previous next
argūmentum , i, n. arguo.
B. A sign by which any thing is known, a mark, token, evidence: “animi laeti Argumenta,signs, indications, Ov. M. 4, 762: “voti potentis,id. ib. 8, 745: unguentarii myrrham digerunt haud difficulter odoris atque pinguetudinis argumentis, according to the indications of smell, etc., Plin. 12, 15, 35, § 68: “caelum quidem haud dubie caelati argumenti dicimus,id. 2, 4, 3, § 8: “amoris hoc est argumentum, non malignitatis,Petr. 137, 8: “argumenta viri, i. e. indicia,Juv. 9, 85 al.
II. The matter which lies at the basis of any written or artistic representation, contents, subject, theme, argument, ὑπόθεσις: “Argumentum plura significat. Nam et fabulae ad actum scaenicarum compositae argumenta dicuntur: et orationum Ciceronis velut thema ipse exponens Pedianus, argumentum, inquit, tale est: quo apparet omnem ad scribendum destinatam materiam ita appellari,Quint. 5, 10, 9 and 10.
A. Of every kind of representation in writing.
1. Lit.: “argumentum est ficta res, quae tamen fieri potuit,Cic. Inv. 1, 19; id. Att. 15, 4, 3: “tabulae novae, quid habent argumenti, nisi ut, etc.,what is their drift? what do they mean? id. Off. 2, 23, 84: “epistulae,id. Att. 10, 13; 9, 10; 1, 19.
a. But esp. freq., the subject-matter of a poem or fictitious writing, the subject, contents: “post argumentum hujus eloquar tragoediae,Plaut. Am. prol. 51; cf. id. ib. 96; so id. Trin. 3, 2, 81: “argumentum narrare,Ter. And. prol. 6: “fabulae,id. Ad. prol. 22: “Livius Andronicus ab saturis ausus est primus argumento fabulam serere,” i. e. a scenic representation of a subject in its connection, Liv. 7, 2: “spectaculum, quo argumenta inferorum explicarentur,Suet. Calig. 57.—Hence,
b. Meton. (part for the whole), a poem in gen.: “explicare argumenti exitum,Cic. N. D. 1, 20, 53: “hoc argumento se describi sentiat,Phaedr. 4, 8; so id. 4, 16; 5, 3; cf. Enn. ap. Gell. 2, 29 fin.: “sumque argumenti conditor ipse mei,I am myself the subject of my poem, Ov. Tr. 5, 1, 10.—
2. Trop., intrinsic worth, reality, truth: “haec tota fabella ... quam est sine argumento,without value, reality, Cic. Cael. 27: “non sine argumento maledicere,not without some reason, id. ib. 3 fin.
B. The subject of artistic representations (sculpture, painting, embroidery. etc.): “ex ebore diligentissime perfecta argumenta erant in valvis,Cic. Verr. 2, 4, 56: “(cratera) fabricaverat Alcon Hyleus, et longo caelaverat argumento,Ov. M. 13, 684; cf. id. ib. 2, 5 sq.: “vetus in telā deducitur argumentum,id. ib. 6, 69; Verg. A. 7, 791: “Parrhasii tabulae,Suet. Tib. 44.— In philos. lang., a conclusion, a syllogism: “Nam concludi non potest nisi iis, quae ad concludendum sumpta erunt, ita probatis ut falsa ejusdem modi nulla possint esse,Cic. Ac. 2, 14, 44 al.
hide Dictionary Entry Lookup
Use this tool to search for dictionary entries in all lexica.
Search for in
hide References (45 total)
  • Cross-references in general dictionaries from this page (45):
    • Cicero, Letters to Atticus, 10.13
    • Cicero, Letters to Atticus, 15.4.3
    • New Testament, Hebrews, 11.22
    • Cicero, For Marcus Caelius, 27
    • Cicero, Against Verres, 2.4.124
    • Livy, The History of Rome, Book 7, 2
    • Ovid, Metamorphoses, 13.684
    • Ovid, Metamorphoses, 4.762
    • Ovid, Metamorphoses, 2.5
    • Ovid, Metamorphoses, 6.69
    • Plautus, Rudens, 4.3
    • Plautus, Trinummus, 3.2
    • Plautus, Truculentus, 2.6
    • Vergil, Aeneid, 7.791
    • New Testament, Acts, 1.3
    • Old Testament, Genesis, 39.16
    • Ovid, Metamorphoses, 8.745
    • Tacitus, Germania, 25
    • Plautus, Amphitruo, 1.prol
    • Plautus, Amphitruo, 5.1
    • Phaedrus, Fables, 4.16
    • Phaedrus, Fables, 4.8
    • Phaedrus, Fables, 5.3
    • Cicero, On Oratory, 1.19
    • Lucretius, De Rerum Natura, 1.401
    • Lucretius, De Rerum Natura, 1.417
    • Suetonius, Caligula, 57
    • Suetonius, Caligula, 8
    • Suetonius, Galba, 7
    • Suetonius, Tiberius, 44
    • Pliny the Elder, Naturalis Historia, 2.8
    • Livy, The History of Rome, Book 39, 51
    • Livy, The History of Rome, Book 5, 44
    • Livy, The History of Rome, Book 5, 47
    • Livy, The History of Rome, Book 8, 30
    • Cicero, de Natura Deorum, 1.20
    • Cicero, De Officiis, 2.23
    • Quintilian, Institutio Oratoria, Book 5, 10.11
    • Quintilian, Institutio Oratoria, Book 5, 10.9
    • Gellius, Noctes Atticae, 2.29
    • Ovid, Tristia, 5.1
    • Cicero, Partitiones Oratoriae, 2
    • Cicero, Brutus, 78.272
    • Cicero, Topica, 2.7
    • Cicero, De Inventione, 1.19
hide Display Preferences
Greek Display:
Arabic Display:
View by Default:
Browse Bar: