ĕt-ĕnim,
I conj. , subjoins a corroborative clause, or one which contains the reason of a preceding statement, for , truly , and indeed , because that , since (not freq. till class. times, esp. in Cic.): verum profecto hoc petere me precario a vobis jussit ... Etenim ille, etc., Plaut. Am. prol. 26; Ter. And. 440; id. Eun. 1074: praeclare quidem dicis; etenim video jam, quo pergat oratio, Cic. Rep. 3, 32; id. de Sen. 5, 15 et saep.: quippe etenim, Lucr. 1, 104; 2, 547; 3, 800; 5, 1062 al.: tutus bos etenim rura perambulat, Hor. C. 4, 5, 17.—
II Esp., introducing parenthetical clauses (cf. enim, II. A.): ejus autem legationis princeps est Hejus (etenim est primus civitatis), ne forte, etc., Cic. Verr. 2, 4, 7; id. Att. 10, 17 fin. ; id. Lael. 17, 62; id. Ac. 2 ( Luc. ), 31, 99; Liv. 3, 24 fin. (etenim always begins the clause, Krebs, Antibarb. p. 423; Madvig, Opusc. Acad. 1, 390). See Hand, Turs. II. pp. 540-545.