rĕgo, xi, ctum, 3, v. a. [Sanscr. arg-, argami, to obtain; Gr. ὀρέγω reach after; cf. Sanscr. rāgan; Goth. reiks, king; Germ. Reich and Recht], to keep straight or from going wrong, to lead straight; to guide, conduct, direct (freq. and class.; syn.: guberno, moderor).
I Lit.: deus est, qui regit et moderatur et movet id corpus, cui praepositus est, Cic. Rep. 6, 24, 26: manus una (navem) regit, Lucr. 4, 903: onera navium velis, Caes. B. G. 3, 13: arte ratem, Ov. Tr. 1, 4, 12; cf. clavum, Verg. A. 10, 218: te ventorum regat pater, Hor. C. 1, 3, 3: vela, Prop. 2, 28 (3, 24), 24: coërcet et regit beluam, Cic. Rep. 2, 40, 67: equum, Liv. 35, 11: equos, Ov. A. A. 3, 556; id. Ib. 474; cf. quadrupedes, id. M. 2, 86: spumantia ora (equi), id. ib. 8, 34: frena, id. P. 4, 12, 24: equi impotentes regendi, Liv. 35, 11; Ov. Tr. 1, 3, 28; Curt. 4, 15, 28: currus, Ov. A. A. 1, 4; Curt. 8, 14, 7: taurus ex grege, quem prope litora regebat, Sall. H. Fragm. ap. Prisc. p. 715 P.; Quint. 1, 1, 27: rege tela per auras, Verg. A. 9, 409: tela per viscera Caesaris, Luc. 7, 350; cf.: missum jaculum, Ov. M. 7, 684: sagittas nusquam, Luc. 7, 515: regens tenui vestigia filo, Cat. 64, 113; cf.: Daedalium iter lino duce, Prop. 2, 14 (3, 6), 8: caeca filo vestigia, Verg. A. 6, 30: diverso flamina tractu, Ov. M. 1, 59: gressus, Vulg. Judic. 16, 26.—
B In partic., jurid. t. t.: regere fines, to draw the boundaries , mark out the limits , Cic. Leg. 1, 21, 55; id. Top. 10, 43; id. Mur. 9, 22; Tib. 1, 3, 44; cf. Dig. 10, 1, and Cod. Just. 3, 39 tit. Finium regundorum.—
II Trop., to guide , lead , conduct , manage , direct.
A In gen.: Deus qui omnem hunc mundum regit, Cic. Rep. 6, 13, 13: domum, id. ib. 1, 39, 61: rem consilio, Ter. Eun. 58: belli fera munera Mavors regit, Lucr. 1, 33; cf. bella, Caes. B. G. 6, 17; Sil. 7, 47: omnia nostra ita gerito, regito, gubernato, ut, etc., Cic. Att. 16, 2, 2: alicujus animum atque ingenium, Plaut. Bacch. 3, 3, 90; cf.: animi motus (with moderari cupiditates), Cic. Part. Or. 22, 76: mores, Ov. M. 15, 834: animos dictis, Verg. A. 1, 153: animum, Hor. Ep. 1, 2, 62: ut me ipse regam, id. ib. 1, 1, 27: consilia senatus, Quint. 12, 1, 26: valetudines principis, Tac. A. 6, 50; cf.: valetudinem arbitratu suo, Suet. Tib. 68 al.: neque regerentur magis quam regerent casus, Sall. J. 1, 5; cf.: jam regi leges, non regere, Liv. 10, 13: utroque vorsum rectum est ingenium meum, Plaut. Capt. 2, 3, 6: vellem suscepisses juvenem regendum, Cic. Att. 10, 6, 2; cf. Suet. Tib. 50; id. Claud. 9: Silvanum specie obsequii regebat, Tac. H. 3, 50: nemo regere potest, nisi qui et regi, Sen. Ira, 2, 15 fin. ; Quint. 12, 10, 69.—
B Transf.
