I.grown or become great, great (altus ab alendo dictus, Paul. ex Fest. p. 7 Müll.; cf. the Germ. gross with the Engl. grow), a polar word meaning both high and deep.
A. Seen from below upwards, high.
I. Lit.: IN ALTOD MARID PVCNANDOD, etc., Columna Duilii; so, maria alta, Liv. Andron. ap. Macr. S. 6, 5, 10; id. ib. ap. Prisc. p. 725 P.: aequor, Pac. ap. Varr. L. L. 7, § 23 Müll.: parietes, Enn. ap. Cic. Tusc. 3, 19, 44: “sub ramis arboris altae,” Lucr. 2, 30: “acervus,” id. 3, 198 al.: “columellam tribus cubitis ne altiorem,” Cic. Leg. 2, 26, 66: “altior illis Ipsa dea est colloque tenus supereminet omnes,” taller, Ov. M. 3, 181: “altis de montibus,” Verg. E. 1, 83: “umbras Altorum nemorum,” Ov. M. 1, 591 al.—With the acc. of measure: “clausi lateribus pedem altis,” a foot high, Sall. H. Fragm. 4, 39 Gerl.; cf. Lind. C. Gr. I. p. 215.—With gen.: “triglyphi alti unius et dimidiati moduli, lati in fronte unius moduli,” Vitr. 4, 3: “majorem turrim altam cubitorum CXX.,” id. 10, 5: “alta novem pedum,” Col. 8, 14, 1: “singula latera pedum lata tricenum, alta quinquagenum,” Plin. 36, 13, 19, § 4.—
II. Trop., high, lofty, elevated, great, magnanimous, high-minded, noble, august, etc.: “altissimus dignitatis gradus,” Cic. Phil. 1, 6, 14; so id. Clu. 55; id. Dom. 37.—Of mind or thought: “te natura excelsum quendam videlicet et altum et humana despicientem genuit,” Cic. Tusc. 2, 4, 11: “homo sapiens et altā mente praeditus,” highminded, id. Mil. 8: “qui altiore animo sunt,” id. Fin. 5, 20, 57 al.—So of gods, or persons elevated in birth, rank, etc.; “also of things personified: rex aetheris altus Juppiter,” Verg. A. 12, 140: “Apollo,” id. ib. 10, 875: “Caesar,” Hor. C. 3, 4, 37: “Aeneas, i. e. deā natus,” id. S. 2, 5, 62: “Roma,” Ov. Tr. 1, 3, 33: “Carthago,” Prop. 2, 1, 23 al.—Of the voice, high, shrill, loud, clear: “Conclamate iterum altiore voce,” Cat. 42, 18: “haec fatus altā voce,” Sen. Troad. 196: “altissimus sonus,” Quint. 11, 3, 23 (cf.: “vox magna,” Ov. Tr. 4, 9, 24; Juv. 4, 32).—Subst.: altum , i, n., a height: “sic est hic ordo (senatorius) quasi propositus atque editus in altum,” on high, Cic. Verr. 2, 3, 41, § 98: “aedificia in altum edita,” Tac. H. 3, 71: “quidquid in altum Fortuna tulit, ruitura levat,” Sen. Agam. 100.—Esp.
(α).
(Sc. caelum.) The height of heaven, high heaven, the heavens: “ex alto volavit avis,” Enn. Ann. 1, 108: “haec ait, et Maiā genitum demisit ab alto,” Verg. A. 1, 297.—Still more freq.,
(β).
(Sc. mare.) The high sea, the deep, the sea: rapit ex alto navīs velivolas, Enn. ap. Serv. ad Verg. A. 1, 224: “ubi sumus provecti in altum, capiunt praedones navem illam, ubi vectus fui,” Plaut. Mil. 2, 1, 39; so id. Men. 1, 2, 2; id. Rud. prol. 66; 2, 3, 64: “terris jactatus et alto,” Verg. A. 1, 3: “in altum Vela dabant,” id. ib. 1, 34: “collectae ex alto nubes,” id. G. 1, 324: “urget ab alto Notus,” id. ib. 1, 443 al.: “alto mersā classe,” Sil. 6, 665: “ab illā parte urbis navibus aditus ex alto est,” Cic. Verr. 2, 5, 32: “in alto jactari,” id. Inv. 2, 31, 95: “naves nisi in alto constitui non poterant,” Caes. B. G. 4, 24: “naves in altum provectae,” id. ib. 4, 28: scapha in altum navigat, Sall. Fragm.—So in the plur.: “alta petens,” Verg. A. 7, 362.—Trop.: “quam magis te in altum capessis, tam aestus te in portum refert,” Plaut. As. 1, 3, 6: “imbecillitas ... in altum provehitur imprudens,” Cic. Tusc. 4, 18, 42: “te quasi quidam aestus ingenii tui in altum abstraxit,” id. de Or. 3, 36, 145.—
