Personal Qualities

I started working on the list that Davidson gives for its peer review page. My best advice is to look carefully at the letters we read this term. Some of the qualities valued on the peer review page don’t translate easily or well. They will be almost always better expressed by verbal phrasing than just a list of nouns and adjectives.

Character and Personality
The following ratings will be used to compare this student with other very capable students.  Please make them as realistic as you can in comparison with outstanding students applying to other leading institutions.

Leadership: I think this is getting at the respect accrued to someone because they seem to know what they are doing–not really just someone who pushes to the front to take charge, but someone whom others don’t mind taking charge. 

  • consilium capere posse Latinitium
  • gratia: favor one finds with others (a word that is important and has a lot of senses)

Self-confidence: “a feeling of trust in one’s abilities, qualities, and judgment”; syn:  morale, confidence, self-assurance, assurance, assertiveness, self-reliance, self-possession, composure.

  • to have c., fīdo, confīdo, fīsus sum, 3 intransitive
  • fiducia sui, self-confidence, boldness, courage PHI
  • bonum animum habere (courage)
  • praesenti animo uti –to possess presence of mind. 

Independence: not depending on another; capable of thinking and acting for oneself; 

  • legally: sui iuris esse; liber, libera, liberum 
  • personally:  suo consilio uti;  suo iudicio uti– to go one’s own way, proceed independently
  • suo more vivere (this seems not really a compliment)

Character and Integrity

  • note: integritas, integritatisdoes not mean “integrity” in our sense but rather wholeness “the undiminished or unimpaired condition of a thing.” I think integrity here means “honesty, respectablity” 
  • honestus, a,um : respectable 
  • opinionem virtutis habere – to have the reputation of virtue.
  • mores
  • poetic: integer vitae scelerisque purus (Horace)

Reaction to criticism: this has to be done with a verb phrase

  • how you take something: ferre + adverb

Concern for others

  • bene merens (merens, merentis) or bene meritus/ merita de + ablative of person 
  • benevolens, benevolentis 
  • consulere
  • cura; curare
  • humanitas; humanus, a, um
  • benignus

Respect accorded by classmates: this one is easy (but don’t use “habere”! use fruor, frui, fructum or utor, uti usum or something –both take ablative)

  • honor
  • dignitas
  • optima fides et fama
  • honestus, a,um: regarded with honor 
  • dignus, a, um (+ablative of respect)

Salutationes

Ancient salutations were quite simple. Greek letter writers, exempli gratia, satisfied themselves with variations of Πλάτων τῶ Δίωνι εὖ πράττειν (or instead of εὖ πράττειν: χαίρειν): Plato (hopes) Dion flourishes (or is happy). A typical Latin salutation is: M.Tullius Cicero M. Varroni S.D (Marcus Tullius Cicero greets Marcus Varro). S.D. = Salutem dicit. SPD = Salutem Plurimam dicit. Pliny in the first century AD added ‘suus’ : C.Plinius Sabino suo SD.

In the medieval period and on into the renaissance, the salutation gained greater weight and length, full of scraping and bowing. Erasmus in de epistolis conscribendis gives us a few examples for fun:

Perspicacissimo domino, septem artium liberalium calendabro aureo.
Radianti theologorum apici.
Religioniis lucernae semper fulgenti.   

Using the “Salutationes” link in Slack, and the greetings on the “Cicero on Letters” page as well as the sheets I handed out in class, please send a couple of your classmates a note. Say hi, in whatever way you want; ask how they are; say goodbye. Seriously. If you see someone has not been addressed, write to them. Will this be a bit random and out of control? Yup.

” page as well as the sheets I handed out in class, please send a couple of your classmates a note. Say hi, in whatever way you want; ask how they are; say goodbye. Seriously. If you see someone has not been addressed, write to them. Will this be a bit random and out of control? Yup.

