fides

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

fĭdes, ĕi (gen. sing. scanned fĭdēï, Enn. ap. Cic. de Sen. 1, 1; Lucr. 5, 102.— Ante-class. and poet. form of the gen. fide, like die, facie, etc., Plaut. Aul. 4, 6, 1; id. Poen. 4, 2, 68; Ov. M. 3, 341; 6, 506; 7, 728; 737; Hor. C. 3, 7, 4; cf. Prisc. p. 781 P.; Charis. p. 53 ib.; Ritschl, Proleg. p. 90.— Dat. fide, Plaut. Trin. 1, 2, 80; 91; 105; Enn. ap. Non. 112, 1, or Ann. v. 111 ed. Vahl.; Hor. S. 1, 3, 95), f. [fido], trust in a person or thing, faith, confidence, reliance, credence, belief (syn.: fidelitas, fiducia, confidentia).

I Lit.

A In gen.: si sciat noster senex, fidem non esse huic habitam, that he has not been trusted , Plaut. As. 2, 4, 52; cf.: fides ut habeatur, duabus rebus effici potest ... iis fidem habemus, quos plus intelligere quam nos arbitramur ... bonis viris ita fides habetur, ut nulla sit in iis fraudis injuriaeque suspicio ... prudentia sine justitia nihil valeat ad faciendam fidem, etc., to give confidence , produce confidence , Cic. Off. 2, 9, 33; see in the foll.: neque pauci, neque leves sunt, qui se duo soles vidisse dicant; ut non tam fides non habenda, quam ratio quaerenda sit, to give credence , id. Rep. 1, 10; cf.: quod si insanorum visis fides non est habenda, quia falsa sunt, cur credatur somniantium visis, etc., id. Div. 2, 59, 122: si ita posset defendere, tamen fides huic defensioni non haberetur, id. Verr. 2, 5, 57, § 148: me miseram! forsitan hic mihi parvam habeat fidem, Ter. Eun. 197; cf.: cum jam minor fabulis haberetur fides, Cic. Rep. 2, 10: (fidem) majorem tibi habui quam paene ipsi mihi, id. Fam. 5, 20, 2; cf. id. ib. 7, 18, 1: ex aliis ei maximam fidem habebat, Caes. B. G. 1, 41, 4: cui maximam fidem suarum rerum habeat, Cic. Verr. 2, 2, 53, § 131; cf.: cui summam omnium rerum fidem habebat, Caes. B. G. 1, 19, 3: fidem commenticiis rebus adjungere, Cic. Div. 2, 55, 113: testimonio fidem tribuere, id. Sull. 3, 10; cf.: Cratippus iisdem rebus fidem tribuit, id. Div. 1, 3, 5: et auctoritatem orationi affert et fidem, id. Or. 34, 120: si tota oratio nostra omnem sibi fidem sensibus confirmat, id. Fin. 1, 21, 71: constituere fidem, id. Part. Or. 9, 31: fidem facit oratio, awakens or produces belief , id. Brut. 50, 187; cf.: quoniam auribus vestris ... minorem fidem faceret oratio mea, id. Cat. 3, 2, 4: aliquamdiu fides fieri non poterat, Caes. B. C. 2, 37, 1; so with dare (rare): res ipsa fidem sermoni meo dabit, Ap. Met. 4, 9, 9; Hercules cui ea res immortalitatis fidem dedit, assured of , Just. 24, 4, 4; Plin. Pan. 74, 3.—With object-clauses : fac fidem, te nihil nisi populi utilitatem et fructum quaerere, evince , show , Cic. Agr. 2, 8, 22: tibi fidem faciemus, nos ea suadere, quae, etc., will convince , Balb. et Opp. ap. Cic. Att. 9, 8, A. fin. : mihi fides apud hunc est, nihil me istius facturum, Ter. Heaut. 571; cf.: cum vix fides esset, rem ullo modo successuram, Suet. Vesp. 7: male fidem servando illis quoque abrogant fidem, Plaut. Trin. 4, 3, 41: quorum rebus gestis, fidem et auctoritatem in testimonio inimicitiarum suspicio derogavit, Cic. Font. 7, 13; cf.: alicui abrogare fidem juris jurandi, id. Rosc. Com. 15, 44; and: omnibus abrogatur fides, id. Ac. 2 ( Luc. ), 11, 36: quae res fidem abrogat orationi, Auct. Her. 1, 10, 17: imminuit et oratoris auctoritatem et orationis fidem, Cic. de Or. 2, 37, 156: multa fidem promissa levant, Hor. Ep. 2, 2, 10: fidem addere, to give credence (opp. fidem demere): ex ingenio suo quisque demat vel addat fidem, Tac. G. 3 fin.

