I.part. perf. disserta, first in Hier. in Isa. 4, 11; class. form dĭsertus, as a P. a., is very freq.; v. under P. a.), 3, v. a.—Lit., to set forth in order, arrange distinctly; hence, to examine, argue, discuss; or (more freq.) to speak, discourse, treat of a thing (good prose and very freq., esp. in Cic. and Quint.—cf.: disputo, discepto).
(α).
With acc. (so in Cic., and usually only with pronouns, but in Tac. also freq. with nominal subjects): “idonea mihi Laelii persona visa est, quae de amicitia ea ipsa dissereret, quae disputata ab eo meminisset Scaevola,” Cic. Lael. 1, 4; cf. id. de Sen. 21, 78: “nihil de ea re,” Tac. A. 1, 6: “seditiosa de aliqua re,” id. ib. 3, 40: “permulta de eloquentia cum Antonio,” Cic. de Or. 2, 3, 13; cf.: “haec cum ipsis philosophis,” id. ib. 1, 13, 57: “quae inter me et Scipionem de amicitia disserebantur,” id. Lael. 10, 33: “qui haec nuper disserere coeperunt, cum corporibus simul animos interire,” id. ib. 4, 13: “haec subtilius,” id. ib. 5, 18: “aliquid pluribus verbis in senatu,” id. Fam. 12, 7; cf. Sall. J. 30 fin.: “ea, quae disputavi,” Cic. N. D. 3, 40, 95; cf. id. Fat. 5; id. Tusc. 1, 11, 23: “ea lege, qua credo omnibus in rebus disserendis utendum esse,” id. Rep. 1, 24: “pauci bona libertatis incassum disserere,” Tac. A. 1, 4; cf. id. ib. 6, 34; id. H. 3, 81: “cujus negotii initium, ordinem, finem curatius disseram,” id. A. 2, 27; cf. id. H. 2, 2 fin.: “paucis instituta majorum domi militiaeque, quomodo rem publicam habuerint, etc., disserere,” Sall. C. 5 fin. Kritz.; for the latter constr. with a rel. clause, cf. Quint. praef. § 22, and 1, 10, 22; and with acc. and inf.: “malunt disserere, nihil esse in auspiciis, quam quid sit ediscere,” Cic. Div. 1, 47, 105; id. Fin. 4, 1, 2 al.—
(β).
With de: “Scipio triduum disseruit de re publica,” Cic. Lael. 4, 14; so id. Rep. 1, 23 fin. et saep.; cf. “also: consuetudo de omnibus rebus in contrarias partes disserendi,” Cic. Tusc. 2, 3, 9: “de Scripturis,” Vulg. Act. 17, 2 et saep.—Pass. impers.: “ut inter quos disseritur, conveniat, quid sit id, de quo disseratur,” Cic. Fin. 2, 1 fin.—Less freq. for de, super aliqua re, Gell. 19, 1, 19.—
(γ).
Absol.: “ut memini Catonem anno ante quam est mortuus mecum et cum Scipione disserere,” Cic. Lael. 3, 11; so, “cum aliquo,” id. Rep. 1, 21: “ita disseruit: duas esse vias, etc.,” id. Tusc. 1, 30: “in disserendo rudes,” id. Rep. 1, 8; cf. id. ib. 3, 16; Quint. 12, 1, 35; 12, 2, 25 al.: “causa disserendi,” Cic. Tusc. 3, 3 fin.: “ratio disserendi,” id. Fat. 1; cf. id. Fin. 1, 7; id. Ac. 1, 8, 30; and: “ars bene disserendi,” id. de Or. 2, 38: “adhibita disserendi elegantia,” id. ib. 2, 2 fin.; cf.: “disserendi subtilitas,” id. de Or. 1, 15, 68 et saep. —Hence, dĭsertus , a, um (for dissertus. Cf.: “difficultas laborque discendi disertam negligentiam reddidit. Malunt enim disserere, nihil esse in auspiciis, quam quid sit ediscere,” Cic. Div. 1, 47, 105; and: disertus a disserendo dictus, Paul. ex Fest. p. 72, 15), P. a., skilful in speaking on a subject; clear, methodical in speaking; well-spoken, fluent (less than eloquens, eloquent: “disertos cognosse me nonnullos, eloquentem adhuc neminem, etc.,” Cic. de Or. 1, 21; and id. Or. 5, 18; cf. also: facundus, loquax, dicax).
A. Prop.: “disertorum oratione delenitus... utilitates non a sapientibus et fortibus viris sed a disertis et ornate dicentibus esse constitutae,” Cic. de Or. 1, 9, 36; cf. id. Phil. 2, 39 fin.; id. Rep. 1, 3; Quint. 2, 3, 7 et saep.; Hor. Ep. 1, 5, 19; id. A. P. 370; Ov. M. 13, 228; id. Tr. 3, 11, 21; Mart. 9, 12, 16 et saep.—Cf. also, ora, Ov. Tr. 3, 11, 20; and poet., Arpi, because within its limits Cicero was born, Mart. 4, 55: “leporum disertus puer,” Cat. 12, 9: “callidus et disertus homo,” i. e. sagacious, shrewd, Ter. Eun. 5, 7, 10.—Comp., Cic. de Or. 3, 32, 129 (with eloquentior).—Sup., Cic. Phil. 2, 43, 111; id. de Or. 1, 54, 231; id. Brut. 91, 315; Cat. 49, 1.—
B. Transf., of discourse: “illam orationem disertam sibi et oratoriam videri, fortem et virilem non videri,” Cic. de Or. 1, 54, 231; cf. “historia,” id. Brut. 26: “epilogus,” id. Att. 4, 15, 4: “verba,” Ov. Pont. 3, 5, 8 al.; Quint. 1, 8, 4; cf. id. 2, 11, 5; 8 prooem. § 24; 8, 2, 21.—Comp.: “sententia,” Sen. Ep. 21.—Sup.: “litterae,” Cic. Att. 7, 2 fin.—Adv., clearly, expressly, distinctly; eloquently.
(α).
dĭserte , Plaut. Am. 2, 1, 31; Afran. ap. Non. 509, 23; Liv. 21, 19 Fabri ad loc.; id. 42, 25, 4 al.; Cic. de Or. 1, 10 fin.; id. Tusc. 5, 9, 24; id. Att. 4, 1, 6; id. Q. Fr. 3, 1, 10; Quint. 12, 1, 30; Tac. Or. 9, 26.—
(β).
dĭsertim , Liv. Andr., Att. Trag. v. 350 Rib. (ap. Non. 509, 25 sq.); Titin. Com. v. 150 Rib. (ap. Non. ib.); Plaut. Stich. 1, 3, 87.—
b. Comp., Mart. 3, 38.—
c. Sup., Liv. 39, 28; Quint. 6, 2, 26.