1 To sway , control , rule , govern , have the supremacy over any thing: quare qui convenit polliceri operam suam rei publicae, cum rem publicam regere nesciant? Cic. Rep. 1, 6, 11; so, rem publicam, id. ib. 1, 26, 41; 1, 27, 43: in iis civitatibus quae ab optimis reguntur, id. ib. 1, 34 fin. ; 2, 9, 15: illa civitas optimatium arbitrio regi dicitur, id. ib. 1, 26, 42; cf.: Massilienses per delectos et principes cives summā justitiā reguntur, id. ib. 1, 27, 43: Frisios, Tac. A. 4, 72: populos imperio, Verg. A. 6, 851: imperiis Italiam, id. ib. 4, 230: legiones, Tac. A. 15, 7; cf. cohortes, id. H. 4, 12: exercitum, Plin. Ep. 2, 13, 2; id. Pan. 9, 2: domum, Vulg. 1 Tim. 5, 4: diva, quae regis Antium, Hor. C. 1, 35, 1: Diana, quae silentium regis, id. Epod. 5, 51.—Transf., of abstract objects: animi partes consilio, Cic. Rep. 1, 38, 60: ut unius potestate regatur salus et aequabilitas et otium civium, id. ib. 2, 23, 43: rex ille (Tarquinius) neque suos mores regere poterat neque suorum libidines, id. ib. 2, 25, 46.— Absol. : Tiberio regente, Tac. A. 4, 33; 13, 3: stare rempublicam nisi uno regente non posse, Quint. 3, 8, 47: quo regente, Verg. Cul. 333; Just. 1, 9, 23: Clemens ambitioso imperio regebat, i. e. used his authority to court popular favor , Tac. H. 2, 12.—
2 To guide into the right way one who has erred; to set right , correct : non multa peccas, sed si peccas, te regere possum, old poet ap. Cic. Mur. 29, 60 (with corrigere and inflectere): errantem regere, Caes. B. C. 3, 57: rogo, domine, consilio me regas, etc., Plin. Ep. 10, 19 (30), 1; cf.: alicujus dubitationem, id. ib 10, 118 (119), 3.— Hence,
I P. a. as subst. : rĕgens , entis, m., a governor , prince , ruler , regent : contemptus regentium, Tac. A. 12, 54: in obsequium regentis, id. Or. 41: clementia regentis, Sen. Clem. 1, 22, 3: vita regentis, Claud. IV. Cons. Hon. 301: excogitare nemo quicquam poterit, quod magis decorum regenti sit quam clementia, Sen. Clem. 1, 19, 1; id. Ep. 59, 7: in vulgus manant exempla regentum (= -tium), Claud. Laud. Stil. 1, 168.—
II rectus , a, um, P. a., led straight along , drawn in a straight line (horizontal or vertical), straight , upright , ὀρθός.
A Lit., of horizontal direction: pars Remorum recta est (opp. refracta), Lucr. 4, 439: sed nil omnino rectā regione viaï declinare, id. 2, 249 Munro: rectā regione iter instituere, Liv. 21, 31: India, rectā regione spatiosa, Curt. 8, 9, 2; cf. id. 7, 9, 2: ad nostras aedes hic quidem habet rectam viam, Plaut. Trin. 4, 2, 26: via, id. Cas. 5, 2, 7; id. Poen. 3, 3, 79; id. Ps. 4, 7, 37; Ter. And. 600; id. Phorm. 310; Mart. 8, 75, 2; cf. platea, Plaut. Cist. 2, 1, 58; Ter. Ad. 574; 582; porta, Plaut. Bacch. 4, 4, 60: ostium, id. Mil. 2, 3, 58: ostia viarum (opp. iter flexum), Lucr. 4, 93: cursus hinc in Africam, Liv. 26, 43: saxa quae rectis lineis suos ordines servant, Caes. B. G. 7, 23 fin. : recto flumine, Verg. A. 8, 57: recto ad Iberum itinere, Caes. B. C. 1, 69; Liv. 22, 9: ne qua forent pedibus vestigia rectis, Verg. A. 8, 209: recto grassetur limite miles, Ov. Tr. 2, 477: velut rectae acies concurrissent, in a straight line , line of battle , Liv. 34, 28; so, acies, id. 35, 28: qui (quincunx), in quamcumque partem spectaveris, rectus est, Quint. 8, 3, 9: hic vos aliud nihil orat, nisi ut rectis oculis hanc urbem sibi intueri liceat, Cic. Rab. Post. 17, 48: adversus adparatus terribilium rectos oculos tenet, Sen. Const. 5, 5: rectis oculis gladios micantes videre, id. Ep. 76, 33; 104, 24: oculi, Suet. Aug. 16; cf. acies, Ov. M. 2, 776: lumen, Luc. 9, 638: vultus, Stat. Th. 10, 542.