I.firm (in opp. to frail, destructible), steadfast, stable, strong, powerful (freq. and class.; esp. in the trop. sense; syn.: constans, stabilis, solidus).
I. Lit.: “nos fragili vastum ligno sulcavimus aequor: Quae tulit Aesoniden, firma carina fuit,” Ov. P. 1, 4, 35: “robora,” Verg. A. 2, 481: “arbor,” Ov. A. A. 2, 652: “vincula,” id. F. 1, 370: “janua,” i. e. shut fast, id. Am. 2, 12, 3; cf. “sera,” id. P. 1, 2, 24: “solum,” Curt. 5, 1: “firmioris testae murices,” Plin. 9, 33, 52, § 102: sunt et Amineae vites, firmissima vina. Verg. G. 2, 97: “firmo cibo pasta pecus,” strengthening, Varr. R. R. 2, 11, 2: “firmius est triticum quam milium: id ipsum quam hordeum: ex tritico firmissima siligo,” Cels. 2, 18: “effice ut valeas, et ut ad nos firmus ac valens quam primum venias,” Cic. Fam. 16, 8, 1 and 2; cf.: “mihi placebat, si firmior esses, etc.,” id. ib. 16, 5, 1: “nondum satis firmo corpore,” id. ib. 11, 27, 1: “hinc remiges firmissimi, illinc inopia affectissimi,” Vell. 2, 84, 2.—With dat.: “area firma templis sustinendis,” Liv. 2, 5, 4: “testa in structura oneri ferendo firma,” Vitr. 2, 8, 19: “adversis,” Tac. Agr. 35 fin.
II. Trop., firm in strength or durability, also in opinion, affection, etc., fast, constant, steadfast, immovable, powerful, strong, true, faithful: “quae enim domus tam stabilis, quae tam firma civitas est, quae non odiis et discidiis funditus possit everti?” Cic. Lael. 7, 23: “res publica firma atque robusta,” id. Rep. 2, 1 fin.; cf.: “civitas imprimis firma,” Caes. B. G. 5, 54, 2: “Trinobantes prope firmissima earum regionum civitas,” id. ib. 5, 20, 1; cf. “also: Mutina firmissima et splendidissima colonia,” Cic. Phil. 5, 9, 24: “tres potentissimi ac firmissimi populi,” id. ib. 1, 3 fin.; and: “evocatorum firma manus,” id. Fam. 15, 4, 3: Antonius ab equitatu firmus esse dicebatur, strong in cavalry, Planc. ap. Cic. Fam. 10, 15, 2.— With ad and acc.: satis firmus ad castra facienda, Pomp. ap. Cic. Att. 8, 12, A, 1: “Chrysippi consolatio ad veritatem firmissima est,” Cic. Tusc. 3, 33, 79: “exercitus satis firmus ad tantum bellum,” Liv. 23, 25, 6; cf.: “cohortes minime firmae ad dimicandum,” Caes. B. G. 7, 60, 2; Sall. H. 4, 62, 16.— With contra: Jugurtha nihil satis firmum contra Metellum putat, Sall. J. 80, 1.—With adversus: “firmus adversus militarem largitionem,” Tac. H. 2, 82: “firmior adversus fortuita,” id. ib. 4, 51: “adversus convicia malosque rumores,” Suet. Tib. 28.—Absol.: “cum neque magnas copias neque firmas haberet,” Nep. Eum. 3, 3; Caes. B. G. 1, 3, 8; Sall. J. 56, 2: “concordi populo nihil esse immutabilius, nihil firmius,” Cic. Rep. 1, 32: “praesidia firmissima,” id. Fin. 1, 10, 35: “fundamenta defensionis firmissima,” id. Cael. 2, 7: “firmior fortuna,” id. Rep. 1, 17: “constitutio Romuli,” id. ib. 2, 31 (ap. Non. 526, 10): “illud ratum, firmum, fixum fuisse vis,” Cic. Ac. 2, 46, 141: “officii praecepta firma, stabilia,” id. Off. 1, 2, 6; cf.: “opinio, firma et stabilis,” id. Brut. 30, 114: “firma et constans assensio,” id. Ac. 1, 11, 42: “ne in maximis quidem rebus quicquam adhuc inveni firmius,” id. Or. 71, 237: “spem firmissimam habere,” id. Fam. 6, 5, 4; cf.“, transf.: firmior candidatus,” i. e. who has stronger, greater hopes of being elected, id. Att. 1, 1, 2: “litterae,” i. e. containing news that may be relied upon, id. ib. 7, 25; cf. id. ib. 16, 5: “senatum sua sponte bene firmum firmiorem vestra auctoritate fecistis,” id. Phil. 6, 7, 18; cf.: “vir in suscepta causa firmissimus,” id. Mil. 33, 91: “accusator firmus verusque,” id. Div. in Caecil. 9, 29; “with this cf.: vir pro veritate firmissimus,” Plin. Ep. 2, 11, 19: “sunt fortasse in sententia firmiores,” id. Balb. 27, 61: “firmus in hoc,” Tib. 3, 2, 5: “non firmus rectum defendis et haeres,” Hor. S. 2, 7, 26: “firmus proposito,” Vell. 2, 63 fin.; so, “firmissimus irā,” Ov. M. 7, 457: firmo id constantique animo facias licet, Cic. Fil. ap. Cic. Fam. 16, 21, 2: “nunc opus pectore firmo,” Verg. A. 6, 261: “firmi amici sunt (opp.: amici collabascunt),” Plaut. Stich. 4, 1, 16: “firmi et stabiles et constantes (amici),” Cic. Lael. 17, 62: “ex infidelissimis sociis firmissimos reddere,” id. Fam. 15, 4, 14: “non brevis et suffragatoria, sed firma et perpetua amicitia,” Q. Cic. Petit. Cons. 7, 26: “firmissimae amicitiae,” Quint. 1, 2, 20: “fides firma nobis,” Plaut. Capt. 5, 1, 6.—*
(β).
Poet. with inf.: “fundus nec vendibilis nec pascere firmus,” able, capable, Hor. Ep. 1, 17, 47. —Hence, adv., firmly, steadily, lastingly, powerfully; in two (equally common) forms: firme and firmĭter .
(α).
Form firme, Plaut. Mil. 4, 2, 24; id. Trin. 2, 2, 54: “insistere,” Suet. Calig. 26: “firme graviterque aliquid comprehendere,” Cic. Fin. 1, 21, 71; cf.: “satis firme aliquid concipere animo,” id. ib. 2, 2, 6: “continere multa,” Quint. 11, 2, 2: “sustinere assensus suos,” Cic. Fin. 3, 9, 31: “graviter et firme respondere,” Plin. Ep. 6, 13, 3.—
(β).
Form firmiter: firmiter hoc tuo sit pectore fixum, Lucil. ap. Non. 512, 20: “nisi suffulcis firmiter,” Plaut. Ep. 1, 1, 77: “insistere,” Caes. B. G. 4, 26, 1: “in suo gradu collocari,” Cic. Rep. 1, 45 fin.: stabilita matrimonia, Cic. Fragm. ap. Non. 512, 23 (Rep. 6, 2 ed. Mos.): “promisisse,” Plaut. Ps. 3, 2 111: “meminisse,” Gell. 13, 8, 2.—
