I.saved, reserved (salvā re; compare Engl. save, except). It serves to point out that which still remains or holds good, in spite of or by way of exception to something opposed to it; and accordingly is used (like certe, II.) as a restrictive particle, at least, at the least, at all events, anyhow.
I. Affirmatively (class.).
A. With a statement of the opposite: “si illud non licet, Saltem hoc licebit,” Ter. Eun. 4, 2, 12; Plaut. Capt. 3, 1, 26: “semper tu hoc facito cogites, tute uti sis optimus: Si id nequeas, saltem ut optimis sis proximus,” id. Trin. 2, 4, 86; cf. Quint. 10, 1, 127: “saltem accurate, ut metui videar, si resciverim,” Ter. And. 3, 2, 14: “impetrabo, ut aliquot saltem nuptiis prodat dies,” id. ib. 2, 1, 13: “si alia membra vino madeant, cor sit saltem sobrium,” Plaut. Truc. 4, 4, 2: “etsi istuc mihi acerbum'st ... saltem id volupe est, cum, etc.,” id. Mil. 4, 5, 12: “quo provocati a me venire noluerunt, revocati saltem revertantur,” Cic. Agr. 3, 1, 1: “attrepidate saltem, nam vos approperare haud postulo,” Plaut. Poen. 3, 1, 41; cf.: “vere nihil potes dicere: finge aliquid saltem commode,” Cic. Rosc. Am. 19, 54; id. Fl. 13, 35: “eripe mihi hunc dolorem aut minue saltem,” id. Att. 9, 6, 5: neque iis (militibus) posse persuaderi, ut eum defendant aut sequantur saltem, * Caes. B. C. 1, 6; Quint. 6, 5, 1; Plaut. Merc. 3, 4, 52: utinam quietis temporibus atque aliquo, si non bono, at saltem certo statu civitatis haec inter nos studia exercere possemus! Cic. Fam. 9, 8, 2; id. Pis. 11, 24.—In a question: “quis ego sum saltem, si non sum Sosia?” tell me, at least, who I am; then who am I, pray? Plaut. Am. 1, 2, 282.—
B. Without mention of the opposite: “istuc sapienter saltem fecit filius,” Plaut. Bacch. 2, 3, 103: “saltem aliquem velim, qui mihi ex his locis viam monstret,” id. Rud. 1, 3, 29: “saltem Pseudolum mihi dedas,” id. Ps. 4, 7, 127: “saltem aliquid de pondere detraxisset,” Cic. Fin. 4, 20, 57: “nunc saltem ad illos calculos revertamur,” id. Att. 8, 12, 5: “saltem tenet hoc nos,” Hor. S. 1, 6, 44: “ut opperiare hos sex dies saltem modo,” Plaut. Ps. 1, 3, 87; cf.: “triduom hoc saltem,” id. Truc. 4, 4, 21: “saltem tantisper, dum, etc.,” id. Rud. 4, 4, 146: “antehac quidem sperare saltem licebat: nunc etiam id ereptum est,” Cic. Fam. 12, 23, 3: “at grammatici saltem omnes descendent,” Quint. 1, 4, 7. This last mode of enunciation forms the transition to its use,
II. With the negatives non, neque, to indicate that not even a single remaining thing specified holds good; and, consequently, = ne ... quidem, not at least, not even, nor even (so perh. only since the Aug. per.): “ibi tribuni militum non praemunito vallo, non deorum saltem, si non hominum, memores, nec auspicato, etc. ... instruunt aciem,” Liv. 5, 38; 2, 43, 8; 6, 2, 19; Quint. 10, 7, 20; Plin. Pan. 82, 1; App. M. 7, p. 194, 33 al.: “neque enim mihi illud saltem placet, quod, etc.,” Quint. 1, 1, 24; cf.: “nec vero saltem iis sufficiat, etc.,” id. 10, 2, 15: “non fratrem, non patruum saltem porta tenus obvium,” Tac. A. 3, 5 fin.: “nec deformitate istā saltem flumina carebant atque amnes,” Plin. Pan. 82, 3: “ut ipsum iter neque impervium neque saltem durum putent,” Quint. 12, 11, 11: “nec mihi statuta saltem cibaria praestabantur,” App. M. 7, p. 194, 33.—Cf. with vix: “illud vix saltem praecipiendum videtur, ne, etc.,” Quint. 6, 4, 15.—After ne ... quidem: “ut ne a sententiis quidem ac verbis saltem singulis possit separari,” Quint. 6, 5, 1.