—Of vertical direction: ut hae (partes) rursum rectis lineis in caelestem locum subvolent, in perpendicular lines , Cic. Tusc. 1, 17, 40: saxa, perpendicular , steep , Liv. 21, 36 (just before: pleraque Alpium arrectiora sunt); cf.: rectae prope rupes, id. 38, 20: truncus, Ov. M. 7, 640: ita jacere talum, ut rectus assistat: qui ita talus erit jactus ut cadet rectus, Cic. Fin. 3, 16, 53: caput rectum et secundum naturam (opp. dejectum, supinum), in latus inclinatum, Quint. 11, 3, 69: homines, straight , erect , Cat. 10, 20; so, Quintia, id. 86, 1: puella, Hor. S. 1, 2, 123: senectus, Juv. 3, 26: iterque Non agit in rectum, sed in orbem curvat eundem, does not shape his course directly forward , Ov. M. 2, 715: vidit ut hostiles in rectum exire cohortes, Luc. 7, 327. — Comp. : crus Rectius, Hor. S. 1, 2, 82: rectior coma, smoother , straighter , Sen. Ep. 95, 24: longā trabe rectior exstet, Ov. M. 3, 78: crura, Pall. 7, 7. — Sup. : rectissima linea, Quint. 3, 6, 83: via, id. 12, 2, 27. —
B Trop.
1 In gen., right , correct , proper , appropriate , befitting; opp. to what is false or improper: vobis mentes rectae quae stare solebant, Enn. ap. Cic. Sen. 6, 16 (Ann. v. 208 Vahl.): ut rectā viā rem narret ordine omnem, Ter. Heaut. 706 (just before: aperte, ita ut res sese habet, narrato); cf. id. And. 442: De. Estne hoc, ut dico? Li. Rectam instas viam: Ea res est, you’re on the right way , Plaut. As. 1, 1, 39: in rectam redire semitam, cf. id. Cas. 2, 3, 33: rectā viā depelli, Quint. 2, 7, 29; 10, 1, 29; cf. Sen. Ep. 94, 54; Quint. 2, 6, 2; so post-class.: de viā rectā declinare, Gell. 1, 3, 15: a rectā viā avertere, Aug. Civ Dei, 12, 17, 2: ad rectum iter retrahere, Hier. in Osee, 2, 8 sq.; id. in Mich. 3, 5: recta consilia dare, Ter. And. 309: quae sint in artibus recta ac prava dijudicare, Cic. de Or. 3, 50, 195; cf.: quae sunt recta et simplicia laudantur, id. Off. 1, 36, 130; Quint. 9, 3, 3: sermo rectus et secundum naturam enunciatus, id. 2, 5, 11; cf.: (oratio) recta an ordine permutato, id. 1, 13, 5; 9, 4, 27: per Marathonis propugnatores recto sono juravit (opp. flexus vocis), id. 11, 3, 168 Spald.; cf. id. 11, 3, 64: recto ac justo proelio dimicare, Liv. 35, 4 fin. : rectarum cenarum consuetudo, a regular , formal supper , Suet. Dom. 7; so, cena, Mart. 2, 69, 7; 7, 20, 2; also absol. : recta, Suet. Aug. 74; Mart. 8, 50, 10: domus recta est (with contenta decore simplici), Sen. Ep. 100, 6: nominibus rectis expendere nummos, i. e. on good securities , Hor. Ep. 2, 1, 105: ut natura dedit, sic omnis recta figura, correct , beautiful , Prop. 2, 18, 25 (3, 11, 3): absque te esset, ego illum haberem rectum ad ingenium bonum, suitable , qualified , Plaut. Bacch. 3, 3, 8.— Subst.: rectum , i, n.: rectum est etiam in illis contentionibus gravitatem retinere, Cic. Off. 1, 38, 137: quid verum, quid falsum, quid rectum in oratione pravumve, id. Ac. 1, 5, 19: aliter, quam est rectum verumque dicere, Quint. 6, 3, 89: cum sit rectum, Nocere facile est, etc., id. 8, 5, 6; so (opp. durum et incomptum), id. 8, 6, 65; (opp. vitiosum) id. 1, 5, 29: mutare aliquid a recto, id. 2, 13, 11: recta et vera loquere, i. e. sincerely , openly , Plaut. Capt. 5, 2, 7: qui haec recta tantum et in nullos flexus recedentia copiose tractaverit, Quint. 10, 5, 12: ea plerumque recta sunt, id. 9, 2, 5; cf. id. 9, 2, 45.— Comp. : rectior divisio, Quint. 7, 2, 39: si quid novisti rectius istis, Hor. Ep. 1, 6, 67; Cic. Rep. 1, 40, 62.— Sup. : rectissima ratio, Quint. 2, 13, 3.—