B. Seen from above downwards, deep, profound.
I. Lit. (hence sometimes opp. summus): Acherusia templa alta Orci, salvete, Enn. ap. Varr. L. L. 7, 2, 81; Cic. Tusc. 1, 21, 48: “quom ex alto puteo sursum ad summum escenderis,” Plaut. Mil. 4, 4, 14: “altissimae radices,” Cic. Phil. 4, 5: “altae stirpes,” id. Tusc. 3, 6, 13: “altissima flumina,” Caes. B. C. 3, 77: “altior aqua,” id. ib. 1, 25: “alta theatri Fundamenta,” Verg. A. 1, 427: “gurgite in alto,” in the deep whirlpool, id. E. 6, 76: “altum vulnus,” id. A. 10, 857; Petr. 136; Sen. Troad. 48: “altum totā metitur cuspide pectus,” Sil. 4, 292; so id. 6, 580 al.: “unde altior esset Casus,” Juv. 10, 106.—With the abl. of measure: “faciemus (scrobes) tribus pedibus altas,” Pall. Jan. 10, 3.—
II. Trop. (more freq. in and after the Aug. per.), deep, profound: “somno quibus est opus alto,” Hor. S. 2, 1, 8; so Liv. 7, 35: “sopor,” Verg. A. 8, 27: “quies,” id. ib. 6, 522: “silentium,” id. ib. 10, 63; Quint. 10, 3, 22: “altissima tranquillitas,” Plin. Ep. 2, 1: “altissima eruditio,” id. ib. 4, 30: “altiores artes,” Quint. 8, 3, 2.—Subst.: altum , i, n., the depth, i. e. what is deep or far removed: “ex alto dissimulare,” Ov. Am. 2, 4, 16: “non ex alto venire nequitiam, sed summo, quod aiunt, animo inhaerere,” Sen. Ira, 1, 16 med. al.—Hence, ex alto repetere, or petere, in discourse, to bring from far; as P. a., farfetched: “quae de nostris officiis scripserim, quoniam ex alto repetita sunt,” Cic. Fam. 3, 5: “quid causas petis ex alto?” Verg. A. 8, 395 (cf.: “alte repetere in the same sense,” Cic. Sest. 13; id. Rep. 4, 4, and v. al. infra).—
C. Poet., in reference to a distant (past) time: cur vetera tam ex alto appetissis discidia, Agamemno? Att. ap. Non. 237, 22 (altum: vetus, antiquum, Non.); cf. Verg. G. 4, 285.—With the access. idea of venerable (cf. antiquus), ancient, old: “genus alto a sanguine Teucri,” Verg. A. 6, 500: “Thebanā de matre nothum Sarpedonis alti,” id. ib. 9, 697; “genus Clauso referebat ab alto,” Ov. F. 4, 305: “altā gente satus,” Val. Fl. 3, 202: “altis inclitum titulis genus,” Sen. Herc. Fur. 338.—Adv.: altē , and very rarely altum , high, deep (v. supra, altus, P. a. init.).