Vocabulary epistolaria

1. Vocabularium Antiquum

  • calamus
  • atramentum
  • charta
  • tabellae
  • codicilli: wax-covered tablets
  • stylus
  • suo chirographo: written in one’s own hand
  • librarius/ servus ab epistulis
  • tabellarii

2. Vocabularium antiquum/modernum

  • pencil lapis scriptorius, stilus plumbatus, graphium E; graphis (idis )L
  • eraser cummis deletilis E
  • pen calamus, pluma, stilus 
  • ball-point pen sphaerographum E; graphium sphaeratum A 
  • fountain pen stilographum E; graphium replebile A
  • ink atramentum E colored ink atramentum coloratum A
  • blackboard tabula (nigra) scriptoriaE
  • shorthand stenographia V; tachygraphia (Leibniz)
  • typewriter machinula scriptoria (v. dactylographica), manuale prelum E; machina scriptoria A
  • key (typewriter, computer) malleolus C; plectrum A
  • typewriter ribbon scriptoriae machinulae fasciola (v. taeniola) E
  • type (on a typewriter) machinulâ scriptoriâ exarare (v. exscribere) E; machinâ scribere, dactylographare A
  • teletype machine teletypicum instrumentum E
  • carbon copy antigraphum, exemplum transcusum A
  • photocopy (noun) exemplar luce (v. photographice) expressum E (verb) photocopiare A
  • photocopier photocopiatrum A
  • fax isographia ex longinquo E 
  • fax machine telecopiatrum C
  • paper clip uncus metallicus, lamina lunata E; fibula chartarum A
  • staple (noun) ferrum unciatum (v. aduncum v. coniuctivum), harpago, fibula E 
  • (verb) fibulare, uncis connectare (v. coniungere) E 
  • stapler uncinatrum, uncinatorium A
  • tack clavicula CL
  • hole-puncher perforaculum chartarum A
  • tape (scotch or adhesive) taeniola glutinativa, fasciola glutinosa (v. adhaerens v. compactiva) E
  • nameplate lamina insculpta, insigne metallicum E
  • poster, notice nuntium (v. praeconium) publicum E 
  • paper chart(ul)a, papyrus (adj.) chartaceus 
  • paper pad codicillus chartarum A 
  • sheet or slip (of paper) schedula, scidula E
  • documents, papers acta (n. pl.) A
  • file, dossier chartarum (v. schedularum v. scidularum) fasciculus E; collectorium A
  • file cabinet repositorium A
  • register (list of names, esp. public or official) matricula, album, tabulae (f. pl.) E; elenchus (ecc.)
  • form (document) exemplar typis descriptum, specimen, typus, norma E
  • fill out a form schedulam explere A
  • microfilm micropellicula E
  • letter epistula, litterae (f. pl.) 
  • receive a letter epistulam accipere 
  • deliver a letter epistulam afferre 
  • send a letter epistulam mittere
  • letter (short), note litterulae (f. pl.), libellus, epistolium E
  • correspondence (exchange of letters) epistolarum commercium E
  • postcard chartula cursualis A
  • card (greeting) chartula salutatoriaE
  • stationery charta epistularis A
  • envelope involucrum (epistulare) E
  • address inscriptio cursualis E
  • address list index inscriptionum cursualium A
  • zip or postal code numerus cursualis directoriusA; numerus cursualis C
  • express letter epistula accelerata A
  • certified letter epistula certificata A
  • package, bundle fascis (cursualis), involucrum E
  • mail publicus cursus E
  • postal cursualis E
  • mailbox arca (v. theca) epistularia A 
  • drop off a letter epistulam in thecam immittere A
  • post office epistolarum diribitorium E 
  • post office window ostiolum cursuale A
