I. Foreseeing, foreknowing (very rare); constr. with an objective clause, or absol.: “ille contra urinam spargit, prudens, hanc quoque leoni exitialem,” Plin. 8, 38, 57, § 136: “quos prudentis possumus dicere, id est providentis,” Cic. Div. 1, 49, 111: de futuro satis callidus satisque prudens, Ps.-Sall. ap. Cic. init.—
II. Transf.
A. Knowing, skilled, experienced, versed, practised in a thing (class.; syn.: peritus, consultus); constr. with gen. or in; poet. and post-Aug. also with inf.
(α).
With gen.: “ceterarum rerum pater familias et prudens et attentus,” Cic. Quint. 3, 11: “belli prudentes, Sall. Ep. Mith. (H. 4, 61, 16 Dietsch): rei militaris,” Nep. Con. 1, 2: “locorum,” Liv. 34, 28 fin.: “animus rerum prudens,” Hor. C. 4, 9, 35: “artis,” Ov. H. 5, 150: “animorum provinciae prudens,” Tac. Agr. 19: “doli prudens,” id. H. 2, 25: “agricolationis,” Col. 2, 2, 15.—Comp.: “prudentiores rerum rusticarum,” Col. 4, 2, 1; so, “earum rerum,” Gell. 14, 2, 4.—Sup.: “adulandi gens prudentissima,” Juv. 3, 86.—
(γ).
With inf. or acc. and inf.: “nec pauperum prudens anus Novemdialis dissipare pulveres,” Hor. Epod. 17, 47: “prudens otii vitia negotio discuti,” Curt. 7, 1, 4:-ob ea se peti prudens, Plin. 8, 31, 49, § 111: “sciens prudensque se praegnantem non esse,” Dig. 25, 6, 1, § 2.—
2. In partic.
a. Juris prudens, also prudens alone (like juris peritus), skilled or learned in the law; as subst.: jūrisprūdens , ntis, m., one learned in the law, a lawyer, jurist, jurisconsult (only post-class.), Dig. 38, 15, 2 fin.; 1, 2, 2; 1, 1, 7; 40, 7, 30; Just. Inst. 1, 2.—
b. Like sciens, knowing, wise, discreet, prudent; usually connected with sciens: prudens animam de corpore mitto, Enn. ap. Non. 150, 8 (Ann. v. 216 Vahl.): “quos prudens praetereo,” Hor. S. 1, 10, 88; 2, 5, 58 (cf.: “imprudens praeteriisse videris,” Cic. Brut. 77, 269): “ibis sub furcam prudens,” Hor. S. 2, 7, 66: “nequidquam deus abscidit Prudens Oceano terras,” id. C. 1, 3, 22; 3, 29, 29; Ov. M. 3, 364: “an prudens imprudensve rupisset,” Gell. 20, 1, 34.—With sciens: amore ardeo: “et prudens, sciens, Vivus vidensque pereo,” Ter. Eun. 1, 1, 27: “ut in fabulis Amphiaraus sic ego prudens et sciens ad pestem ante oculos positam sum profectus,” Cic. Fam. 6, 6, 6; Cael. ap. Cic. Att. 10, 9, A, 5; Suet. Ner. 2 fin.—
B. In gen., sagacious, sensible, intelligent, clever, judicious, etc. (very freq.): “vir naturā peracutus et prudens,” Cic. Or. 5, 18: “quis P. Octavio ingenio prudentior, jure peritior,” id. Clu. 38, 107: “prudentem et, ut ita dicam, catum,” id. Leg. 1, 16, 45: “in existimando admodum prudens,” id. Brut. 68, 239; cf.: “prudentissimi in disserendo,” id. ib. 31, 118: “virum ad consilia prudentem,” id. Font. 15, 43: “quo nemo prudentior,” id. Lael. 1, 5: “homines amicissimi ac prudentissimi,” id. Rep. 1, 46, 10: “vir bonus et prudens,” Hor. Ep. 1, 16, 32; cf. id. A. P. 445: “si divitiae prudentem reddere possent,” id. Ep. 2, 2, 155: “prudentior ille consilio, hic animo magnificentior,” Just. 9, 8, 13.—With adverb. acc.: “prudens alia,” Amm. 15, 13, 2.—Of abstract things: “prudens, temperata, fortis, justa ratio,” Cic. Fin. 5, 21, 58: “prudens animi sententia,” Ov. H. 21, 137: consilium, quod si non fuerit prudens, Balb. ap. Cic. Att. 9, 7, A, 1; Ov. M. 13, 433: “prudentissimum consilium,” Nep. Eum. 3, 4; Hirt. B. Alex. 24. —
C. Cautious, circumspect (very rare): “malebant me nimium timidum quam satis prudentem existimari,” Cic. Fam. 4, 14, 2.— Hence, adv.: prūdenter , sagaciously, intelligently, discreetly, wisely, skilfully, learnedly, prudently, etc.: loqui, Enn. ap. Gell. 12, 4, 4 (Ann. v. 255 Vahl.): “facere,” Cic. Fin. 5, 6, 15; cf. id. Rep. 3, 9, 16: “rationem excogitare,” id. ib. 2, 12, 23: “multa ab eo prudenter disputata,” id. Lael. 1, 1: “multa provisa prudenter,” id. ib. 2, 6.—Comp., Aug. in Suet. Tib. 21; Quint. 9, 2, 44.—Sup.: “defendere,” Cic. Div. 2, 72, 150: “scribere,” id. Att. 13, 1, 1; Val. Max. 3, 3, 4 ext. 4.