A. High, on high, high up, from on high, from above (v. altus, P. a., A.).
I. Lit.: “alte ex tuto prospectum aucupo,” Att. Trag. Rel. p. 188 Rib.: “colomen alte geminis aptum cornibus,” id. ib. p. 221: “alte jubatos angues,” Naev. ib. p. 9: “jubar erigere alte,” Lucr. 4, 404: “roseā sol alte lampade lucens,” id. 5, 610: “in vineā ficos subradito alte, ne eas vitis scandat,” Cato, R. R. 50: “cruentum alte extollens pugionem,” Cic. Phil. 2, 12, 28: non animadvertis cetarios escendere in malum alte, ut perspiciant pisces? Varr. ap. Non. 49, 15: “(aër) tollit se ac rectis ita faucibus eicit alte,” Lucr. 6, 689: “dextram Entellus alte extulit,” Verg. A. 5, 443: “alte suras vincire cothurno,” high up, id. ib. 1, 337: “puer alte cinctus,” Hor. S. 2, 8, 10, and Sen. Ep. 92: “unda alte subjectat arenam,” Verg. G. 3, 240: “Nihil tam alte natura constituit, quo virtus non possit eniti,” Curt. 7, 11, 10: alte maesti in terram cecidimus, from on high, Varr. ap. Non. 79, 16: “eo calcem cribro succretam indito alte digitos duo,” to the height of two fingers, Cato, R. R. 18, 7; so Col. R. R. 5, 6, 6.—Comp.: “quae sunt humiliora neque se tollere a terrā altius possunt,” Cic. Tusc. 5, 13, 37: “tollam altius tectum,” id. Har. Resp. 15, 33: “altius praecincti,” Hor. S. 1, 5, 5: “pullus in arvis altius ingreditur,” Verg. G. 3, 75: “caput altius effert,” id. ib. 3, 553: “altius atque cadant imbres,” id. E. 6, 38 ubi v. Forb.: “altius aliquid tenere,” Sen. Q. N. 1, 5.—Sup.: cum altissime volāsset (aquila), Suet. Aug. 94.—
II. Trop.: “alte natus,” Albin. 1, 379 (cf.: altus Aeneas, supra, P. a., A. II.): “alte enim cadere non potest,” Cic. Or. 28, 98: “video te alte spectare,” id. Tusc. 1, 34, 82; id. Rep. 6, 23, 25.—Comp.: “altius se efferre,” Cic. Rep. 6, 23, 25; 3, 3, 4: “altius irae surgunt ductori,” Verg. A. 10, 813: “altius aliquid agitare,” Cels. 1 prooem.: “attollitur vox altius,” Quint. 11, 3, 65: “verbis altius atque altius insurgentibus,” id. 8, 4, 27.— Sup.: “Ille dies virtutem Catonis altissime illuminavit,” Vell. 2, 35: “ingenium altissime adsurgit,” Plin. Ep. 8, 4.—
B. Deep, deeply (v. altus, P. a. B.).
I. Lit.: “ablaqueato ficus non alte,” Cato, R. R. 36: “ferrum haud alte in corpus descendere,” Liv. 1, 41: “alte vulnus adactum,” Verg. A. 10, 850; Ov. M. 6, 266; Curt. 4, 6, 18; Cels. 5, 26, 30: “timidum caput abdidit alte,” Verg. G. 3, 422: “alte consternunt terram frondes,” deeply strew, id. A. 4, 443: “ut petivit Suspirium alte!” Plaut. Cist. 1, 1, 58 (cf.: “ingentem gemitum dat pectore ab imo,” Verg. A. 1, 485): “inter cupam pertundito alte digitos primorīs tres,” Cato, R. R. 21, 2: “minimum alte pedem,” Col. de Arb. 30.—Comp.: “ne radices altius agant,” Col. 5, 6, 8: “terra altius effossa,” Quint. 10, 3, 2: “cum sulcus altius esset impressus,” Cic. Div. 2, 23, 50: “frigidus imber Altius ad vivum persedit, Verg G. 3, 441: tracti altius gemitus,” Sen. Ira, 3, 4, 2.— Sup.: “(latronibus gladium) altissime demergo,” App. M. 2, 32.—
II. Trop., deeply, profoundly, far, from afar: “privatus ut altum Dormiret,” Juv. 1, 16: “alte terminus haerens,” Lucr. 1, 77: “longo et alte petito prooemio respondere,” Cic. Clu. 21, 58: “ratio alte petita,” Quint. 11, 1, 62: “alte et a capite repetis, quod quaerimus,” Cic. Leg. 1, 6, 18; id. Rep. 4, 4, 4; id. Sest. 13, 31.—Comp.: “qui altius perspiciebant,” had a deeper insight, Cic. Verr. 1, 7, 19: “quae principia sint, repetendum altius videtur,” must be sought out more deeply, id. Off. 1, 16: “altius repetitae causae,” Quint. 11, 1, 62: “de quo si paulo altius ordiri ac repetere memoriam religionis videbor,” Cic. Verr. 4, 105: “Hisce tibi in rebus latest alteque videndum,” Lucr. 6, 647: “altius supprimere iram,” Curt. 6, 7, 35: “altius aliquem percellere,” Tac. A. 4, 54: “altius metuere,” id. ib. 4, 41: “altius animis maerere,” id. ib. 2, 82: “cum verbum aliquod altius transfertur,” Cic. Or. 25, 82: “Altius omnem Expediam primā repetens ab origine famam,” Verg. G. 4, 285; “so,” Tac. H. 4, 12: “altius aliquid persequi,” Plin. 2, 23, 31, § 35: “hinc altius cura serpit,” id. 4, 11, 13, § 87.— Sup.: “qui vir et quantus esset, altissime inspexi,” Plin. Ep. 5, 15, 5.