studii signa [[sinistra]] mei, Ov. Tr. 5, 7, 64; v. also [[infra]], C. fin.—With gen.: ([[Hannibal]]) fidei [[sinister]], [[faithless]], Sil. 1, 56 (cf.: pravos fidei, id. 3, 253).—Subst.: sĭnistrum, i, n., [[evil]]: ([[matrona]]) studiosa sinistri, Ov. Tr. 2, 257.—<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<b>C</b> With [[respect]] to [[auspices]] and [[divination]], acc. to the Roman notions, [[lucky]], favorable, [[auspicious]] ([[because]] the Romans on these occasions turned the [[face]] [[towards]] the [[south]], and so had the [[eastern]] or [[fortunate]] [[side]] on the [[left]]; [[while]] the Greeks, [[turning]] to the [[north]], had it on [[their]] [[right]]; cf. [[dexter]], II. 2.): ita nobis [[sinistra]] videntur, Graiis et barbaris [[dextra]], meliora. Quamquam [[haud]] [[ignoro]], quae bona sint, [[sinistra]] nos dicere, [[etiam]] si [[dextra]] sint, etc., Cic. Div. 2, 39, 82; cf.: [[fulmen]] sinistrum [[auspicium]] optimum habemus ad omnes res [[praeterquam]] ad [[comitia]], id. ib. 2, 35, 74 ([[with]] this cf. id. Phil. 2, 38, 99): [[liquido]] [[exeo]] [[foras]] Auspicio, avi [[sinistra]], Plaut. Ep. 2, 2, 2; so, avi [[sinistra]], id. Ps. 2, 4, 72; cf. [[cornix]], Verg. E. 9, 15: [[volatus]] avium, Plin. [[Pan]]. 5, 3: [[tonitrus]], Ov. Tr. 1, 9, 49.—Sometimes in the Greek [[sense]] (or in [[direct]] [[reference]] to the signif. B.), [[unlucky]], unfavorable, [[inauspicious]]: di, [[precor]], a nobis [[omen]] removete sinistrum, Ov. H. 13, 49: avibus sinistris, id. ib. 2, 115: sinistris auspiciis, Val. Max. 4, 7, 2 fin.: [[fulmen]], Cic. Phil. 2, 38, 99: sinistram approbationem (opp. dextram), Cat. 45, 8 and 17; cf: sinistro pede proficisci, App. M. 1, p. 104, 23.—Hence, adv.: sĭnistrē, [[badly]], [[wrongly]], [[perversely]]: derisum [[semel]] exceptumque [[sinistre]], Hor. A. P. 452: accipere, Tac. H. 1, 7; 3, 52 fin.: non tam [[sinistre]] [[constitutum]] est, Plin. [[Pan]]. 45, 5.

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