B In partic., in mercant. lang., credit : cum fides totā Italiā esset angustior, neque creditae pecuniae solverentur, Caes. B. C. 3, 1, 2; cf.: scimus, Romae solutione impedita fidem concidisse, Cic. de Imp. Pomp. 7, 19: fides de foro sublata erat, id. Agr. 2, 3, 8: labefacta jam fide, credit being impaired , Suet. Vesp. 4: pecunia suā aut amicorum fide sumpta mutua, Sall. C. 24, 2: non contentus agrariis legibus fidem moliri coepit, Liv. 6, 11, 8; cf.: fidem abrogare, id. 6, 41, 11: fidemque remque, perdere, credit and means , Plaut. Ep. 2, 2, 36; cf.: res eos jampridem, fides deficere nuper coepit, Cic. Cat. 2, 5, 10: nisi fide staret res publica, opibus non staturam, Liv. 23, 48, 9 Drak.; freq.: res fidesque, for fame and fortune , property and credit , i. e. entire resources , Plaut. Curc. 4, 2, 18; id. Truc. 1, 1, 24; 38; id. Most. 1, 2, 64; Sall. J. 73, 6 Cort.—

2 Beyond the mercant. sphere (poet. and in post-Aug. prose): segetis certa fides meae, i. e. return , yield , Hor. C. 3, 16, 30: at tibi ... Persolvat nullā semina certa fide, Tib. 2, 3, 62: fallax fides unius anni, Plin. Pan. 32, 4: quia hanc ejus terrae fidem Menander eludit, Quint. 12, 10, 25.

II Transf., that which produces confidence or belief.

A The quality that produces confidence in a person, trustworthiness , faithfulness , conscientiousness , credibility , honesty; in things, credibility , truth , etc.

