I.deaf.
I. Lit.: “ne mi ut surdo verbera auris,” Plaut. Mil. 3, 1, 204; id. Cas. 3, 3, 12: “si surdus sit, varietates vocum noscere possit?” Cic. Div. 2, 3, 9: “utinam aut hic surdus aut haec muta facta sit,” Ter. And. 3, 1, 5.—Sup., stone-deaf, Mart. Cap. 9, § 926; Aug. Ep. 39.—Prov.: surdo narrare, canere, etc., preach to deaf ears, talk to the wind: “nae ille haud scit, quam mihi nunc surdo narret fabulam,” Ter. Heaut. 2, 1, 10: “cantabant surdo,” Prop. 4 (5), 8, 47. cf.: “non canimus surdis,” Verg. E. 10, 8; and: “quae (praecepta) vereor, ne vana surdis auribus cecinerim,” Liv. 40, 8, 10; 3, 70, 7; Tib. 4, 14, 2: “narrare asello Fabellam surdo,” Hor. Ep. 2, 1, 200; cf.: “suadere surdis, quid sit opus facto,” Lucr. 5, 1050.—
II. Transf.
A. Deaf to any thing, i. e. not listening, unwilling to hear, inattentive, regardless, insensible, inexorable; also, not understanding, not apprehending: “orando surdas jam aures reddideras mihi,” Ter. Heaut. 2, 3, 89; so, “aures,” Liv. 24, 32, 6; cf. Prop. 2, 16 (3, 8), 48; id. 2, 20 (3, 13), 13: “non surdus judex,” Cic. Font. 11, 25 (7, 15): “ad mea munera surdus,” Ov. H. 7, 27: “per numquam surdos in tua vota deos,” id. P. 2, 8, 28: “surdae ad omnia solacia aures,” Liv. 9, 7, 3: “surdae ad fortia consilia Vitellio aures,” Tac. H. 3, 67 init.: “surdus adversus aliquid,” Aug. Serm. 50, 13: “surdus sum,” I will not hear, Plaut. Ps. 1, 3, 24: “surdas clamare ad undas,” Ov. A. A. 1, 531: “litora,” Prop. 4 (5), 11, 6.—Hence, poet. transf.: “vota,” i. e. to which the gods are deaf, to which they will not hearken, Pers. 6, 28: “surdaeque adhibent solatia menti,” Ov. M. 9, 654: “tuas lacrimas litora surda bibent,” Prop. 4 (5), 11, 6. “leges rem surdam, inexorabilem esse,” Liv. 2, 3: “surda tellus,” not susceptible of cultivation, Plin. 18, 3, 4, § 21: “surdus timori,” not capable of fear, Sil. 11, 354: “tuis lacrimis,” Mart. 10, 13, 8: “in alicujus sermone,” Cic. Tusc. 5, 40, 116.—Comp.: “scopulis surdior Icari Voces audit adhuc integer (i. e. castus),” Hor. C. 3, 7, 21: “surdior illa freto surgente,” Ov. M. 14, 711: “surdior aequoribus,” id. ib. 13, 804: “non saxa surdiora navitis,” Hor. Epod. 17, 54.—
(β).
With gen.: “Mars genitor, votorum haud surde meorum,” Sil. 10, 554: “pactorum,” id. 1, 692: “veritatis,” Col. 3, 10, 18.—
B. Of things that give out a dull, indistinct sound, dull-sounding (very rare): “theatrum,” Varr. L. L. 9, § 58 Müll.: “locus,” Vitr. 3, 3: “loca,” Sen. Herc. Fur. 576: “vox,” Quint. 11, 3, 32: “surdum quiddam et barbarum,” id. 12, 10, 28.—
C. Pass., that is not heard, noiseless, silent, still, mute, dumb (poet. and in post-Aug. prose): “lyra,” Prop. 4 (5), 5, 58. “buccina,” Juv. 7, 71: “plectra,” Stat. S. 1, 4, 19: “non erit officii gratia surda tui,” unsung, Ov. P. 2, 6, 31; cf. “fama,” Sil. 6, 75: “surdum et ignobile opus,” Stat. Th. 4, 359: “nomen parentum,” Sil. 8, 248: “herbae,” Plin. 22, 2, 3, § 5: “quos diri conscia facti mens surdo verbere caedit,” secret, Juv. 13, 194: “ictus,” Plin. 19, 1, 4, § 20.—
D. Of odor, appearance, meaning, etc., faint, dim, dull, indistinct, stupid: “spirant cinnama surdum,” Pers. 6, 36: “colos,” Plin. 37, 5, 18, § 67: “hebes unitate surdā color,” id. 37, 5, 20, § 76: “discrimen figurarum,” id. 35, 2, 2, § 4: “materia,” id. 13, 15, 30, § 98: “res surdae ac sensu carentes,” id. 20, prooem. § 1; so id. 24, 1, 1, § 3; 27, 13, 120, § 146.—Hence, * adv.: surdē , faintly, imperfectly, indistinctly: surde audire, Afran. ap. Charis. p. 194 P. (Com. Fragm. v. 348 Rib.).