  • mailman tabellarius A
  • mail delivery perlatio cursualis A
  • stamp pittacium cursuale E
  • carrier pigeon columba internuntia E
  • punctuate interpungere L punctuation marks interpuncta (n. pl.)
  • quotation marks virgulae (f. pl.) E 
  • put in quotes virgulis distinguere (v. intercludere v. interpungere) E
  • parenthetical comment parenthesis, interpositio E 
  • hyphen interductus E 
  • underline sublineare (ecc.)
  • abbreviation (scribendi) compendium, litterae compendiariae (f. pl.), sigla (n. pl.) E; compendiaria nota C
  • sign (letter or document) subnotare E; subscribere (ecc.) signature subscriptio (ecc.)
  • mass media instrumenta communicationis socialis (n. pl. )E
  • press (media) res pressoria E 
  • freedom of the press rei librariae libertas E
  • copyright ius proprietatis librariae E
  • publish edere, divulgare
  • publisher domus (v. societas) editoria E
  • print typis imprimere, prelo excudere E
  • printer typographus A; chalcographus (Erasmus)
  • typesetter typotheta E
  • bookbinder bibliopega A
  • bind (book) glutinare A
  • bookstore (taberna) libraria, bibliopolium E
  • parchment book codex membranaceusL papyrus book codex papyraceus L
  • typo (in printed book) typothetae mendum 
  • slip of the pen lapsus calami
  • newspaper diarium, acta diurna (n. pl.), ephemeris (idis)E; folia cottidiana (n. pl.) (ecc.)
  • headline titulus E
  • journalist diurnarius E 
  • journalism diurnariorum opus (v. ars) E
  • reporter relator (diurnarius v. radiophonicus v. televisificus) C
  • commentator, columnist commentator A
  • editorial, commentary commentarius A
  • announcer, anchor (radio or TV) annuntiator E; locutor A
  • news (televisifici v. radiophonici) commentarii (m. pl.), (televisifica v. radiophonica) acta (n. pl.) E; nuntii (m. pl. )A
  • interview (noun) colloquium percontativum (v. interrogativum), percontatio E 
  • interview (verb) percontari, (aliquem) percontandi causâ adire E
  • article (newspaper) commentatio, commentatiuncula E 
  • article (scholarly) commentarii (m. pl.), symbola CL
  • comic book libellus pictographus (v. nubeculatus) E; commentarium nubeculatum CL
  • periodical, magazine commentarii periodici (m. pl.), ephemeris (idis)E; periodicum CL
  • subscribe subnotareE subscription subnotatio E
  • leaflet, pamphlet schedula (v. libellulus) volitans E
  • newstand diurnorum (v. ephemeridum) aedicula (v. tabernula) E
  • novel commenticia fabula, fabulosa narratio, fabula Milesia (v. Romanensis) E; mythistoria CL
  • novelist, story-writer fabulator, narrator, fabularum (v. narrantiuncularum) scriptor E
  • pen name, pseudonym nomen commenticium (v. fictum v. falsum v. subditivum v. artificiale) scriptoris E
  • detective novel fabula criminalis E
  • science fiction commenticia scientia futurorum, cosmica fictaque ars E
  • story (short) fabella CL
  • essay (scholarly) opusculum (altiore doctrinâ conscriptum) E; temptamen (Locke); dissertatio (ecc.)
  • manual, handbook enchiridion
  • diary libellus diarius CL
  • prose oratio soluta (v. prosa)
  • sonnet carmen quattuordecim hendecasyllaborum E
  • rhyme consonantia verba (n. pl.), similis vocum exitus, terminationis identitas, homoeoteleuton E
  • bard, troubador bardus, cantor, vates, poeta, rhapsodus E
  • melodrama melodrama, fabula melica E

