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alternus , a, um, adj. alter,
I.one after the other, by turns, interchangeable, alternate (class. and also poet.).
I. In gen.: (Sem)VNIS. ALTERNEI. ADVOCAPIT. CONCTOS (i. e. Semones alterni advocate cunctos), Carm. Fr. Arv. 36 (v. advoco fin.): alternā vice inire, Enn. ap. Charis. p. 214 P. (Trag. v. 151 Vahl.): “alternae arbores,” Plaut. Trin. 2, 4, 138: “Alterno tenebras et lucem tempore gigni,” Lucr. 5, 978: “ex duabus orationibus capita alterna recitare,” Cic. Clu. 51, 140: “alternis trabibus ac saxis,” with beams and stones regularly interchanged, Caes. B. G. 7, 23 Herz.: “(bibere) alternis diebus modo aquam, modo vinum,” Cels. 3, 2: “Alterno terram quatiunt pede,” Hor. C. 1, 4, 7: “per alternas vices,” Ov. P. 4, 2, 6: “vix hostem, alterni si congrediamur, habemus,” Verg. A. 12, 233; 6, 121: alternum foedus amicitiae, Cat. 109, 6: alternus metus, mutual or reciprocal fear, Liv. 26, 25; cf. id. 23, 26: “alternas servant praetoria ripas,” the opposite, Stat. S. 1, 3, 25: “aves,” the eagles which stand opposite to each other, Claud. Mall. Theod. prol. 16 (v. the passage in its connection): “alternis paene verbis T. Manlii factum laudans,” with almost every other word, Liv. 8, 30: alternis dicetis; “amant alterna Camenae,” responsive song, Verg. E. 3, 59: “versibus alternis,” Hor. Ep. 2, 1, 146: alternis aptum sermonibus, alternate discourse, i. e. dialogue, id. A. P. 81. —Of verses: interchanging between hexameter and pentameter, elegiac: “pedes alternos esse oportebit,” Cic. de Or. 3, 50, 193: “epigramma alternis versibus longiusculis,” id. Arch. 10, 25; Ov. H. 15, 5: “canere alterno carmine,” id. F. 2, 121; so id. Tr. 3, 1, 11; 3, 1, 56; 3, 7, 10 (cf.: “modos impares,” id. ib. 2, 220).—
II. Esp., in the Roman courts of justice the accused, and afterwards the accuser, could alternately reject all the judges appointed by the prætor; “hence, alterna consilia or alternos judices reicere,” to reject by turns, Cic. Vatin. 11, 27; id. Planc. 15, 36: “cum alternae civitates rejectae sunt,” Cic. Verr. 2, 2, 13.—Comp. and sup. are not used. —Advv. (only in posit.).
a. Form alter-nē , alternately, only in Sen. Q. N. 7, 12 med. —
b. Form alternìs (abl. plur.; sc. vicibus), alternately, by turns (poet. and prose; freq. in Lucr.; “not in Cic.),” Lucr. 1, 524; 1, 768; 1, 1011; 1, 1066; 3, 373; 4, 790; 6, 570; Varr. R. R. 3, 16, 9; Verg. E. 3, 59; id. G. 1, 71; 1, 79; Liv. 2, 2 med.; Sen. Ep. 120 fin.; Plin. Ep. 18, 2.—*
c. Form alternă , neutr. plur., Plin. 11, 37, 51, § 138 Jan; App. M. 10, p. 247, 8 Elm.
A Latin Dictionary. Founded on Andrews' edition of Freund's Latin dictionary. revised, enlarged, and in great part rewritten by. Charlton T. Lewis, Ph.D. and. Charles Short, LL.D. Oxford. Clarendon Press. 1879.

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hide References (24 total)
  • Cross-references in general dictionaries from this page (24):
    • Caesar, Gallic War, 7.23
    • Cicero, For Archias, 10.25
    • Cicero, For Aulus Cluentius, 51.140
    • Cicero, For Plancius, 15.36
    • Cicero, Against Vatinius, 11.27
    • Vergil, Aeneid, 12.233
    • Vergil, Georgics, 1.71
    • Horace, Ars Poetica, 81
    • Plautus, Trinummus, 2.4
    • Cicero, On Oratory, 3.50
    • Lucretius, De Rerum Natura, 1.768
    • Lucretius, De Rerum Natura, 1.1011
    • Lucretius, De Rerum Natura, 1.524
    • Lucretius, De Rerum Natura, 5.978
    • Livy, The History of Rome, Book 8, 30
    • Livy, The History of Rome, Book 23, 26
    • Livy, The History of Rome, Book 26, 25
    • Livy, The History of Rome, Book 2, 2
    • Seneca, Epistulae, 120
    • A. Cornelius Celsus, De Medicina, 3.2
    • Ovid, Tristia, 3.1
    • Ovid, Ex Ponto, 4.2
    • Statius, Silvae, 1.3
    • Ovid, Fasti, 2
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