genius
genius, a tutelar deity, genius
- I In gen.: genium dicebant antiqui naturalem deum uniuscujusque loci vel rei aut hominis, Serv. Verg. G. 1, 302; cf. Voss ad loc.; Verg. A. 5, 95; Juv. 6, 22; Liv. 21, 62, 9; Mart. 7, 12, 10: eundem esse genium et larem, multi veteres memoriae prodiderunt, in queis etiam Granius Flaccus, Censor. de Die Nat. 3, 2; Prud. adv. Symm. 2, 369; 444: scit Genius, natale comes qui temperat astrum, Naturae deus humanae, mortalis in unum Quodque caput, vultu mutabilis, albus et ater, Hor. Ep. 2, 2, 187: genius tuus malus, Flor. 4, 7, 8. —In urgent petitions and in oaths appeals were made to the Genius of the person addressed, or to that of some eminent person: te per Genium ... Obsecro et obtestor, Hor. Ep. 1, 7, 94; cf. Sen. Ep. 12, 12; Tib. 4, 5, 8; Suet. Calig. 27; Dig. 12, 2, 13, § 6.— On festal occasions the Genius was propitiated: cras Genium mero Curabis et porco bimestri, Hor. C. 3, 17, 14; id. Ep. 2, 1, 144; id. A. P. 210; Pers. 2, 3; Ov. Am. 1, 8, 94 et saep.; cf. Tib. 1, 7, 49: magne Geni, cape dona libens votisque faveto, id. 4, 5, 9: acceptus Geniis December (because the Saturnalian festivals occurred in it), Ov. F. 3, 58: genium loci ... precatur, Verg. A. 7, 136: GENIO LOCI, Inscr. Orell. 343 sq.; 1697; 1701: COLONIAE, ib. 367; 1693 sq.: MVNICIPII, ib. 689; 1690 sq.: CVRIAE, ib. 1120: FORI VINARII, ib. 4087: THEATRI, ib. 1713: Lateranus deus est focorum et Genius, Arn. 4, 6 et saep.: Priapi, Petr. 21: Famae, Mart. 7, 12, 10: JOVIS, Inscr. Orell. 1730; 2488: DEORVM, ib. 1730.—
- II In partic.
- A With respect to the enjoyment of life.
- 1 The spirit of social enjoyment, fondness for good living, taste, appetite, inclination: isti qui cum geniis suis belligerant, parcipromi, Plaut. Truc. 1, 2, 81 (175); cf.: egomet me defraudavi Animumque meum geniumque meum, id. Aul. 4, 9, 15 (727); and: suum defrudans genium, sacrificing his inclinations, Ter. Phorm. 44 Ruhnk.: sapis multum ad genium, Plaut. Pers. 1, 3, 28 (108): hic quidem meliorem Genium tuum non facies, id. Stich. 4, 2, 42 (620): nunc et amico meo prosperabo et genio meo multa bona faciam, id. Pers. 2, 3, 11 (261): indulge genio: carpamus dulcia, Pers. 5, 151.—Hence,
- 2 A term used by parasites for entertainer, patron: ecquis est, qui mihi commonstret Phaedromum genium meum? Plaut. Curc. 2, 3, 22 (301); 5, 2, 29 (627); id. Capt. 4, 2, 99 (879); id. Men. 1, 2, 29 (138). —
- B Of the intellect, wit, talents, genius (very rare): nemo mathematicus genium indemnatus habebit, Juv. 6, 562: victurus genium debet habere liber, Mart. 6, 60, 10. —Hence, in a pun with the preced. signif., Mart. 7, 78, 7.
~ius dicitur deus naturalis qui cum homine nascitur
hic, ~ius, ‥ i. deus nature et deus qui preest nuptiis
~ium ‥ deum esse naturalem dicit Remigius, qui omnium rerum preest generationibus
ingenium dat ei genius subtile, quod artes / mechanicas subdit
parentes nemini ‥ portentuosum animal exhibuerunt, peccato suo ‥ tenebras quaerentes qui contempto jure matrimonii ~ium colebant
hoc ~ium, i. ingenium
gallus ‥ / instinctu genii nunciat ore diem
vir ‥ plus nominis hactenus habens quam ominis, plus ~ii quam ingenii
hostis nature ferus est Machometus et omnis / qui contra genii foedera plura sitit
➳ vocat. geni Tib. 4, 5, 9.
- 1. Genius (oorspr. ‘de verwekker’ als symbool v.h. mannelijke zaad, later de personificatie v.d. manlijke kracht), beschermgeest v.d. man, die hem tijdens zijn leven begeleidt en lief en leed met hem deelt; men zwoer bij hem, men bracht hem offers, ihb. op verjaardagen en bruiloften; ➤ -um piare, placare; -um mero curare zich met wijn verkwikken; -um suum defraudare zijn genius bedriegen = zich niets veroorloven;
- 2. beschermgeest v. steden, volksstammen, staten, families, haarden e.a.;
- 3. (Plaut.) weldoener, gastheer.
