I.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. 1, 1, 13: “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. 3, 4, 21; id. Phorm. 2, 1, 80; Mart. 8, 75, 2; cf. “platea,” Plaut. Cist. 2, 1, 58; Ter. Ad. 4, 2, 35; 43: “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. 4, 3, 28 (just before: aperte, ita ut res sese habet, narrato); cf. id. And. 2, 6, 11: 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. 2, 1, 9: “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. 3, 1, 76; id. Phorm. 5, 2, 6; Cic. Ac. 2, 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. 1, 2, 7: “tu rus hinc ibis? ... rectā,” id. Ad. 3, 3, 79; id. Hec. 3, 3, 12; id. Phorm. 1, 2, 62; 5, 6, 19: “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; Cic. 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. 1, 1, 100: “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, 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. 1, 4, 12 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. 5, 3, 46: “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. 5, 4, 52.—
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. 4, 7, 3: quid vos? quo pacto hic? satin recte? (sc. est, agitur, valetis, etc.), quite well? id. And. 4, 5, 9; 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. 5, 5, 3; 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. 3, 2, 20; and: Ch. Quid tu istic? Syr. Recte equidem, id. Heaut. 3, 2, 7: Mi. Quid est? Aes. Nihil, recte, perge, id. Ad. 4, 5, 19: “rogo numquid velit? Recte inquit,” i. e. no, nothing, id. Eun. 2, 3, 51; so, “in an exclamation: clamabit, pulchre! bene! recte!” Hor. A. P. 4, 28.