Style Words

abicio -icere -ieci -iectum, to throw down or away. Transf., to pronounce carelessly, break off abruptly ; to get rid of, give up; to dash to the ground, weaken, dishearten. Hence partic. abiectus -a -um; of position low, common; of character cowardly, mean; of style, without force, prosaic. Adv. abiecte, without spirit, meanly.

adfecto -are, to strive after, grasp at, aim at, aspire to; polit. to try to win over; in literary style, to affect; partic. adfectatus -a -um, studied.

adipatus -a -um, fatty, greasy; n. pl. as subst., pastry. Transf., of style, bombastic.

adsurgo -surgere -surrexi -surrectum, to rise up, stand up; with dat., to rise in the presence of a person, as a sign of respect; of feelings, to rise, be aroused; of style, to become elevated; of material things, to rise up.

aequabilitas -atis, f. uniformity, equability; hence evenness in style, impartiality in law.

angustus -a -um, narrow, confined; ‘habenae’, tightly-drawn reins; ‘spiritus angustior’, constricted breath; of time, short; of supplies, short, scarce; of circumstances, precarious, critical; of mind or speech, narrow, petty, limited; of style, brief, simple. N. as subst. angustum -i, a narrow space. Adv. anguste, narrowly, sparingly, in a narrow, confined manner; of speech, briefly.

attenuo -are, to make thin, reduce, weaken. Hence partic. attenuatus, made weak; of style, abbreviated, overrefined, or unadorned; adv. attenuate, simply, without ornament.

brevis -e, short, in space or time; of water, shallow; of living things, conditions, etc., short-lived; of style, concise; n. abl. brevi, shortly, soon, briefly; n. pl. as subst. brevia -ium, shallows, shoals. Adv. breviter, shortly, briefly.

brevitas -atis, f. shortness, in space or time; of style, brevity, conciseness.

caesim, with cutting; fig. of style, in short sentences.

calamister -tri, m. and calamistrum -tri, n. a curling-iron for the hair. Transf., excessive ornament or flourish in style.

circumcido -cidere -cidi -cisum, to cut round, to cut, trim. Transf., to make less by cutting, diminish. Hence partic. circumcisus -a -um, of places,abrupt, steep,inaccessible; of style, abridged, brief.

compressio -onis, f. an embrace; compression of style, conciseness.

concinnitas -atis, f. elegance, harmony, esp. of style.

concinnitudo -inis, f. elegance, harmony, esp. of style.

concinno -are, to put together carefully, to arrange: hence to produce, cause.

concinnus -a -um, well put together; hence pleasing, elegant, neat, esp. of style. Adv. concinne, elegantly.

decoquo -coquere -coxi -coctum, to boil thoroughly; to boil down, boil away; of metals, to melt away; of property, to waste; commerc., to ruin oneself, become bankrupt. Hence partic. decoctus -a -um, boiled down; of style, insipid; f. as subst. a cold drink.

decoquo -coquere -coxi -coctum, to boil thoroughly; to boil down, boil away; of metals, to melt away; of property, to waste; commerc., to ruin oneself, become bankrupt. Hence partic. decoctus -a -um, boiled down; of style, insipid; f. as subst. a cold drink.

densus -a -um, thick, close, dense; in time, frequent; in degree, intense, vehement; in style, of work or author, condensed. Adv. dense, densely; of time, frequently.

dissolvo -solvere -solvi -solutum, to loosen, break up, undo, destroy; ‘glaciem’, to melt; ‘animam’, to die; ‘criminationem’, to refute; of debts, to pay, discharge; to release a person from difficulties, to unravel, explain a difficulty. Hence partic. dissolutus -a -um, loose; ‘navigium’, leaky; of  style, disconnected; of character, wanting in energy, lax; pro fligate, dissolute. Adv. dissolute, disconnectedly, loosely; care lessly, negligently, without energy.

exilis -e, thin, slender, meager; in possessions, poor; with genit., without; of style, dry, dreary. Adv. exiliter, thinly, poorly, meagerly.

exsicco -are, to dry thoroughly; to drain dry, to empty by drinking. Hence partic. exsiccatus -a -um, of style, dry, jejune.

frugalitas -atis, f. frugality, economy, honesty; of style, restraint.

gracilis -e, slender, thin, slim; of style, etc. simple, without ornament.

grandis -e, full-grown, big, great, large; in stature, tall; in years, old. Transf., great, important; of style, lofty, grand, sublime.

granditas -atis, f. of style, loftiness, sublimity.

gravis -e. (1) heavy; of sound, low, deep; fig. weighty, important; of character, dignified, serious; of style, elevated, dignified. (2) burdened, laden, weighed down; esp. pregnant. (3) burdensome, oppressive; grievous, painful, unpleasant. Adv. graviter, heavily, weightily, reluctantly,; grievously, painfully.

