I.nom. sing. vĕter , Enn. and Att. ap. Prisc. p. 607 P.; cf. Varr. L. L. 6, § 2 Müll.; abl. regularly, vetere; “but veteri,” Juv. 6, 121; Stat. Th. 1, 360; 11, 582; 13, 374; comp. class. vetustior; archaic form veterior), adj. Sanscr. vatsas, year; Gr. ἔτος, ϝετος.
I. Adj.
A. Old (opp. young), aged: “Acherunticus senex, vetus, decrepitus,” Plaut. Merc. 2, 2, 20: “novus amator, vetus puer,” id. ib. 5, 4, 15: “poëta,” Ter. Heaut. prol. 22: “veteres ac moris antiqui memores,” Liv. 42, 27, 4: veteres et sancti viri, Sall. H. 2, 23, 5 Dietsch: “parentes,” Verg. A. 5, 576: “pecudes,” Varr. R. R. 2, 11, 2: “gallinae,” Plin. 10, 53, 74, § 146; Col. 8, 5, 14: “laurus,” Verg. A. 2, 513: “caput,” Tib. 1, 8, 42. —
B. Old (opp. new), of long standing: “quam veterrumu'st, tam homini optimu'st amicus,” Plaut. Truc. 1, 2, 71: “maceria,” id. ib. 2, 2, 50: Antemna veterior est Romā, Cato ap. Prisc. p. 716 P. (Orig. 1, fr. 25): quod si veteris contumeliae oblivisci vellet; “num etiam recentium injuriarum memoriam deponere posse?” Caes. B. G. 1, 14: “invidia et infamia non recens, sed vetus ac diuturna,” Cic. Verr. 1, 2, 5: “vetus atque usitata exceptio,” id. de Or. 1, 37, 168: “sphaerae illius vetus esse inventum,” id. Rep. 1, 14, 22: “amici veteres (opp. novi),” id. Lael. 18, 67: “veterrima (amicitia),” id. ib.: “naves,” Caes. B. G. 5, 15: “nobilitas,” Sall. J. 85, 4: “consuetudo,” id. C. 23, 3: “provinciae,” Liv. 21, 44, 7; 28, 39, 8.—Esp., of soldiers, veteran, experienced: “ille exercitatus et vetus (miles),” Cic. Tusc. 2, 16, 38; cf. “exercitus,” id. ib.; Caes. B. C. 1, 3; Liv. 41, 8, 5: “copiae,” Caes. B. G. 1, 27: “milites,” id. ib. 6, 40; Liv. 26, 41, 2: “legiones,” id. 27, 8, 15: “centuriones,” id. 4, 17, 10.—With gen. (post-Aug.): “gnaros belli veteresque laborum,” Sil. 4, 532: “militiae,” Tac. H. 4, 20: “regnandi,” id. A. 6, 44: “scientiae et caerimoniarum,” id. ib. 6, 12: “operis ac laboris,” id. ib. 1, 20: “armorum,” Sil. 17, 297.—With inf. (poet.): “hinc Fadum petit et veterem bellare Labicum,” Sil. 5, 565.—
C. Old, of a former time (opp. present, existing), former, earlier, ancient, etc. (cf. antiquus): “veterem atque antiquam rem novam ad vos proferam,” Plaut. Am. prol. 118: “historia vetus atque antiqua,” id. Trin. 2, 2, 100 Brix ad loc.: “credendum est veteribus et priscis, ut aiunt, viris,” Cic. Univ. 11: “veterrimi poëtae Stoici,” id. N. D. 1, 15, 41: “multo vetustior et horridior ille (Laelius) quam Scipio,” archaic, antiquated, id. Brut. 21, 83: “in veterem revoluta figuram,” Verg. A. 6, 449: “fama veterum malorum,” id. ib. 6, 527: “injuria,” Phaedr. 1, 21, 6.—
II. Substt.
A. vĕtĕres , um, m., the ancients, men of a former time, the fathers, ancestors, forefathers: “majores nostri, veteres illi, admodum antiqui, leges annales non habebant,” Cic. Phil. 5, 17, 47.—Esp., of ancient authors, etc.: “nostri veteres,” Plin. 36, 7, 12, § 59: “quae veteres factitarunt,” Ter. Eun. prol. 43: “omnes veteres et Cicero praecipue,” Quint. 9, 3, 1; cf. id. 5, 4, 1: “antiqui veteres,” Front. Ep. ad Amic. 1, 5.—
B. vĕtĕres , um, f. (sc. tabernae), the old booths on the south side of the Forum Romanum (opp. Novae, v. novus): “sub Veteribus,” Plaut. Curc. 4, 1, 19; Liv. 44, 16, 10; Plin. 35, 4, 8, § 25.—
C. vĕtĕra , um, n., the old, old things, antiquity (opp. praesentia): “vetera semper in laude, praesentia in fastidio,” Tac. Or. 18; cf. id. ib. 15: “si vetera mihi ignota (sunt),” Cic. Sull. 18, 51: “vetera omittere,” to leave out of consideration, Sall. J. 102, 14: “vetera odisse, nova optare,” id. C. 37, 3: “vetera scrutari,” traditions, Cic. Tusc. 1, 13, 29. —Prov.: “vetera vaticinamini,” Plaut. Ps. 1, 3, 129 Lorenz ad loc.
