lătĕo, ŭi, 2, v. n. [Sanscr. root rah-, forsake; rahas, loneliness, concealment; Gr. ΛΑΘ λανθάνω], to lurk, be or lie hid or concealed, to skulk (class.).
I Lit.
A In gen.: ubi sunt, ubi latent, Plaut. Ps. 1, 2, 69: cochleae in occulto latent, id. Capt. 1, 1, 12; cf. Cic. Rab. Perd. 7, 21: occulte, id. Agr. 2, 16, 41: clam, Ov. R. Am. 437: abdite, Cic. Verr. 2, 2, 73, § 181: in tenebris, id. Q. Fr. 1, 1, 2, § 9: sub nomine pacis bellum latet, id. Phil. 12, 7, 17: scelus latet inter tot flagitia, id. Rosc. Am. 40, 118: non latuit scintilla ingenii, id. Rep. 2, 21, 37; 40, 67: naves latent portu, Hor. Epod. 9, 19; cf.: tuta arce, Verg. A. 10, 805.—Prov.: latet anguis in herba, Verg. E. 3, 93.—
B In partic.
1 To be hidden, to be in safety : sub umbra amicitiae Romae, Liv. 34, 9, 10; Phaedr. 4, 5, 13: sub illius umbra Philotas latebam, lurked , Curt. 6, 10, 22.—
2 Jurid., to lie hid, keep out of sight , in order not to appear before court, Cic. Quint. 23, 74.—
II Trop.
A In gen., to live in concealment, to live retired (rare): crede mihi, bene qui latuit, bene vixit, to lead a retired or quiet life , Ov. Tr. 3, 4, 25.—
B In partic., analog. to the Gr. λανθάνειν, res latet, to be concealed from, be unknown to one.
α with acc. (mostly poet. and in post-Aug. prose; not in Cic.; cf.: fugit me, praeterit me, etc.): latet plerosque, siderum ignes esse, etc., Plin. 2, 20, 18, § 82: nec latuere doli fratrem Junonis, Verg. A. 1, 130: nil illum latet, Ov. P. 4, 9, 126: res Eumenem non latuit, Just. 13, 8, 6; 31, 2, 2: semen duplex, unum, quod latet nostrum sensum, alterum, quod apertum, Varr. R. R. 1, 40.—
β With dat.: quae et oculis et auribus latere soleant, Varr. L. L. 9, § 92 Müll.: ubi nobis haec auctoritas tamdiu tanta latuit? Cic. Red. in Sen. 6, 13: hostique propinquo Roma latet, Sil. 12, 614.—
γ Absol., to be concealed or obscure, to be unknown : earum causarum aliae sunt perspicuae, aliae latent, Cic. Top. 17, 63: cum laterent hae partes (sc. Galliae), Amm. 15, 11, 1: quae tantum accenderit ignem, Causa latet, Verg. A. 5, 5: id qua ratione consecutus sit, latet, Nep. Lys. 1.
XII —Hence, lătens , entis, P. a., lying hid, hidden, concealed, secret, unknown : saxa latentia, Verg. A. 1, 108: junctura, Plin. 13, 15, 29, § 93: rem latentem explicare definiendo, Cic. Brut. 41, 152: animus in aegro corpore, Juv. 9, 18: causas tentare latentes, Verg. A. 3, 32: Tarquinius mandata latentia nati accipit, Ov. F. 2, 705. — Comp. : latentior origo, Aug. de Gen. ad Litt. 12, 18: caussa, id. Civ. Dei, 5, 19.— Absol. : in latenti, in secret, secretly , Dig. 1, 2, 2.—Hence, adv.: lătenter , in secret, secretly, privately : efficere, Cic. Top. 17, 63: amare, Ov. P. 3, 6, 59: intellegere ex aliqua re, Gell. 2, 18 fin.