1 In gen. (erroneously regarded by Cicero as the primary signif. of the word; wherefore he derived it from fio; v. the foll. passages): fundamentum justitiae est fides, id est dictorum conventorumque constantia et veritas. Ex quo, audeamus imitari Stoicos, credamusque, quia fiat, quod dictum est, appellatam fidem, Cic. Off. 1, 7, 23 Beier; cf. id. Fragm. ap. Non. 24, 17 (Rep. 4, 7, p. 428 ed. Mos.); id. Fam. 16, 10 fin. : justitia creditis in rebus fides nominatur, id. Part. Or. 22, 78: meo periculo hujus ego experiar fidem, Plaut. Capt. 2, 2, 99; cf.: fides fidelitasque amicum erga, id. Trin. 5, 2, 2: homo antiqua virtute ac fide, Ter. Ad. 442; cf.: exemplum antiquae probitatis et fidei, Cic. Rep. 3, 5: esse summa probitate ac fide, id. ib. 3, 17: vir aequissimus, singulari fide, id. ib. 3, 17: quorum fides est laudata, id. ib. 2, 36: quibus facillime justitia et fides convalescit, id. ib. 2, 14: unde justitia, fides, aequitas? id. ib. 1, 2: cujus virtuti, fidei, felicitati (Gallia) commendata est, id. Prov. Cons. 14, 35: aequitas et fides, id. Rep. 1, 35; cf.: si pudor quaeritur, si probitas, si fides, id. ib. 3, 18 fin. : quanta fide, quanta religione, id. Font. 6, 13: hinc fides, illinc fraudatio, id. Cat. 2, 11, 25: ille vir haud magna cum re sed plenu' fidei, Enn. ap. Cic. de Sen. 1, 1 (Ann. v. 342 ed. Vahl.): ubi societas? ubi fides majorum? Cato ap. Gell. 10, 3, 17: nulla sancta societas, nec fides regni est, Enn. ap. Cic. Off. 1, 8, 26 (Trag. v. 412 ed. Vahl.): mea eraga te fides et benevolentia, Cic. Fam. 1, 5, 1: pro vetere ac perpetua erga populum Romanum fide, Caes. B. G. 5, 54, 4: in fide atque amicitia civitatis Aeduae, id. ib. 2, 14, 2: in fide manere, id. ib. 7, 4, 5; cf.: sincera fide in pace Ligures esse, Liv. 40, 34, 11: si tibi optima fide sua omnia concessit, Cic. Rosc. Am. 49, 144: praestare fidem, id. Div. 2, 37, 79; id. Top. 10, 42; id. Att. 16, 7, 2; id. Fam. 1, 7, 6: te oro per tuam fidem, ne, etc., Ter. And. 290: Eu. Dic bona fide: tu id aurum non surripuisti? Ly. Bona. Eu. Neque scis, quis abstulerit? Ly. Istuc quoque bona, Plaut. Mil. 4, 10, 42: de pace cum fide agere, Liv. 32, 33, 10: jussas cum fide poenas luam, Hor. Epod. 17, 37: haecne marita fides? Prop. 4 (5), 3, 11: Aeacidae dederat pacis pignusque fidemque, faithful bail , Ov. M. 12, 365: perjura patris fides, perjured faith , dishonesty , Hor. C. 3, 24, 59 et saep.—Prov.: fides ut anima, unde abiit, eo numquam redit, Pub. Syr. 181 (Rib.): fidem qui perdit, quo se servet relicuo, id. 166.—

b Of inanim. and abstr. things: nam cum Gabinii levitas ... omnem tabularum fidem resignasset, etc., trustworthiness , credibility , Cic. Arch. 5, 9; cf.: nunc vero quam habere auctoritatem et quam fidem possunt (litterae)? id. Fl. 9, 21; and: visa, quae fidem nullam habebunt, id. Ac. 2 ( Luc. ), 18, 58 fin. ; and: qui non speciem expositionis sed fidem quaerit, truth , Quint. 10, 1, 32: aliter oraculorum, aliter haruspicum fides confirmari aut refelli potest, id. 5, 7, 36: probationum, id. 4 praef. § 6: liber spectatae fidei, Gell. 1, 7, 1: paulum distare ab eo (lapide) in unguentorum fide multi existimant Lygdinos, etc., in faithful preservation , keeping in good condition , Plin. 36, 8, 13, § 62.—

c In poets several times, faithful , true fulfilment of a promise : dicta fides sequitur, Ov. M. 3, 527 (cf.: res dicta secuta est, id. ib. 4, 550): vota fides sequitur, id. ib. 8, 713: promissa exhibuere fidem, were fulfilled , id. ib. 7, 323; cf.: en haec promissa fides est? is this the fulfilment of the oracle? Verg. A. 6, 346.—

2 In partic., in jurid. lang., bona fides, good faith , sincerity; hence, EX FIDE BONA or BONA FIDE, in good faith , sincerely , honestly , conscientiously : arbitrum illum adegit, QVICQVID SIBI DARE FACERE OPORTERET EX FIDE BONA, Cic. Off. 3, 16, 66; cf.: quanti verba illa: VTI NE PROPTER TE FIDEMVE TVAM CAPTVS FRAVDATVSVE SIEM, etc.... Q. quidem Scaevola, pontifex maximus, summam vim esse dicebat in omnibus iis arbitriis, in quibus adderetur EX FIDE BONA; fideique bonae, nomen existimabat manare latissime, idque versari in tutelis societatibus, fiduciis mandatis, rebus emptis venditis, conductis locatis, etc., id. ib. 3, 17, 70; id. Att. 6, 1, 15: praetor ait: QVI BONA FIDE EMIT, etc., Dig. 6, 2, 7, § 11 sq.; cf.: bonae fidei emptori subrepta re quam emerit, Just. Inst. 4, 1, 15: ubi lex inhibet usucapionem, bona fides possidenti nihil prodest, Dig. 41, 3, 24: tot judicia de fide mala, quae ex empto aut vendito aut conducto aut locato contra fidem fiunt, etc., i. e. deception , dishonesty , Cic. N. D. 3, 30, 74: bonā fide = certissime, Plaut. Truc. 2, 7, 30; id. Aul. 4, 10, 42; id. Capt. 4, 2, 110; cf.: mala fide, Dig. 41, 2, 1, § 6.—