habitus (2) -us, m. condition, habit, bearing; of dress, style; of places, lie of the land; abstr., nature, character, disposition, attitude.

ieiunus -a -um, fasting, hungry, thirsty; of objects, poor, scanty; of spirit, poor, mean; of style, meager, weak. Adv. ieniune, of style, meagerly.

inflo -are, to blow into; to play on wind instruments; to give a blast; to blow out, puff out. Transf., to inspire; to puff up, elate. Hence partic. inflatus -a -um, inflated, swollen; puffed up, pompous; of style, turgid. Compar. adv. inflatius, too pompously, on a gran der scale.

integer -gra -grum. (1) complete, whole, entire, intact; fresh, sound, unexhausted; ‘in integrum restituere’, to restore to its former condition. (2) in quality, unspoilt, pure, fresh; morally, innocent, uncorrupted, pure; in thought or feeling, balanced, unbiased, impartial; of matters for discussion or action, unprejudiced, undecided; ‘integrum est mihi’, I am at liberty. (3) renewed, begun afresh. Hence adv. integre, wholly; honestly, uprightly, impartially; of style, purely, correctly

integritas -atis, f. unimpaired condition, soundness, health; uprightness, integrity; of style, purity, correctness.

laetus -a -um, fat, rich, fertile; glad, joyful, happy; of style, rich, copious, fluent. Adv. laete.

Latinitas -atis, f. pure Latin style; Latin rights.

latus (1) -a -um, broad, wide, extensive; of style, diffuse, full, rich. Hence adv. late, broadly, widely, extensively; ‘longe lateque’, far and wide.

lenocinium -i, n. the trade of a procurer; enticement, allurement; of dress, finery; of style, ‘purple patch’.

mitis -e, mild, soft, ripe; gentle; of style, mellow; compar. adv. mitius; superl. mitissime.

molestia -ae, f. annoyance, troublesomeness; of style, affectation, stiffness.

molestus -a -um, burdensome, troublesome, irksome; of style, affected, labored. Adv. moleste, with annoyance; ‘moleste fero’, I take it badly, am annoyed; of style, affectedly.

oratio -onis, f. speaking, speech; language, style; esp. a set speech; eloquence; prose; an imperial message.

orbis -is, m. a circle, ring, disk; orbit, coil; ‘orbis signifer’, the Zodiac; ‘orbis lacteus’, the Milky Way; ‘orbis terrae, terrarum’, the world. Transf. rotation, round; of style, roundness.

pedester -tris -tre, on foot, pedestrian; ‘copiae’, infantry; sometimes, on land. Transf., simple, ordinary, prosaic; of style, written in prose.

pigmentum -i, n. paint, pigment; of style, ornament, decoration.

plenus -a -um, full, full of (with genit. or abl.); complete; plump, thick; pregnant; filled, satisfied; well-stocked, rich; of age, mature; of the voice, strong, loud; of style, full, copious. Adv. plene, fully, completely.

praefringo -fringere -fregi -fractum, to break off in front; partic. praefractus -a -um, of style, abrupt, disconnected; of character, stern, harsh; adv. praefracte.

premo premere pressi pressum, to press; to step on, lie on; to hug, keep close to; to press hard, squeeze; to pursue closely, press upon; to press down, strike down; to disparage, slander; to press together, close; to check, curb. Hence partic. pressus -a -um, subdued, measured; of style, com pressed, concise. Adv. presse, accurately, precisely, distinctly; of style, briefly, concisely.

profluo -fluere -fluxi -fluctum, to flow forth; to proceed. Hence partic. profluens -entis, flowing; f. as subst. (sc. aqua), running water; of style, flowing, fluent. Adv. profluenter.

purus -a -um, clean, pure, cleared. Transf. without addition, simple, plain; morally, upright, pure; of style, pure, faultless; legally, without conditions, absolute. N. as subst. the clear sky. Adv. pure and poet. puriter, purely, cleanly; of style, faultlessly.

