devotio
δυοῖν κακοῖν προκειμένοιν τὸ μὴ χεῖρον βέλτιστον → the lesser of two evils, the less bad thing of a pair of bad things, better the devil you know, better the devil you know than the devil you don't, better the devil you know than the devil you don't know, better the devil you know than the one you don't, better the devil you know than the one you don't know, the devil that you know is better than the devil that you don't know, the devil we know is better than the devil we don't, the devil we know is better than the devil we don't know, the devil you know is better than the devil you don't
Latin > English
devotio devotionis N F :: devotion of general/army to infernal gods for country; curse; spell/sorcery
devotio devotio devotionis N F :: devotion/consecrating; fealty/allegiance; piety; prayer; zeal; consideration
Latin > English (Lewis & Short)
dēvōtĭo: ōnis, f. devoveo.
I A devoting, consecrating.
A Prop.: Deciorum devotiones, the devoting of themselves, Cic. N. D. 3, 6, 15; cf. vitae, id. Rab. Post. 1 fin.; capitis, id. Dom. 57; a vow, Vulg. Act. 23, 1. —
B Transf., fealty, allegiance, devotedness (late Lat.): alicujus erga rempublicam, Treb. Poll. Gall. 14: Aquileiensium pro Romanis, Capitol. Maxim. et Balb. 11: quis fortes animat devotio mentes, Nemes. Cyneg. 83 al.—Hence,
2 (Cf. devotus, P. a. no. B.) In Christian authors, piety, devotion, zeal, Lact. 2, 11 med.: inutilis est Deo qui devotione caret, id. 5, 19, 13; cf. coupled with religio, Lampr. Heliog. 3.—
II A cursing, curse, imprecation, execration, Nep. Alcib. 4, 5: pilae in quibus devotio fuerit scripta, id. ib. 6, 5: dissimulata nauseantis devotione, Petr. 103, 6; v. also Macr. Sat. 3, 9.—
III Sorcery, enchantment; and concr., a magical formula, incantation, spell, Suet. Calig. 3: carmina et devotiones, id. ib.; Tac. A. 2, 69: devotionibus et veneno peremisse, id. ib. 3, 13; 4, 52: conjugium (i. e. conjugem) principis devotionibus petere, id. ib. 12, 65 al.—
B Transf., any form of prayer: devotiones faustae, Ap. M. 11, p. 265, 5.
Latin > French (Gaffiot 2016)
dēvōtĭō,¹² ōnis, f. (devoveo), dévouement,
1 action de se dévouer : a) vœu par lequel on s’engage, on se dévoue : devotiones Deciorum Cic. Nat. 3, 15, le dévouement des Décius [aux dieux infernaux] ; devotio vitæ Cic. Rab. Post. 2 ; Domo 145, sacrifice de la vie ; b) [fig.] dévouement, attachement sans réserve : Nemes. Cyn. 83 || dévotion : Lact. Inst. 2, 11 ; Lampr. Hel. 3
2 imprécation, malédiction : Nep. Alc. 4, 5 ; 6, 5 ; Petr. 103, 6
3 enchantements, sortilèges : Suet. Cal. 3 ; Tac. Ann. 2, 69 ; 3, 13
4 vœu : Cic. Quir. 1 ; Apul. M. 11, 16.
Latin > German (Georges)
dēvōtio, ōnis, f. (devoveo), I) das Geloben als Opfer für die (bes. die unterirdischen) Götter, das Opfern, die Aufopferung, A) eig.: vitae od. capitis, Cic.: P. Decii consulis, Opfertod, Liv.: Deciorum, Min. Fel.: Plur., Deciorum devotiones, Cic. (vgl. Decius). – B) meton.: 1) die Verwünschung, Nep. u. Petron. – u. insbes. die jmd. den unterirdischen Göttern weihende Zauberei, u. konkret, die Zauberformel, der Zauberspruch, Tac. u. Suet. – 2) das Gelübde, eius devotionis esse convictum, Cic. post red. ad Quir. 1: Plur., devotiones faustae (heilbringende), Apul. met. 11, 16. – II) die große Ergebenheit gegen jmd., die Ehrerbietung, 1) im allg., Scriptt. hist. Aug. u. Veget. mul. – 2) insbes. gegen die Gottheit, die Gottergebenheit, Andacht, Frömmigkeit, Eccl. (vgl. Bünem. Lact. 5, 19, 13): Christiana, Andachtsübungen der Christen (neben religiones Iudaeorum), Lampr. Heliog. 3, 5.