2 In partic.
a Morally right , correct , lawful , just , virtuous , noble , good (opp. pravus); as subst.: rectum , i, n., that which is right , good , virtuous; uprightness , rectitude , virtue (very freq.): honesta res dividitur in rectum et laudabile. Rectum est, quod cum virtute et officio fit, Auct. Her. 3, 2, 3: illud rectum, quod κατόρθωμα dicebat, Cic. Fin. 4, 6, 15: nec quicquam nisi honestum et rectum ab altero postulare, id. Lael. 22, 82; so with honestum, id. ib. 21, 76; id. Fin. 1, 7, 25; id. Off. 1, 24, 82; id. Fam. 5, 19, 1 al.: (opp. pravum) neque id Putabit, pravum an rectum siet, quod petet, Ter. Heaut. 485; id. Phorm. 771; Cic. Ac. 2 ( Luc. ), 11, 33; id. Or. 14, 45; id. Lig. 9, 30; Quint. 1, 3, 12; 2, 4, 20 et saep.; cf.: recta consilia (opp. prava), Liv. 1, 27: in rectis (opp. in pravitatibus), Cic. Leg. 1, 11, 31: curvo dignoscere rectum, Hor. Ep. 2, 2, 44: mens sibi conscia recti, Verg. A. 1, 604: fidem rectumque colebat, Ov. M. 1, 90: recta ingenia (opp. perversa), Plin. Ep. 4, 7, 3 et saep.: in omni vitā suā quemque a rectā conscientiā traversum unguem non oportet discedere, Cic. Att. 13, 20, 4: animus secundis Temporibus dubiisque rectus, Hor. C. 4, 9, 36: natura, id. S. 1, 6, 66: ex consularibus, unus L. Caesar firmus est et rectus, Cic. Fam. 12, 5, 2: judex, Quint. 4, 1, 13; cf. auditor, Plin. Ep. 2, 19, 6: vir rectus et sanctus, id. ib. 2, 11, 5; cf. id. ib. 7, 31, 1: beatus judicii rectus, Sen. Vit. Beat. 6, 2.— Rectum est, with subjective-clause : rectum est gravitatem retinere, Cic. Off. 1, 38 fin. ; so id. ib. 3, 11, 47; id. Mur. 2, 3; id. Att. 6, 9, 4.—
b In gram.: rectus casus, the nominative case (because not inflected; opp. obliqui casus), Varr. L. L. 1 sq.; Quint. 1, 4, 13; 1, 5, 61; Gell. 13, 12, 4 et saep.—Hence the adverbs ,
A rectā,
B rectō,
C rectē.
A rectā (sc. viā). straightway , straightforwards , right on , directly (freq. and class.): hic ad me rectā habet rectam viam, Plaut. Mil. 2, 6, 11; id. Ps. 4, 7, 37: jam ad regem rectā me ducam, id. Am. 4, 3, 8; 5, 1, 63; id. Capt. 3, 5, 93; id. Cas. prol. 43; id. Mil. 2, 5, 50; id. Merc. 5, 2, 92; id. Ps. 4, 2, 11; id. Rud. 3, 6, 13; Ter. Eun. 87: tu rus hinc ibis? ... rectā, id. Ad. 433; id. Hec. 372; id. Phorm. 112; 859: Marius ab subselliis in rostra rectā, Cic. Off. 3, 20, 80; id. Att. 5, 14, 2; 6, 8, 1; 16, 10, 1; id. Fam. 9, 19, 1; id. Verr. 2, 5, 61, § 160; id. Cat. 1, 9, 23; Auct. Her. 4, 50, 63; Auct. B. Afr. 18; 40; Auct. B. Hisp. 3; Plin. 2, 47, 46, § 121 al.: tendimus hinc rectā Beneventum. Hor. S. 1, 5, 71. —
B rectō , straightforwards , directly (perh. only in the two foll. passages): appellationes, quae recto ad principem factae sunt, Dig. 49, 1, 21; Inscr. Grut. 611, 13.—
C rectē .
