consto

A New Latin Dictionary by Charlton T. Lewis Ph.D. and Charles Short, LL. D.

con-sto, stĭti, stātum (constātūrus, Sen. Clem. 1, 19, 3; Plin. 18, 5, 6, § 30; Luc. 2, 17; Mart. 10, 41, 5; Lact. Opif. Dei, 7, 11), 1, v. n.

I To stand together, stand with some person or thing.

A Lit. (very rare): constant, conserunt sermones inter se drapetae, Plaut. Curc. 2, 3, 11.—

B Trop., to stand with, to agree with, be in accord or agreement, to correspond, fit.

1 With cum and abl. (cf. consisto, II. B. 3.): considerabit, constetne oratio aut cum re aut ipsa secum, Cic. Inv. 2, 14, 45: sententiā non constare cum superioribus et inferioribus sententiis, etc., Auct. Her. 2, 10, 14.—

2 Absol. : veri similis narratio erit, si spatia temporum, personarum dignitates, consiliorum rationes, locorum opportunitates constabunt, Auct. Her. 1, 9, 16.—

3 With dat.: si humanitati tuae constare voles, Cic. Att. 1, 11, 1.—And esp. with sibi, to agree, accord with itself, to remain like one's self, be consistent : in Oppianico sibi constare et superioribus consentire judiciis debuerunt, Cic. Clu. 22, 60; so, with consentire, id. Univ. 3 init. ; id. Fin. 2, 11, 35: ut constare in vitae perpetuitate possimus nobismetipsis nec in ullo officio claudicare, id. Off. 1, 33, 119; so, sibi (opp. titubare), Quint. 5, 7, 11: sibi et rei judicatae, Cic. Clu. 38, 106: sibi, Hor. Ep. 1, 14, 16; id. A. P. 127; cf.: constat idem omnibus sermo, Liv. 9, 2, 3.—

4 In the phrase ratio constat, mercantile t. t., the account agrees or is correct, is or proves right : auri ratio constat: aurum in aerario est, Cic. Fl. 28, 69: quibus ratio impensarum constaret, was correct, accurately kept , Suet. Ner. 30.—

β In postAug. prose, esp. in the younger Pliny, transf. from the sphere of business: mirum est, quam singulis diebus in urbe ratio aut constet aut constare videatur, Plin. Ep. 1, 9, 1; cf. id. ib. 1, 5, 16; 3, 18, 10; 2, 4, 4; 7, 6, 4; id. Pan. 38, 4; Just. praef. § 5: eam condicionem esse imperandi, ut non aliter ratio constet, quam si uni reddatur, Tac. A. 1, 6 fin.

II With the access. idea of firmness, to stand firm, to remain immovable, unchanging, steadfast, to abide, last, endure, persevere , etc. (very freq. in all perr. and styles).

A In gen.: prius quam totis viribus fulta constaret hostium acies, Liv. 3, 60, 9; cf.: nec pugna deinde illis constare, id. 1, 30, 10: ut non color, non vultus ei constaret, id. 39, 34, 7; cf.: valetudo ei neque corporis neque animi constitit, Suet. Calig. 50; and: dum sanitas constabit, Phaedr. 4, 24, 30: non mentibus solum consipere, sed ne auribus quidem atque oculis satis constare poterant, Liv. 5, 42, 3; cf.: in ebrietate lingua non constat, Sen. Ep. 83, 27: mente vix constare, Cic. Tusc. 4, 17, 39; cf. Liv. 8, 19, 6; 44, 20, 7: quā in sententia si constare voluissent, Cic. Fam. 1, 9, 14; cf. Caes. B. G. 5, 36 fin. : numerus legionum constat, id. ib. 7, 35: ceteris exercitibus constare fidem, Tac. H. 2, 96: utrimque fides constitit, kept their word , Liv. 37, 32, 13; 2, 13, 9.—Poet.: cum sint huc forsitan illa, Haec translata illuc; summā tamen omnia constant, i. e. the principal sum remains always the same , Ov. M. 15, 258: postquam cuncta videt caelo constare sereno, every thing continues in unbroken serenity , Verg. A. 3, 518: constitit in nullā qui fuit ante color, Ov. A. A. 1, 120.—

B In partic.