B An assurance that produces confidence, a promise , engagement , word , assurance , confirmation.

1 In gen.: fide data, credamus, Plaut. Pers. 2, 2, 61: accipe daque fidem, Enn. ap. Macr. S. 6, 1 (Ann. v. 33 ed. Vahl.): atque etiam, si quid singuli temporibus adducti hosti promiserunt, est in eo ipso fides conservanda: ut primo Punico bello Regulus ... ad supplicium redire maluit, quam fidem hosti datam fallere, Cic. Off. 1, 13, 39; cf. id. Fin. 2, 20, 65: fidem dare, violare, in fide non stare, id. Rab. Perd. 10, 28: Pompei fides, quam de me Caesari dederat, id. Fam. 1, 9, 12: inter se fidem et jusjurandum dare, Caes. B. G. 1, 3 fin. : obligare fidem alicui, to plight one's faith , Cic. Phil. 5, 18, 51; cf.: fidem reliquis interponere, Caes. B. G. 5, 6 fin. : fide mea spondeo, futurum ut, etc., Plin. Ep. 1, 14, 10: diffidens, de numero dierum Caesarem fidem servaturum, Caes. B. G. 6, 36, 1: si fidem mecum servas, Plaut. Curc. 1, 2, 48: tecum servavi fidem, id. Capt. 5, 1, 10; id. Merc. 3, 1, 33: fides juris jurandi cum hoste servanda, Cic. Off. 3, 29, 107: fidem erga imperatorem conservare, Caes. B. C. 1, 84, 3: fidem erga populum Romanum servare, Liv. 24, 4, 5: servata erga Galbam, Tac. H. 1, 71: in regem suum servata, Curt. 6, 5, 2: ut fidem vobis praestaremus, Liv. 28, 39, 2; so, fidem alicui praestare, Curt. 6, 4, 9; Liv. 30, 15, 5; Sen. Ben. 5, 21, 1: non servata fides deditis est, Liv. 24, 1, 10; cf. Cic. de Sen. 20, 75; Sen. Ep. 71, 17: fidem suam liberare, to perform his promise , Cic. Fl. 20, 47; cf.: fidem alicujus liberare, id. Fam. 12, 7, 2: so, fidem exsolvere, Liv. 3, 19, 1; 22, 23, 8; 24, 16, 12; Plin. Ep. 2, 12, 6; Luc. 9, 98 al.: fidem frangere, Cic. Rosc. Com. 6, 16; for which violare, v. above, id. Rab. Perd. 10, 28: fidem amittere, Nep. Eum. 10: istius fide ac potius perfidiā decepti, Cic. Rosc. Am. 38, 110: quantum mea fides studii mihi afferat, my plighted word (to defend the king), id. Deiot. 1, 1: contioni deinde edicto addidit fidem, confirmed , Liv. 2, 24, 6.—

