rumor

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

rūmor, ōris, m. [cf. Gr. ὠρύω, to howl; ὀρυμαγδός, din; Sanscr. root ru-, roar; ravas, uproar; Lat.: raucus, rudo].

I Lit., the talk of the many , whether relating facts or expressing opinions.

A Common talk , unauthenticated report , hearsay , rumor (the prevalent and class. signif.; used equally in sing. and plur.; syn.: fama, sermo); absol. , or with a mention of its purport.

a Absol. : est hoc Gallicae consuetudinis, uti mercatores in oppidis vulgus circumsistat, quibusque ex regionibus veniant quasque ibi res cognoverint, pronuntiare cogant. His rumoribus atque auditionibus permoti de summis saepe rebus consilia ineunt, quorum eos e vestigio poenitere necesse est; cum incertis rumoribus serviant, et plerique ad voluntatem eorum ficta respondeant, Caes. B. G. 4, 5; cf.: aliquid rumore ac famā accipere ... falsis rumoribus terreri, id. ib. 6, 20: multa rumor perferet, Cic. Fam. 2, 8, 1; cf. also, in the description of the house of Fame, in Ovid: mixtaque cum veris passim commenta vagantur Milia rumorum confusaque verba volutant, Ov. M. 12, 55 (v. the passage in its connection): rumoribus mecum pugnas, Cic. N. D. 3, 5, 9: rumores Africanos excipere, id. Deiot. 9, 25: senatus vulgi rumoribus exagitatus, Sall. C. 29, 1: multa rumor fingebat, Caes. B. C. 1, 53: addunt et affingunt rumoribus Galli, quod res poscere videbatur, id. B. G. 7, 1: frigidus a Rostris manat per compita rumor, Hor. S. 2, 6, 50 et saep. —

b With the purport of the rumor introduced by an object- or relative-clause; by de , rarely by gen.

α Postquam populi rumorem intelleximus, Studiose expetere vos Plautinas fabulas, etc., Plaut. Cas. prol. 11: cum interea rumor venit, Datum iri gladiatores; populus convolat, etc., Ter. Hec. 39; id. Heaut. 16: crebri ad eum rumores afferebantur litterisque item Labieni certior fiebat, omnes Belgas contra populum Romanum conjurare, etc., Caes. B. G. 2, 1: meum gnatum rumor est amare, Ter. And. 185; cf.: rem te valde bene gessisse rumor erat, Cic. Fam. 1, 8, 7; id. Att. 16, 5, 1: serpit hic rumor: Scis tu illum accusationem cogitare? etc., id. Mur. 21, 45: crebro vulgi rumore lacerabatur, tamquam viros et insontes ob invidiam aut metum exstinxisset, Tac. A. 15, 73: subdito rumore, tamquam Mesopotamiam invasurus, id. ib. 6, 36.—

β With de : nihil perfertur ad nos praeter rumores de oppresso Dolabellā, Cic. Fam. 12, 9, 1: de Aeduorum defectione rumores afferebantur, Caes. B. G. 7, 59: de vitā imperatoris dubii rumores allati sunt, Liv. 28, 24: graves de te rumores, Cic. Deiot. 9, 25: exstinctis rumoribus de auxiliis legionum, Caes. B. C. 1, 60 fin.

γ With gen. (very rare): cenae rumor, Suet. Aug. 70: belli civilis rumores, Tac. H. 3, 45: rumor prostratae regi pudicitiae Suet. Caes. 2.—

B Common or general opinion , current report , the popular voice; and objectively, fame , reputation (less freq. but class.): famam atque rumores pars altera consensum civitatis et velut publicum testimonium vocat: altera sermonem sine ullo certo auctore dispersum, cui malignitas initium dederit, incrementum credulitas, Quint. 5, 3, 1; cf.: adversus famam rumoresque hominum si satis firmus steteris, etc., Liv. 22, 39: qui erit rumor populi, si id feceris? Ter. Phorm. 911: totam opinionem (populi) parva nonnumquam commutat aura rumoris, Cic. Mur. 17, 35: rumoribus adversa in pravitatem, secunda in casum, fortunam in temeritatem, declinando corrumpebant, with their slanders , misrepresentations , Sall. Fragm. ap. Non. 385, 3: quos rumor asperserat, ii, etc., Curt. 10, 31, 18: rumorem quendam et plausum popularem esse quaesitum, Cic. Clu. 47, 131: rumori servire, Plaut. Trin. 3, 2, 14; cf. in the lusus verbb. with rumen : ego rumorem parvi facio, dum sit rumen qui impleam, Pompon. ap. Non. 18, 15: omnem infimae plebis rumorem affectavit, Tac. H. 2, 91: Marcellus adverso rumore esse, Liv. 27, 20: flagret rumore malo cum Hic atque ille, Hor. S. 1, 4, 125; Tac. H. 2, 93 fin. : invidiam alicui concitare secundo populi rumore, with the concurring or favorable judgment , with the approbation , Fenest. ap. Non. 385, 17; so, rumore secundo, Suev. ap. Macr. S. 6, 1; old poet in Cic. Div. 1, 16, 29; Verg. A. 8, 90; Hor. Ep. 1, 10, 9; cf.: aliquid accipere secundo rumore, Tac. A. 3, 29: claro apud volgum rumore erat, id. ib. 15, 48.—

II Transf., a murmuring , murmur of a stream: amoena fluenta Subterlabentis tacito rumore Mosellae, Aus. Mos. 22.

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