1 Milit. t. t., to stop, halt : multitudinem procul hostium constare videtur, Sisenn. ap. Non. p. 273, 4.—

2 Of facts, reports, etc., to be established, settled, certain, manifest, evident, well known : quae cum constent, perspicuum debet esse, etc., Cic. Tusc. 1, 17, 40: eorum quae constant exempla ponemus, horum quae dubia sunt, exempla adferemus, id. Inv. 1, 38, 68: quod nihil nobis constat, Caes. B. G. 7, 5: cum et factum constet et nomen, qualia sint vocatur in dubium, Cic. Part. Or. 12, 42; cf.: cum factum constat, sed a quo sit factum in controversiam venit, Quint. 7, 2, 8; and impers. , with acc. and inf.: mihi multa agitanti constabat, paucorum civium egregiam virtutem cuncta patravisse, Sall. C. 53, 4; cf.: quod omnibus constabat, hiemari in Gallia oportere, Caes. B. G. 4, 29 fin. , and Cic. Clu. 13, 38.—

b Constat (constabat, constabit, etc., it is settled, established, undisputed, certain, well known , etc.), Cic. Mil. 6, 14; id. Quint. 29, 89; Caes. B. G. 3, 6; 3, 9 al.; Ov. M. 7, 533; Quint. 4, 2, 90 et saep.—So freq.: constat inter omnes, with acc. and inf., all agree, all are convinced : sed tum nimis inter omnis constabat neminem esse resalutatum, Cic. Phil. 2, 41, 106: quae propositio in se quiddam continet perspicuum et quod constare inter omnis necesse est, hanc velle approbare et firmare nihil attinet, in which all must agree , id. Inv. 1, 36, 62 dub. (B. and K. stare); Caes. B. G. 7, 44; Nep. Alcib. 1, 1; Quint. 6, 1, 8 et saep.; cf. also: constare inter homines sapientissimos (for which, just after: omnium consensu sic esse judicatum), Cic. de Or. 3, 1, 3: inter suos, Caes. B. G. 7, 47: inter augures, Liv. 10, 6, 7 et saep.: cum de Magio constet, Cic. Att. 13, 10, 3; cf.: de facto constat, Quint. 7, 2, 7; so with de , id. 7, 2, 11; 4, 2, 5: etsi non satis mihi constiterat, cum aliquāne animi mei molestiā an potius, etc., Cic. Fam. 13, 1, 1: nec satis certum constare apud animum poterat, utrum, etc., Liv. 30, 28, 1: quid cuique sit opus constare decet, Quint. 3, 9, 8; so id. 3, 8, 25: quid porro quaerendum est? Factumne sit? At constat. A quo? At patet, Cic. Mil. 6, 15; so absol. , id. Verr. 2, 3, 21, § 54.—

3 Of a resolve.

α Impers. : mihi (ei) constat, = certum est, it is my ( his ) fixed determination, I am determined, I am fully resolved (rare): mihi quidem constat, nec meam contumeliam, nec meorum ferre, Anton. ap. Cic. Phil. 13, 19, 42: neque satis Bruto neque tribunis militum constabat, quid agerent, were undecided , Caes. B. G. 3, 14: ut nihil ei constet quod agat, Cic. Tusc. 4, 15, 35.—

β With the resolve as subject: animo constat sententia, Verg. A. 5, 748: cum constitit consilium, when my mind was fully made up , Cic. Att. 8, 11, 1.—

4 In gen., as opp. to that which has no existence, to exist, be, abide (esp. in Lucr.): (corpora) quoniam fragili naturā praedita constant, Lucr. 1, 582; 1, 246; 1, 510 et saep.: antiquissimi fere sunt, quorum quidem scripta constent, Cic. de Or. 2, 22, 93; id. Verr. 2, 2, 76, § 187: qui sine manibus et pedibus constare deum posse decreverunt, id. N. D. 1, 33, 92: si ipsa mens constare potest vacans corpore, id. ib. 1, 10, 25.—

5 With ex, in, de , or the abl. (in Cic. only with ex; cf. Madv. ad Cic. Fin. 4, 8, 19), to consist in or of, to be composed of, to rest upon something , etc.