putidus -a -um, rotten, stinking, foul; of style, affected, in bad taste; adv. putide, affectedly.

resulto -are, to spring back, rebound; to echo, resound; of style, to go jerkily.

rotundus -a -um, round, circular; sometimes spherical; rounded, complete, self-contained. Adv. rotunde, of style, elegantly, smoothly.

salebra -ae, f. jolting; a rough patch of road; of style, ruggedness.

sanitas -atis, f. health, soundness; good sense, sanity; of style, correctness, purity.

sanus -a -um, sound, healthy, uninjured; of sound mind, rational, sane; of style, correct. Hence adv. sane, rationally, sensibly. Transf., really, indeed, to be sure; with imperatives, then, if you will; ‘sane quam’, exceedingly, extremely.

sapor -oris, m. taste, flavor, flavoring; sense of taste; taste in style or conduct.

sermo -onis, m. talk, conversation; discussion; common talk, report, rumor; a subject of conversation; a conversational style, or prose; any manner of speaking, style, expression, diction, language, dialect.

siccitas -atis, f. dryness, drought; sound health; of style, plainness, simplicity.

siccus -a -um, dry; thirsting, thirsty; of health, sound; sober, temperate; of style, plain, simple; adv. sicce.

solvo solvere solvi solutum, to loosen; to untie, release, free; to dissolve, break up; to exempt; to break up, weaken, bring to an end; to pay off, discharge a debt; ‘solvendo non esse’, to be insolvent; to meet engagements, perform duties; to break down a restraining influence; to solve a problem, explain a difficulty. Hence partic. solutus -a -um, loosened, unbound, free, unencumbered, independent; in bad sense, unrestrained, unbridled; lax, lazy, neg ligent; of style, fluent or in prose. Adv. solute, loosely, free ly, carelessly.

sonus -i, m. noise, sound; tone, character, style.

spinosus -a -um, of thorns, thorny, prickly; of style, crabbed, obscure; of feeling, anxious.

squalidus -a -um, rough, stiff, scaly; squalid, dirty; in mourning; of style, rough; adv. squalide.

squalor -oris, m. roughness, stiffness; dirt caused by neglect; mourning; of style, roughness.

stilus -i, m. a stake, pale; the pointed instrument with which the Romans wrote on wax tablets; hence writing, composition; mode of writing, style.

strigosus -a -um, lean, thin: of style, meager.

stringo stringere strinxi strictum. (1) to draw tight together, to bind, tie. (2) to strip off, pluck, prune; esp. to draw a weapon from its sheath. (3) to graze, touch lightly; to affect, injure; in speech, to touch upon. Hence partic. strictus -a -um, close, tight; strict; of style, brief, concise.

structura -ae, f. the act of building; concr. a building; of style, arrangement, putting together.

subtilis -e, finely woven, slender, fine; of senses, etc. plain, simple, unadorned. Hence partic. subtiliter, by fine links or passages; of judgment, with discrimination; of style, plainly, simply.

subtilitas -atis, f. fineness, minuteness; of judgment, discrimination; of style, plainness, simplicity.

texo texere texui textum, to weave; to twine together, plait; to put together, construct, build; of speech and writing, to compose. N. of partic. as subst. textum -i, woven cloth, a web; fabric; of composition, style.

tumeo -ere, to swell, be swollen, be puffed up; to swell with pride, anger or excitement; of style, to be pompous, tumid.

tumidus -a -um, adj. swollen, puffed up; swollen with pride, anger or excitement; of style, pompous, tumid, bombastic.

tumor -oris, m. swelling, protuberance; excitement of the mind, esp. in pride or anger; in gen. ferment, commotion; of style, turgidity, bombast.

turgeo turgere tursi, to swell up, be swollen; of style, to be pompous, turgid.

turgesco -ere, to begin to swell, swell up; to swell with passion; of style, to be pompous.

vesica -ae, f. the bladder; a purse, a lantern; of style, bombast.

penicillus -i, m. a painter’s brush or pencil; style.

css.php