prōnus, a, um (archaic form of fem. pronis, Varr. ap. Non. 494 fin.), adj. [like Gr. πρᾶνής = πρηνής, from root pra-, πρό; cf. prae].
I Lit., turned forward , bent or inclined , leaning or hanging forward , stooping , bending down (class.; opp. supinus; cf. cernuus).
1 Of living beings: puerum imponere equo pronum in ventrem, Varr. R. R. 2, 7, 13: pronus pendens in verbera, leaning forward to strike , Verg. A. 10, 586: ipsum Pronum sterne solo, id. ib. 11, 485: pronus magister Volvitur in caput, id. ib. 1, 115: pecora, quae natura prona finxit, Sall. C. 1, 1; Ov. M. 8, 379.—Poet., of those running swiftly, Ov. M. 10, 652: leporem pronum catulo sectare sagaci, flying swiftly , id. R. Am. 201.—
2 Of things, bending forward or downward , going or inclined downward : ilex paulum modo prona, dein flexa, Sall. J. 93, 4: prona ac fastigiata tigna, Caes. B. G. 4, 17: pronae atque vergentes ampullae, Plin. Ep. 4, 30, 6: demissus inde pronusque pulvinus, id. ib. 5, 6, 16: (urbs) prona in paludes, sinking down , Liv. 4, 59: crateres, overturned , Stat. Th. 5, 255: motus corporis, Cic. Div. 1, 53, 120: cubitus, Plin. 28, 4, 14, § 54: prona via, steep , Ov. M. 2, 67: amnis, Verg. G. 1, 203: rivi, Hor. C. 1, 29, 11: currus, Ov. M. 5, 424. — Absol. : nihil habent proni et supera semper petunt, Cic. Tusc. 1, 18, 42: per pronum ire, downwards , Sen. Ep. 123, 14: per prona voluti, Sil. 15, 235.—
B In partic.
1 Of the heavenly bodies, of time, etc., setting , sinking , declining (poet.): pronus Orion, Hor. C. 3, 27, 18: sidera, Prop. 1, 16, 23: Titan, Ov. M. 11, 257: dies, Stat. Th. 2, 41: menses (=celeriter praetereuntes), Hor. C. 4, 6, 39: anni, id. A. P. 60.—
2 Of localities, turned , looking , or lying towards (postAug.).
α With dat.: loca Aquiloni prona, Col. 3, 2, 6: aedificii solum pronius orienti, situated more to the east , id. 1, 5, 8.—
β With ad : campo patente et ad solem prono, Col. 2, 9, 3.—
II Trop., inclined , disposed , prone to any thing (class.); usu. constr. with ad , in aliquid , or dat.; poet. also with gen.
A In gen.
α With ad : rei publicae genus inclinatum et quasi pronum ad perniciosissimum statum, Cic. Rep. 2, 26, 47: anxitudo prona ad luctum, id. ib. 2, 41, 68 (from Non. 72, 31): boves ad domandum proni, Varr. R. R. 1, 2: pronus ad omne nefas, Luc. 6, 147: pronus ad cujusque necem, Suet. Vit. 14: ad poëticam, id. Ner. 50: ad simultates, Plin. Pan. 84.— Sup. : ad indulgentias pronissimus, Capit. Anton. 10, 8.—
β With in and acc.: in obsequium plus aequo pronus, Hor. Ep. 1, 18, 10: in libidines, Suet. Caes. 50: saeculum in omnia mala, Flor. 4, 12.—Prov.: prona est timori semper in pejus fides, Sen. Herc. Fur. 316. —
γ With dat.: pronus deterioribus, Tac. Agr. 41 fin.—Comp. : aures offensioni proniores, Tac. A. 4, 29 fin. —
δ With gen. (poet.): ruendi In ferrum mens prona viris, Luc. 1, 461.— Comp. : unus audendi pronior, Claud. Ruf. 2, 400.—
B In partic.
1 Inclined to favor , favorable to any thing (post-Aug.).
α With dat.: si modo prona bonis invicti Caesaris assint Numina, Stat. S. 4, 8, 61.— Comp. : cohors Cn. Dolabellae pronior, Suet. Galb. 12.—
β With in and acc.: prona in eum aula Neronis, Tac. H. 1, 13.— Comp. : ut quis misericordiā in Germanicum pronior, Tac. A. 2, 73: in verum nepotem, Suet. Cat. 19.—
γ Absol. : prona sententia, Val. Fl. 8, 340: pronis auribus accipere aliquid, Tac. H. 1, 1; Luc. 5, 501.— Comp. : quos pronior fortuna comitatur, Vell. 2, 69, 6.—
2 Easy , without difficulty (mostly post - Aug.): omnia virtuti suae prona esse, Sall. J. 114, 2: omnia prona victoribus, Tac. Agr. 33: pronum ad honores iter, Plin. Ep. 8, 10, 3: via ad regnum, Just. 1, 5, 9: pronum est, it is easy : agere memoratu digna pronum erat, Tac. Agr. 1: invitos praebere deos, Luc. 6, 606: facile et pronum est agere, Juv. 9, 43.— Comp. : id pronius ad fidem est, is easier to believe , Liv. 21, 28.—Hence, adv.: prōnē , downwards , pronely (post-class.).
A Lit., Paul. Petr. Vit. S. Mart. 4, 546.—
B Trop., readily , willingly; comp. pronius, Amm. 30, 8, 10.