I.v. a. dep. [miniscor, whence also reminiscor, stem men, whence mens, memini; cf. Varr. L. L. 6, § 44] (lit. to ponder carefully, to reflect upon; hence, as a result of reflection; cf. 1. commentor, II.), to devise something by careful thought, to contrive, invent, feign.
I. (Class., of something untrue; “esp. freq. in Plaut.) Reperi, comminiscere, cedo calidum consilium cito,” Plaut. Mil. 2, 2, 71: “fabricare quidvis, quidvis comminiscere,” id. As. 1, 1, 89: “mendacium,” id. Ps. 2, 3, 23: “dolum docte,” id. ib. 4, 7, 64: “maledicta,” id. Bacch. 4, 9, 58: “quid agam? aut quid comminiscar,” Ter. Heaut. 4, 2, 7: “nec me hoc commentum putes,” Cic. Att. 6, 1, 8: tantum scelus, * Quint. 5, 13, 30.—With relative - clause: “neque quo pacto celem probrum queo comminisci,” Plaut. Aul. 1, 1, 30; 1, 1, 37: “fac Amphitruonem ab aedibus Ut abigas quovis pacto commentus sies,” id. Am. 3, 3, 24 (cf. infra, P. a.).—
B. Of philosophic fiction (cf. commenticius), as antith. to actual, real: “Epicurus monogrammos deos et nihil agentes commentus est,” Cic. N. D. 2, 23, 59; so, “occurrentia nescio quae,” id. Fin. 4, 16, 43: “quaedam,” id. Fat. 3, 5.—
II. In gen., to devise, invent, contrive: “nihil adversus tale machinationis genus parare aut comminisci oppidani conabantur,” Liv. 37, 5, 5: “id vectigal commentum alterum ex censoribus satis credebant,” id. 29, 37, 4: “novas litteras,” Suet. Claud. 41: “novum balinearum usum,” id. Calig. 37; Flor. 2, 6, 27: “Phoenices, litteras et litterarum operas, aliasque etiam artes, maria navibus adire, classe confligere, etc.,” Mel. 1, 12, 1: “excubias nocturnas vigilesque,” Suet. Aug. 30; id. Ner. 34; id. Vesp. 23. !*?
1. P. a.: commentus , a, um, in pass. signif., devised, invented, feigned, contrived, fictitious: “dat gemitus fictos commentaque funera narrat,” Ov. M. 6, 565: “sacra,” id. ib. 3, 558; 4, 37; id. A. A. 1, 319: “crimen,” Liv. 26, 27, 8: “fraus,” Paul. Sent. 5, 4, 8.—Hence,
2. Subst.: commentum , i, n.
A. (Class.) An invention, fabrication, fiction, falsehood: “ipsis commentum placet,” Ter. And. 1, 3, 20: “opinionum commenta delet dies,” Cic. N. D. 2, 2, 5 (cf. just before: “opiniones fictas atque vanas): non sine aliquo commento miraculi,” Liv. 1, 19, 5: “mixta rumorum,” Ov. M. 12, 54: “animi,” id. ib. 13, 38.—
B. Since the Aug. per., sometimes, a contrivance, Liv. 29, 37, 6; Suet. Vesp. 18; Just. 22, 4, 3 al.—
D. A stratagem, in war, Flor. 1, 11, 2.—
E. A rhetorical figure, equiv. to commentatio, = ἐνθύμημα, Vitellius ap. Quint. 9, 2, 107; cf. id. ib. 5, 10, 1.