1 Lit., in a straight line (horizontal or perpendicular), straightly , perpendicularly , uprightly , ὀρθῶς (very rare): vitem bene enodatam deligato recte, flexuosa uti ne siet, Cato R. R. 33, 4: sive aliae (atomi) declinabunt, aliae suo nutu recte ferentur ... quae (atomi) recte, quae oblique ferantur, Cic. Fin. 1, 6, 20: satyri, cum quadrupedes, tum recte currentes, humanā effigie, Plin. 7, 2, 2, § 24.—
2 Trop., rightly , correctly , properly , duly , suitably , well , advantageously , accurately (very freq. in all periods and styles): recta et vera loquere, sed neque vere neque recte adhuc Fecisti umquam, Plaut. Capt. 5, 2, 7; cf. Cic. Lael. 2, 8: fecisti edepol et recte et bene, Plaut. Capt. 5, 4, 20: si facias recte aut commode, id. Cas. 2, 3, 42; so with commode, Ter. Heaut. 152: recte et sapienter facit, Plaut. Am. 1, 1, 133; cf. id. ib. 3, 4, 12: recte atque ordine factum, Cic. Quint. 7, 28: recte atque ordine facere, id. Phil. 3, 15, 38; Sall. C. 51, 4; Liv. 24, 31; 28, 39; 30, 17 et saep.; v. Brisson. Form. II. p. 197: recte ac merito miseriā commoveri, Cic. Verr. 2, 5, 67, § 172: recte atque in loco constare, id. Mur. 12, 26: recte factum, Plaut. Capt. 3, 5, 52: seu recte seu pervorse facta sunt, id. Trin. 1, 2, 146: seu recte seu perperam facere, Cic. Quint. 8, 31; so (opp. perperam) Sall. J. 31, 27; Liv. 29, 17: recte dictum (opp. absurde), Plaut. Capt. 1, 1, 4: recte concludere (opp. vitiose), Cic. Ac. 2 ( Luc. ), 30, 98: recte factum (opp. turpiter), Caes. B. G. 7, 80 et saep.: recte rationem tenes, Plaut. Mil. 1, 1, 47: hercle quin tu recte dicis, id. Men. 2, 3, 74; id. Merc. 2, 3, 77; 5, 4, 47: recte auguraris de me, Caes. ap. Cic. Att. 9, 16, 1: non recte judicas de Catone, Cic. Lael. 2, 9; cf.: rectissime quidem judicas, id. Rep. 3, 32, 44: tum demum sciam Recta monuisse, si tu recte caveris, Plaut. Men. 2, 2, 71 sq.: monere, id. Bacch. 2, 3, 96; id. Ps. 4, 4, 12; id. Pers. 4, 4, 53; id. Rud. 3, 5, 49; cf.: admonere recte, id. Men. 5, 9, 33: suis amicis recte res suas narrare, properly , openly , id. Poen. 5, 6, 2: hic (Epicurus) circumitione quādam deos tollens recte non dubitat divinationem tollere, consistently , logically , Cic. Div. 2, 17, 40: aliquem asservare recte, ne aufugiat, duly , carefully , Plaut. Men. 1, 1, 11: alicui recte dare epistulam, correctly , id. Ps. 4, 2, 33: cum fuit cui recte ad te litteras darem, safely , Cic. Att. 4, 1, 1; id. Fam. 1, 7, 1; so, sed habebat ducem Gabinium, quicum quidvis rectissime facere posset, id. Phil. 2, 19, 49; cf.: alicui suam salutem recte committere, Caes. B. G. 7, 6 fin. ; id. B. C. 1, 74: si recte ambulaverit is, qui hanc epistulam tulit, goes as he ought , Cic. Att. 9, 4, 3: tabernaculum recte captum, i. e. in the prescribed manner (opp. vitio captum), id. Div. 2, 35, 75; Liv. 4, 7; cf.: ludi recte facti, id. 36, 2: ver sacrum non esse recte factum, id. 34, 44: procedere recte, well , rightly , Enn. ap. Acron. ad Hor. S. 1, 2, 37 (Ann. v. 454 Vahl.): Pi. Recte valet? Ch. Vivit recte et valet, Plaut. Bacch. 