2 Pregn., a given promise of protection or security , a guaranty; hence, in gen., protection , guardian care : introduxi Vulturcium sine Gallis: fidem ei publicam jussu senatus dedi, promised him protection , security , in the name of the public , Cic. Cat. 3, 4, 8; cf.: Vulturcius interrogatus ... primo fingere alia; post, ubi fide publica dicere jussus est, omnia uti gesta erant aperit, Sall. C. 47, 1: cum se diceret indicaturum de conjuratione, si fides publica data esset, id. ib. 48, 4: uti L. Cassius ad Jugurtham mitteretur, eumque interposita fide publica Romam duceret, id. J. 32, 1; cf.: privatim praeterea fidem suam interponit, quam ille non minoris quam publicam ducebat, id. ib. fin. : qui Romam fide publica venerat, id. ib. 35, 7; so, too, simply fides: Lusitani contra interpositam fidem interfecti, Cic. Brut. 23, 89: fide accepta ab legatis, vim abfuturam, Liv. 38, 33, 3: Thais patri se commendavit in clientelam et fidem, Ter. Eun. 1039; cf.: se in Chrysogoni fidem et clientelam contulerunt, Cic. Rosc. Am. 37, 106: quaere in cujus fide sint et clientela, id. ib. 33, 93: aliquid in fidem alicujus tradere, Liv. 38, 31, 2: frugi hominem, plenum religionis videtis positum in vestra fide ac potestate: atque ita, ut commissus sit fidei, permissus potestati, Cic. Font. 14, 30; cf.: se suaque omnia in fidem atque potestatem populi Romani permittere, Caes. B. G. 2, 3, 2: in alicujus fidem ac potestatem venire, id. ib. 2, 13, 2: in fide alicujus esse, Cic. Planc. 41, 97; cf. id. Fam. 13, 65, 2: ea (jura) fidei suae commissa, id. Off. 1, 34, 124: civitas in Catonis fide locata, id. Att. 6, 1, 5: recipere aliquid in fidem, id. ib. 15, 14, 3; cf.: aliquem in fidem necessitudinemque suam recipere, id. Fam. 13, 19, 2: recipere aliquem in fidem, Caes. B. G. 2, 15, 1; 4, 22, 3: hortatur, ut populi Romani fidem sequantur, id. ib. 4, 21, 8: jura fidemque supplicis erubuit (Achilles), the protection due to a suppliant , Verg. A. 2, 541: di, obsecro vostram fidem! your protection , assistance , help , Plaut. Cist. 4, 1, 11; id. Am. 5, 1, 78; id. Most. 1, 1, 74; 2, 2, 97; cf.: fidem vestram oro atque obsecro, judices, Cic. Mur. 40, 86: deum atque hominum fidem implorabis, id. Verr. 2, 1, 9, § 25; so in colloq. lang. frequently elliptic. as an exclamation: Di vostram fidem! by the protection of the gods! for heaven's sake! Plaut. Capt. 2, 3, 58, id. Men. 5, 2, 119; id. Poen. 4, 78 al.; Ter. And. 716; 744; id. Eun. 418 al.; cf.: tuam fidem, Venus! Plaut. Curc. 1, 3, 40: pro deum atque hominum fidem! id. ib. 5, 3, 16; id. Ep. 4, 2, 10; Ter. And. 237; 246; id. Heaut. 61 al.; Sall. C. 20, 10 al.; for which: pro deorum atque hominum fidem! Cic. Tusc. 5, 16, 48; and in a different order: pro deorum fidem atque hominum, id. Lael. 15, 52; also simply pro deum fidem, Liv. 3, 67, 7 Drak. N. cr.; and: per fidem! Petr. 100, 5; Tac. Or. 35; Ap. Met. 6, 4, 16.—

C The faith , the Christian religion as a system of belief (eccl. Lat.): domicilium fidei, Lact. 4, 30 fin. ; Vulg. Apoc. 14, 12 al.

III Fides, personified as a goddess : praeclare Ennius: O Fides alma, apta pinnis, et jus jurandum Jovis! Qui jus igitur jurandum violat, is Fidem violat, Cic. Off. 3, 29, 104 ( Enn. Trag. v. 410 ed. Vahl.); cf. Varr. L. L. 5, § 74 Müll.; Cic. N. D. 3, 18, 47; 2, 23, 61; 31, 79; id. Leg. 2, 8, 19; 11, 28; Plaut. Cas. prol. 2; id. Aul. 3, 6, 46; 50; 4, 2, 14; Verg. A. 1, 292; Hor. C. 1, 35, 21; 4, 5, 20; id. C. S. 57.

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