I.comp. perpetuior, Cato ap. Prisc. p. 601 P.; sup. perpetuissimus, id. ib.) [peto], continuing throughout, continuous, unbroken, uninterrupted; constant, universal, general, entire, whole, perpetual (syn.: “continuus, assiduus): sulcos perpetuos ducere,” Cato, R. R. 33: “quin aedes totae perpetuae ruant,” Plaut. Most. 1, 2, 67: “agmen,” Cic. Pis. 22, 51: “munitiones,” Caes. B. C. 3, 44: “palus,” id. B. G. 7, 26: “milites disposuit perpetuis vigiliisque stationibusque,” id. B. C. 1, 21: “perpetuis soliti patres considere mensis,” Verg. A. 7, 176: “vescitur Aeneas ... perpetui tergo bovis,” id. ib. 8, 182: “Apenninus perpetuis jugis ab Alpibus tendens ad Siculum fretum,” Plin. 3, 5, 7, § 48: “tractus,” id. 6, 20, 23, § 73: “oratio perpetua (opp. altercatio),” Cic. Att. 1, 16, 8; cf. Liv. 4, 6: “disputatio,” Cic. de Or. 2, 4, 16; id. Top. 26, 97: “quaestiones perpetuae hoc adulescente constitutae sunt,” a standing commission, a permanent tribunal for criminal investigation, id. Brut. 27, 105: perpetua historia, a continuous or general history, id. Fam. 5, 12, 2: “colere te usque perpetuom diem,” Plaut. Most. 3, 2, 78: “diem perpetuum in laetitiā degere,” this whole day, Ter. Ad. 4, 1, 5: “triduum,” id. ib. 4, 1, 4: “biennium,” id. Hec. 1, 2, 12: “ignis Vestae perpetuus ac sempiternus,” Cic. Cat. 4, 9, 18: “lex perpetua et aeterna,” id. N. D. 1, 15, 40: “stellarum perennes cursus atque perpetui,” id. ib. 2, 21, 55. stabilis et perpetua permansio, id. Inv. 2, 54, 164: “voluntas mea perpetua et constans in rem publicam,” id. Phil. 13, 6, 13: “formido,” Verg. E. 4, 14: “assidua et perpetua cura,” Cic. Fam. 6, 13, 2: “perpetui scrinia Sili,” of the immortal Silius, Mart. 6, 64, 10.—As subst.: perpĕtŭum , i, n., the abiding, permanent (opp. temporale), Lact. 2, 8, 68.—Hence: in perpetuum (sc. tempus), for all time, forever, in perpetuity, constantly: mulier repperit odium ocius Suā inmunditiā, quam in perpetuom ut placeat munditia sua. Plaut. Stich. 5, 5, 6: “serva tibi in perpetuom amicum me,” id. Capt. 2, 3, 81: “in perpetuum comprimi,” Cic. Cat. 1, 12, 30; id. Agr. 2, 21, 55: “obtinere aliquid in perpetuum,” id. Rosc. Am. 48, 139: “non in perpetuum irascetur,” Vulg. Psa. 102, 9 et saep.—So, in perpetuum modum = perpetuo, Plaut. Most. 3, 1, 5.—
II. In partic.
A. That holds constantly and universally, universal, general: “perpetui juris et universi generis quaestio,” Cic. de Or. 2, 33, 141: “nec arbitror perpetuum quicquam in hoc praecipi posse,” Plin. 17, 2, 2, § 19: “ne id quidem perpetuum est,” does not always hold good, Cels. 2, 10: illud in quo quasi certamen est controversiae ... id ita dici placet, ut traducatur ad perpetuam quaestionem, to a general principle, Cic. Or. 36, 126.—
B. In augury: perpetua fulmina, perpetual lighlnings, i. e. whose prognostics refer to one's whole life, Sen. Q. N. 2, 47, 1.—
C. In gram.: “perpetuus modus,” the infinitive mood, Diom. p. 331 P. —Hence, adv., in three forms, perpetuo (class.), perpetuum (poet.), and perpetue (late Lat.).
1. perpĕtŭō , constantly, uninterruptedly, perpetually, always, forever, utterly, hopelessly: “perpetuon' valuisti?” Plaut. Ep. 1, 1, 15: “metuo ne technae meae perpetuo perierint,” id. Most. 3, 1, 23: “dico ut perpetuo pereas,” id. Pers. 2, 4, 10; so, “perpetuo perire,” Ter. Eun. 5, 8, 13: “opinionem retinere,” Cic. Agr. 3, 1, 2: “loquens,” id. Ac. 2, 19, 63: “sub imperio esse,” Caes. B. G. 1, 31; Ov. M. 10, 97.—
3. perpĕtŭē , constantly, Cassiod. in Psa. 62, 4.