Charlton T. Lewis, Charles Short, A Latin Dictionary

I.pres. subj. creduam, Plaut. Poen. 3, 5, 2: “creduas,” id. Bacch. 3, 3, 72; id. Trin. 3, 1, 5: “creduat,” id. Bacch. 3, 4, 5; 4, 7, 6: “creduis,” id. Am. 2, 2, 49; id. Capt. 3, 4, 73: “creduit,” id. Truc. 2, 2, 52; inf. credier, id. Poen. 2, 43; “crevi for credidi,” id. Cist. 1, 1, 1), v. a. Sanscr. crat, crad, trust, and dha-; v. 2. do.

I. Orig. belonging to the lang. of business, to give as a loan, to loan, lend, make or loan to any one: (vilicus) injussu domini credat nemini; “quod dominus crediderit, exigat,” Cato, R. R. 5, 4: “quibus credas male,” Plaut. Curc. 4, 1, 20; cf. “populis,” Cic. Rab. Post. 2, 4: “alicui grandem pecuniam,” id. ib. 2, 4; so, “pecunias ei,” id. Fam. 1, 7, 6; and: “pecuniae creditae,” id. Prov. Cons. 4, 7: “centum talenta,” Quint. 5, 10, 111: “solutio rerum creditarum,” Cic. Off. 2, 24, 84 et saep.—Hence,

B. crēdĭtum , i, n., a loan, Sall. C. 25, 4; Liv. 6, 15, 5; 6, 27, 3; 8, 28, 3; Sen. Ben. 2, 34, 1; Quint. 5, 10, 105; 5, 10, 117; Dig. 12, 1, 19 sq. et saep.—

II. Transf. beyond the circle of business (very freq. in every period and species of composition).

A. With the prevailing idea of intended protection, to commit or consign something to one for preservation, protection, etc., to intrust to one, = committo, commendo (cf. concredo): “ubi is obiit mortem, qui mihi id aurum credidit,” Plaut. Aul. prol. 15 (credere est servandum commendare, Non. p. 275, 9); so, “nummum,” Plaut. Trin. 4, 2, 112 (for which id. ib. 4, 2, 115, concredere): “alicujus fidei potestatique (with committere),” Cic. Q. Fr. 1, 1, 9, § 27; cf. id. ib. 1, 1, 4, § 14: vitam ac fortunas meas, Lucil. ap. Non. p. 275, 8; cf. Ter. And. 1, 5, 37: “militi arma,” Liv. 2, 45, 10: “se suaque omnia alienissimis,” Caes. B. G. 6, 31: “se ponto,” Ov. M. 14, 222: “se perfidis hostibus,” Hor. C. 3, 5, 33: “se ventis,” Quint. 12, prooem. § 2: “ pennis se caelo,” Verg. A. 6, 15; cf. Ov. M. 2, 378: “se pugnae,” Verg. A. 5, 383 et saep.: “crede audacter quid lubet,” Plaut. Trin. 2, 4, 118: “facinus magnum timido pectori,” id. Ps. 2, 1, 3: “illi consilia omnia,” Ter. Ad. 5, 4, 18: “arcanos sensus tibi,” Verg. A. 4, 422; cf.: “arcana libris,” Hor. S. 2, 1, 31: “aliquid cerae,” Plaut. Pers. 4, 3, 67.—Poet., with in and acc.: “inque novos soles audent se germina tuto Credere,” Verg. G. 2, 333.—

B. With the prevailing idea of bestowing confidence, to trust to or confide in a person or thing, to have confidence in, to trust.

1. With dat.: “virtuti suorum satis credere,” Sall. J. 106, 3; cf. id. ib. 72, 2: “praesenti fortunae,” Liv. 45, 8, 6: “consules magis non confidere quam non credere suis militibus,” rather mistrusted their intentions than their valor, id. 2, 45, 4: “nec jam amplius hastae,” Verg. A. 11, 808: “ne nimium colori,” id. E. 2, 17: “bibulis talaribus,” Ov. M. 4, 731.—Freq. in eccl. Lat.: “Moysi et mihi,” Vulg. Johan. 5, 46: “verbis meis,” id. Luc. 1, 20.—

2. Esp., with in and acc. of pers., to believe in, trust in (eccl. Lat.): “hoc est ergo credere in Deum, credendo adhaerere ad bene coöperandum bona operanti Deo,” Aug. Enarr. in Psa. 77, 8: “qui fidem habet sine spe ac dilectione, Christum esse credit, non in Christum credit,” id. Serm. 144, 2: “qui credit in Filium habet vitam aeternam,” Vulg. Johan. 3, 36 et saep.—

C. To trust one in his declarations, assertions, etc., i. e. to give him credence, to believe: “injurato, scio, plus credet mihi, quam jurato tibi,” Plaut. Am. 1, 1, 284 sq.: “vin' me istuc tibi, etsi incredibile'st, credere?” Ter. Heaut. 4, 1, 11: “credit jam tibi de isto,” Plaut. Men. 4, 2, 53: “cui omnium rerum ipsus semper credit,” in every thing, id. As. 2, 4, 59; cf. id. Truc. 2, 2, 52: “diu deliberandum et concoquendum est, utrum potius Chaereae injurato in suā lite, an Manilio et Luscio juratis in alieno judicio credatis,” Cic. Rosc. Com. 15, 45.—

