I. To determine or estimate the extrinsic (money) value of a thing, to value, rate, appraise; constr. with gen. or abl. (v. of price, Zumpt. §§ “444 and 456): domum emit prope dimidio carius quam aestimabat,” Cic. Dom. 44: “frumentum III denariis,” Cic. Verr. 2, 3, 92: “aliquid tenuissime,” id. ib. 2, 4, 16: “prata magno,” id. Par. 6, 3: “perfecit (Aratus) aestimandis possessionibus, ut, etc.,” id. Off. 2, 23, 82; hence, litem alicui or alicujus, to estimate the value of an object in question, and thus determine how much the convicted person shall pay, to estimate or assess the damages; cf. Ascon. ad Cic. Verr. 1, 13, 38, and Beier ad Cic. Oratt. Fragm. Exc. IV. p. 265; Cic. Verr. l. l.—
II. Trop., to estimate the intrinsic (moral) worth of a thing, to weigh, value, hold, etc. (while existimare, as a consequence of aestimare, signifies to judge a thing in any way after estimating its value: ex pretio rei judicare; cf. Burm. ad Phaedr. 3, 4; Herz. ad Caes. B. G. 2, 17; Corte and Kritz ad Sall. C. 8, 2; Gronov. ad Liv. 4, 41; 34, 2; and aestimator).— Constr.
(α).
That which serves as a standard by which a thing is estimated with ex or the abl.: “vulgus ex veritate pauca, ex opinione multa aestimant,” Cic. Rosc. Com. 10: “aliquem ex artificio comico,” id. ib.: “cum in Aquitaniam pervenisset, quae pars, ex tertiā parte Galliae est aestimanda, etc.,” i. e. is to be reckoned as a third part, Caes. B. G. 3, 20: “amicitias inimicitiasque non ex re, sed ex commodo,” Sall. C. 10, 5.—With simple abl.: “virtutem annis,” Hor. Ep. 2, 1, 48: aliquid vitā, to measure a thing by life, i. e. to hold it as dear as life, Curt. 5, 5: “nec Macedonas veteri famā, sed praesentibus viribus aestimandos,” Just. 30, 4.—
(β).
The value attached to a thing in estimating it, in the gen. or abl. pretii (cf. I.); poet. also with acc. nihil: “auctoritatem alicujus magni,” Cic. Att. 7, 15: quod non minoris aestimamus quam quemlibet triumphum, Nep. Cat. 1: “aliquid unius assis,” Cat. 5, 2: “aliquid permagno,” Cic. Verr. 2, 4, 7, § 13: “non magno,” id. Fin. 3, 3, 11; so id. Tusc. 3, 4, 8: “non nihilo aestimandum,” id. Fin. 4, 23, 62: “magno te aestimaturum,” Liv. 40, 55: “magno aestimantibus se,” id. 40, 41. And with definite numerals which give the price-current for which a thing may be had; cf. Zumpt. § 456; Sall. Fragm. p. 974 Corte: “denis in diem assibus animam et corpus aestimari,” Tac. A. 1, 17: “emori nolo, sed me esse mortuum nihil aestimo,” Cic. Tusc. 1, 8, 15.—
(γ).
Among the histt. with a rel. clause.: “aestimantibus, quanta futuri spe tam magna tacuisset,” Tac. Agr. 18 fin.: “quantopere dilectus sit, facile est aestimare,” Suet. Aug. 57 (but in Sall. J. 31, 19, the correct read. is existumabitis, Dietsch).