2, 2, 11, and 14: valere, id. Merc. 2, 3, 53: apud matrem recte est, i. e. she is quite well , Cic. Att. 1, 7 init. ; so, recte esse, id. ib. 14, 16, 4 (with belle); Hor. S. 2, 3, 162 Orell.; cf.: Tullia nostra recte valet ... Praeterea rectissime sunt apud te omnia, Dolab. ap. Cic. Fam. 9, 9, 1: recte sit oculis tuis, Gell. 13, 30, 11: olivetum recte putare, properly , advantageously , Cato R. R. 44: solet illa recte sub manus succedere, well , Plaut. Pers. 4, 1, 2: recte cavere, to look out well , take good care , id. Bacch. 3, 6, 15; id. Ep. 2, 2, 107; id. Most. 3, 3, 23; id. Men. 2, 2, 72; cf.: recte sibi videre, to look out well for one’s self , Ter. Phorm. 190 Ruhnk.: deos volo consilia vostra recte vortere, well , happily , Plaut. Trin. 5, 2, 31; so, vortere, id. Aul. 2, 2, 41: recte vendere, well , i. e. dearly , at a high price (opp. male), Cic. Verr. 2, 3, 98, § 227: alicui nec recte dicere, i. e. male, injuriose, Plaut. Bacch. 1, 2, 11; id. Most. 1, 3, 83; id. Poen. 3, 1, 13; cf.: nec recte loqui alicui, id. Bacch. 4, 4, 83: nec recte dicere in aliquem, id. As. 1, 3, 3; and simply nec recte dicere, id. Ps. 4, 6, 23.— Comp. : ad omnia alia aetate sapimus rectius, Ter. Ad. 832: hic tibi erit rectius, Plaut. Men. 2, 3, 31: rectius bella gerere, Liv. 3, 2 fin. : non possidentem multa vocaveris Recte beatum, rectius occupet Nomen beati, qui, etc., Hor. C. 4, 9, 46.— Sup. , Cic. Rep. 3, 32, 44; v. supra. —
b With adjj. , right , well , properly , very , much , to strengthen the idea (ante-class.): illasce oves, quā de re agitur, sanas recte esse, uti pecus ovillum, quod recte sanum est, etc., an ancient formula in Varr. R. R. 2, 2, 6: locus recte ferax, Cato R. R. 44: salvus sum recte, Plaut. Am. 2, 1, 34: morata recte, id. Aul. 2, 2, 62: oneratus recte, id. Bacch. 2, 3, 115: non recte vinctus est, Ter. And. 955.—
c Ellipt., esp. in answers, in colloquial lang., well , quite well , right , excellently: Thr. Primum aedis expugnabo. Gn. Recte. Thr. Virginem eripiam. Gn. Probe. Thr. Male mulcabo ipsam. Gn. Pulchre, Ter. Eun. 773: quid vos? quo pacto hic? satin recte? (sc. est, agitur, valetis, etc.), quite well? id. And. 804; cf.: Le. Satin' salve? dic mihi. Ca. Recte, Plaut. Trin. 5, 2, 54; and: De. Quid fit? quid agitur? Sy. Recte. De. Optime'st, Ter. Ad. 884; Quint. 6, 3, 84.—
B So, in colloquial lang., freq. like benigne and the Gr. καλῶς, or κάλλιστα ἔχει, as a courteously evasive answer, all’s well , it’s all right , there’s nothing the matter; or, in politely declining an offer, nothing is wanting , no I thank you: De. Unde incedis? quid festinas, gnate mi? Ch. Recte pater, Plaut. Merc. 2, 3, 33; cf.: So. Quid es tam tristis? Pa. Recte mater, Ter. Hec. 355; and: Ch. Quid tu istic? Syr. Recte equidem, id. Heaut. 518: Mi. Quid est? Aes. Nihil, recte, perge, id. Ad. 653: rogo numquid velit? Recte inquit, i. e. no , nothing , id. Eun. 342; so, in an exclamation: clamabit, pulchre! bene! recte! Hor. A. P. 4, 28.