I.fut. mentibitur, for mentietur, Plaut. Mil. 1, 1, 35; 2, 2, 99; v. Neue, Formenl. 2, p. 448), v. dep. n. and a. [prob. from root men-, whence mens, memini, q. v. Original meaning, to invent; hence],
I. Neutr., to lie, cheat, deceive, etc.: “mentiri palam,” Plaut. Truc. 1, 2, 89: “mentire,” id. Poen. 3, 5, 18: “adversus aliquem,” id. Aul. 4, 7, 9: “apud aliquem,” id. Poen. 1, 1, 24: “sibi,” id. Am. 1, 2, 6: “mihi,” id. Capt. 3, 5, 46; Ter. Eun. 4, 4, 35: “aperte,” Cic. Ac. 2, 6, 18: “in re aliquā,” id. Att. 12, 21, 4: “de re aliquā,” id. N. D. 3, 6, 14: “adeo veritatis diligens, ut ne joco quidem mentiretur,” Nep. Epam. 3, 1.—With acc. and inf., to pretend, to declare falsely: “certam me sum mentitus habere Horam, quae, etc.,” Ov. Tr. 1, 3, 53; Plin. 12, 15, 34, § 67: mentior nisi or si mentior, a form of asseveration, I am a liar, if, etc.: “mentior, nisi et quae alunt illud, corpora sunt,” Sen. Ep. 106, 5: “si mentiar, inquit, Ultima, quā fallam, sit Venus illa mihi,” Ov. F. 4, 227.—Of things, to deceive, impose upon: frons, oculi, vultus persaepe mentiuntur, oratio vero saepissime, Cic. Q. Fr. 1, 1, 6: “in quibus nihil umquam ... vetustas mentita sit,” id. N. D. 2, 5, 15.—
B. To deceive one's self, mistake: “mentire, gnate,” Plaut. Trin. 2, 2, 83 Brix ad loc.—
II. Act., to lie or speak falsely about, to assert falsely, make a false promise about; to feign, counterfeit, imitate a shape, nature, etc.: “cujus consilio tantam rem mentitus esset,” had devised such a falsehood, Sall. C. 48: “originem alicujus,” Just. 35, 2, 4: “auspicium,” Liv. 10, 40: “titulum Lyciscae,” to assume falsely, Juv. 6, 123: “noctem,” to promise falsely, Prop. 3, 9, 1: “cur sese daemonia mentiuntur,” Tert. Apol. 23; also, to invent, feign, of a poetical fiction: “ita mentitur (sc. Homerus),” Hor. A. P. 151; cf.: “poëtae Orionem mentiuntur in pelago incidentem,” Lact. 4, 15, 21.—Pass.: “si a debitore, praelato die, pignoris obligatio mentiatur,” Dig. 48, 10, 28.—
B. Trop., of inanim. subjects: semel fac illud, Mentitur tua quod subinde tussis, do what your cough keeps falsely promising, i. e. die, Mart. 5, 39, 6: “mentiris juvenem tinctis capillis,” id. 3, 43, 1: “color, qui chrysocollam mentitur,” Plin. 35, 6, 29, § 48: “nec varios discet mentiri lana colores,” Verg. E. 4, 42: sexum viris denegatum muliebri motu, Col. praef. 1.—Hence, *
1. mentĭens , entis, m. subst., a fallacy, sophism: quomodo mentientem, quem ψευδόμενον vocant, dissolvas, Cic. Div. 2, 4, 11. —
2. mentītus , a, um, Part., in pass. signif., imitated, counterfeit, feigned (poet.): “mentita tela,” Verg. A. 2, 422: “figurae,” Ov. M. 5, 326: “fama,” id. ib. 10, 28: “nomen,” id. ib. 10, 439; id. H. 11, 73; Sen. Contr. 5, 5, 3; Luc. 2, 512; Val. Fl. 6, 698; 7, 155; Sil. 15, 796; Stat. S. 4, 6, 21; id. Th. 1, 256; 7, 303; 10, 875; Poët. ap. Suet. Oth. 3; Prop. 4 (5), 7, 58. “mentiti fictique terrores,” Plin. Ep. 6, 20, 15; id. Pan. 81, 3: “divinitas,” Lact. 2, 16, 2; Quint. 12, 10, 76.