b. Mihi crede, believe me, confide in my words, upon my word, ἐμοὶ πιθοῦ, an expression of confirmation, Plaut. Ep. 3, 2, 4; Cic. Cat. 1, 3, 6; id. Mur. 19, 40; 38, 82; id. de Or. 2, 17, 72; id. Off. 3, 19, 75; id. Tusc. 1, 31, 75; 1, 43, 103; id. Fin. 2, 21, 68 et saep.; Hor. S. 1, 7, 35; 2, 6, 93 al.; cf.: mihi credite, Cic. Cat. 2, 7, 15; id. Agr. 3, 4, 16; Liv. 24, 22, 17; Ov. M. 15, 254 al.—In the same sense (but more rare in Cic.): “crede mihi,” Cic. Att. 6, 6, 1; 14, 15, 2; 11, 6, 1; Cic. Verr. 2, 4, 59, § 133; Sulp. ap. Cic. Fam. 4, 5, 4; Ov. A. A. 1, 66; id. M. 1, 361; id. Tr. 3, 4, 25: “crede igitur mihi,” Cic. Fam. 10, 6, 2: “credite mihi,” Curt. 6, 11, 25.—

c. Credor in poets several times equivalent to creditur mihi: “certe credemur, ait, si verba sequatur Exitus,” Ov. F. 3, 351; so id. Tr. 3, 10, 35: “creditus accepit cantatas protinus herbas, etc.,” id. M. 7, 98; so in part., id. H. 17, 129; cf.: “(Cassandra) non umquam credita Teucris,” Verg. A. 2, 247.—

d. Sibi, to believe one's self, trust one's own convictions, be fully convinced: “cum multa dicta sunt sapienter et graviter, tum vel in primis, crede nobis, crede tibi,” Plin. Pan. 74: “fieri malunt alieni erroris accessio, quam sibi credere,” Min. Fel. 24, 2: non satis sibi ipsi credebant, Auct. B. Alex. 6:—

2. With simple reference to the object mentioned or asserted, to believe a thing, hold or admit as true: velim te id quod verum est credere, Lucil. ap. Non. p. 275, 6; cf.: credo et verum est, Afer ap. Quint. 6, 3, 94: “me miseram! quid jam credas? aut cur credas?” Ter. Ad. 3, 2, 32: “quod fere libenter homines id quod volunt credunt,” Caes. B. G. 3, 18; cf. Quint. 6, 2, 5: “audivi ista ... sed numquam sum addictus ut crederem,” Cic. Brut. 26, 100: “ne quid de se temere crederent,” Sall. C. 31, 7: “res Difficilis ad credundum,” Lucr. 2, 1027; cf. Caes. B. G. 5, 28 et saep.—Pass.: “res tam scelesta ... credi non potest,” Cic. Rosc. Am. 22, 62.—Pass. impers.: “in quo scelere, etiam cum multae causae convenisse unum in locum atque inter se congruere videntur, tamen non temere creditur,” Cic. Rosc. Am. 22, 62.—

b. In gen. = opinor, arbitror, to be of opinion, to think, believe, suppose.

(α). With acc.: “timeo ne aliud credam atque aliud nunties,” Ter. Hec. 5, 4, 4: “quae deserta et inhospita tesqua credis,” Hor. Ep. 1, 14, 20: “fortem crede bonumque,” id. ib. 1, 9, 13: “quos gravissimos sapientiae magistros aetas vetus credidit,” Quint. 12, 1, 36.—Pass.: “potest ... falsum aliquid pro vero credi,” Sall. C. 51, 36: “origo animi caelestis creditur,” Quint. 1, 1, 1; 8, prooem. § 24:“ Evander venerabilior divinitate creditā Carmentae matris,” Liv. 1, 7, 8.—

(β). With acc. and inf. (so most freq.): “jam ego vos novisse credo, ut sit pater meus,” Plaut. Am. prol. 104: “cum reliquum exercitum subsequi crederet,” Caes. B. G. 6, 31: caelo tonantem credidimus Jovem Regnare. Hor. C. 3, 5, 1 et saep.: “victos crederes,” one would have thought, one might have imagined, Liv. 2, 43, 9; so Curt. 4, 10, 23; cf. Zumpt, Lat. Gr. § 528.—Pass.: “navis praeter creditur ire,” Lucr. 4, 389: “quem (Athin) peperisse Limnate creditur,” Ov. M. 5, 49: “creditus est optime dixisse,” Quint. 3, 1, 11; cf. id. 10, 2, 125 al.—Impers.: “credetur abesse ab eo culpam,” Quint. 11, 1, 64: “neque sine causā creditum est, stilum non minus agere cum delet,” id. 10, 4, 1 al.— So in the abl. part. pass. credito, with acc. and inf., Tac. A. 3, 14; 6, 34.—

(γ). Absol.: credo inserted, like opinor, puto, etc., and the Gr. οἶμαι, as a considerate, polite, or ironical expression of one's opinion, I believe, as I think, I suppose, I dare say, etc.: “credo, misericors est,” Plaut. Am. 1, 1, 144; “so placed first,” id. Cas. 2, 6, 3; Ter. And. 2, 1, 13; Cic. Cat. 1, 2, 5; id. Sull. 4, 11; Caes. B. C. 3, 70; Sall. C. 52, 13; Liv. 4, 17, 7; Hor. S. 2, 2, 90: “Mulciber, credo, arma fecit,” Plaut. Ep. 1, 1, 32; so id. Truc. 2, 5, 27; Caes. B. C. 2, 31; Cic. Fin. 1, 3, 7; id. Tusc. 1, 22, 52; Verg. A. 6, 368 et saep.: “aut jam hic aderit, credo hercle, aut jam adest,” Plaut. Ep. 2, 2, 74.