α With ex (very freq. in prose and poetry): fulminis ignem e parvis constare figuris, Lucr. 2, 385: homo ex animo constat et corpore, Cic. N. D. 1, 35, 98; id. Fin. l. l.: simplex (jus) e dulci constat olivo, Hor. S. 2, 4, 64: ea virtus, quae constat ex hominibus tuendis, Cic. Off. 1, 44, 157 et saep.—

β With in and abl. (very rare): victoriam in earum cohortium virtute constare, Caes. B. C. 3, 89 fin. ; Nep. Att. 14 fin. —*

γ With de : partus duplici de semine, Lucr. 4, 1229.—

δ With abl. (freq. in Lucr. and Quint.): aeterno quia constant semine quaeque, Lucr. 1, 221; 1, 484; 1, 518 et saep.: agri campis, vineis, etc., Plin. Ep. 3, 19, 5: constat tota oratio longioribus membris, brevioribus periodis, Quint. 9, 4, 134; 5, 10, 63 et saep.: causa constat aut unius rei controversiā aut plurium, id. 3, 10, 1. omnis disciplina memoriā, id. 11, 2, 1. omne jus aut scripto aut moribus, id. 12, 3, 6 et saep.—

6 Mercantile t. t., like our phrase, to stand at , i. e. to cost; constr. with abl.. gen. , etc., of price (cf. Zumpt, Gr. § 444).

a Lit.

α With abl.: ut unae quadrigae Romae constiterint quadringentis milibus, Varr. R. R. 2, 1, 14; Suet. Vit. 19: filius auro, Plaut. Truc. 2, 6, 57: navis gratis, Cic. Verr. 2, 5, 19, § 48 (al. stare): HS. sex milibus tibi constant, id. ib. 2, 4, 12, § 28: tanto nobis deliciae, Plin. 12, 18, 41, § 84: magno tibi, Plin. Ep. 2, 6, 4: parvo, Pall. Febr. 9, 12; cf. gratis, Sen. Ep. 104, 34; Aug. Serm. 385, 6.—

β With gen.: (ambulatiuncula) prope dimidio minoris constabit isto loco, Cic. Att. 13, 29, 2; Suet. Ner. 27 fin. : quanti funus, id. Vesp. 19; Juv. 7, 45.—

γ With adv.: quod mihi constat carius, Lucil. ap. Non. p. 272, 25; so, vilissime, Col. 9, 1. 6.—

δ With sup. : cujus area super HS. millies constitit, Suet. Caes. 26.—

b Trop.: edocet, quanto detrimento et quot virorum fortium morte necesse sit constare victoriam, Caes. B. G. 7, 19: odia constantia magno, Ov. H. 7, 47: imperia pretio quolibet constant bene, Sen. Phoen. 664.

XXXI —Hence, constans , antis, P. a. (acc. to II. 1.), standing firm, firm, unchangeable, constant, immovable, uniform, fixed, stable, invariable (freq. and class.).

A Lit.: mellis constantior est natura (sc. quam aquae), Lucr. 3, 192: constans uva contra tenorem unum algoris aestusve, Plin. 14, 2, 4, § 27: cujus in indomito constantior inguine nervus, Quam nova arbor, etc., Hor. Epod. 12, 19: cursus certi et constantes, Cic. N. D. 3, 9, 24; cf.: constans reversio stellarum (with conveniens), id. ib. 2, 21, 54: constantissimus motus lunae, id. Div. 2, 6, 17: nihil (mundo) motu constantius, id. N. D. 3, 9, 23; 2, 21, 54: constanti vultu graduque, Liv. 5, 46, 3: aetas, the mature age (of an adult), Cic. Sen. 10, 33; cf.: constans aetas, quae media dicitur, id. ib. 20, 76: aetate nondum constanti, Suet. Galb. 4: pax, firm, secure , Liv. 6, 25, 6: fides, Hor. C. 3, 7, 4: an ire comminus et certare pro Italiā constantius foret, safer , Tac. H. 3, 1. —

b Agreeing or accordant with itself, consistent, harmonious : quemadmodum in oratione constanti, sic in vitā omnia sint apta inter se et convenientia, Cic. Off. 1, 40, 144: nihil intellego dici potuisse constantius, id. Tusc. 5, 9, 25; cf.: incredibilia an inter se constantia, Quint. 5, 4, 2: rumores, Cic. Fam. 12, 9, 1: constans parum memoria hujus anni, Liv. 10, 37, 13: constans fama erat, Suet. Caes. 6; so, opinio, id. Tib. 39; id. Vesp. 4 al.—

B Trop., intellectually or morally certain, sure, steadfast, constant, faithful, steady, unchanging : firmi et stabiles et constantes amici, Cic. Lael. 17, 62; cf. Nep. Lys. 2, 2: quem hominem? Levem? imo gravissimum. Mobilem? imo constantissimum, Cic. Rosc. Com. 16, 49; cf. opp. varium, id. Fragm. ap. Quint. 6, 3, 48 Spald.: pater amens at is quidem fuit omnium constantissimus, a very constant, steadfast man , Cic. Rosc. Am. 14, 41; cf.: prudens et constans (testis), Quint. 5, 7, 26; and under adv.: (Helvidius Priscus) recti pervicax, constans adversus metus, Tac. H. 4, 5 fin. : constans Fortuna tantum in levitate suā, Ov. Tr. 5, 8, 18; cf.: neque fidei constans, neque strenuus in perfidiā, Tac. H. 3, 57: constantior In vitiis, etc., Hor. S. 2, 7, 18.—Adv.: constanter .

1 (Acc. to A.) Firmly, immovably, steadily, constantly : manere in suo statu, Cic. Univ. 13: constanter ac perpetuo placet consilium, Brut. ap. Cic. Ep. ad Brut. 1, 16, 9: vitiis gaudere constanter, Hor. S. 2, 7, 6.— Comp. : ut maneamus in perspicuis firmius et constantius, Cic. Ac. 2 ( Luc. ), 14, 45.— Sup. : impetus caeli constantissime conficiens vicissitudinis anniversarias, Cic. N. D. 2, 38, 97.—

b Harmoniously, evenly, uniformly, consistently : constanter et aequaliter ingrediens oratio, Cic. Or. 58, 198: sibi constanter convenienterque dicere, id. Tusc. 5, 9, 26; cf. id. ib. 5, 9, 24; in comp. , id. ib. 5, 9, 25; in sup. , id. ib. 5, 8, 23; id. Ac. 2 ( Luc. ), 3, 9; so, hi constanter omnes nuntiaverunt, with one voice, unanimously , Caes. B. G. 2, 2: aequabilius atque constantius sese res humanae haberent, Sall. C. 2, 3: aequabilius atque constantius regere provincias, Tac. A. 15, 21 fin.

2 (Acc. to B.) Steadily, calmly, tranquilly, sedately : constanter ac non trepide pugnare, Caes. B. G. 3, 25; cf. agere, Auct. B. Afr. 84: proelium inire, Suet. Vesp. 4; id. Tib. 19: constanter et sedate ferre dolorem, Cic. Tusc. 2, 20, 46: constanter et libere se gerere, id. Att. 4, 16, 9: constanter prudenterque fit, id. Tusc. 4, 6, 12: constanter delata beneficia (with judicio, considerate, and opp. repentino quodam impetu), id. Off. 1, 15, 49.— Comp. : cetera exsequi, Suet. Aug. 10: acrius quam constantius proelium inire, Curt. 4, 6, 14.— Sup. : amicitias retinere, Suet. Aug. 66; id. Tib. 45 al.

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