主生神。仙。本性。美。趣。 Meliorem genium facere 以禍換福。 Curare genium mero 飲酒爲樂。 Indulgere genio 任性。任意。Defraudare genium 克己。遏欲。Belligerare cum geniis suis 克己。
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Duo sunt Genii cum homine, unus æquitatis, et unus iniquitatis,... æquitatis Genius tener est, lenis et verecundus, mansuetus et quietus. Cum ergo in cor tuum ascenderit, continuo loquitur tecum de justitia, de pudicitia, de castitate, etc.Ex Herma S. Antiochus Homil. 61 :
Δύο γάρ εἰσιν ἄγγελλοι μετὰ τοῦ ἀνθρώπου, εἷς τῆς δικαιοσύνης, εἷς τῆς πονηρίας,etc.
- GEN-, a tutelar deity, genius: loci, V.: genio (populiR.) hostiae caesae, L.: cras genium mero Curabis, H.: acceptus geniis December (because of the Saturnalia), O.: te oro per genium tuom, T.: te per genium obsecro, H.—Taste, inclination: Suom defrudans genium, T.—Prophetic skill: Nemo mathematicus genium indemnatus habebit, Iu.
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…est Ego sum. O mea Commoditas, o mea Opportunitas, salve. Salve. Quid agis Teneo dextera genium meum. Non potuisti magis per tempus mi advenire quam advenis. Ita ego soleo commoditatis omnis articulos scio .…
Plautus, Menaechmi
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…remansuras esse gaudebant hereditarium imperium stirpem regiam vindicaturam adsuetos esse nomen ipsum colere venerarique, nec quemquam id capere nisi geni tum, ut regnaret. Igitur Perdicca territus conclave, in quo Alexandri corpus iacebat, obserari iubet DC cum…
Curtius Rufus, Quintus, Historiae Alexandri Magni
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…, indulgentiam principis ingenio mereri quanto tamen pulchrius, si ita res familiaris exigat, se ipsum colere, suum genium propitiare, suam experiri liberalitatem adice quod poetis, si modo dignum aliquid elaborare et efficere velint, relinquenda conversatio…
Tacitus, Dialogus de Oratoribus
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…et Tyaneus Apollonius atque Plotinus, ausus quaedam super hac re disserere mystica, alteque monstrare, quibus primordiis hi genii animis conexi mortalium eas tamquam gremiis suis susceptas tuentur quoad licitum est docentique maiora, si senserint puras et a…
Ammianus Marcellinus, Rerum Gestarum
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…tantum clades enarrat suas. Placuit ut ipse quidem contubernio se tantisper absconderet nam praeter propriam contumeliam militaris etiam sacramenti genium ob amissam spatham verebatur, ipsi autem signis nostris enotatis investigationi vindictaeque sedulam darent operam nec defuit vicinus perfidus qui…
Apuleius, Metamorphoses
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…, manu, carminibus, calamis, ambitiosus Hymen totas ibi contulit artes ; qui non ingenio, fors placuit genio. Fescennina tamen non sunt admissa priusquam intonuit solita noster Apollo lyra. Epithalamium Inter Cyaneas, Ephyraea cacumina ,…
Sidonius Apollinaris, Carmina
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…de non Christianis. Atque adeo omnes illi sub ipsa usque impietatis eruptione et sacra faciebant pro salute imperatoris et genium eius deierabant, alii foris alii intus, et utique publicorum hostium nomen Christianis dabant. Sed et qui nunc…
Tertullian, Apologeticum
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…generatio quae sit animalium in uteris positio quorum animalium origo ad huc incerta sit de salamandris quae nascantur ex non geni tis. quae nata nihil gignant. in quibus neuter sexus sit de sensibus animalium tactus omnibus esse. item…
Pliny the Elder, Natural History
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…demissa tempestas ab Euro sternet, aquae nisi fallit augur annosa cornix. dum potes, aridum conpone lignum cras genium mero curabis et porco bimenstri cum famulis operum solutis. Faune, Nympharum fugientum amator, per meos finis et…
Horace, Carmina
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…, dura relaxet. sic hominis vitam sibi temperat atque gubernat vivida mens, quam tu ficto conponere temptas murorum genio, qui nusquam est nec fuit umquam, quin et corporibus versat mens viva regendis summum consilium, fida ut…
Prudentius, Contra Symmachum
GE´NIUSSee Dict. Gr. and Rom. Biogr.
(“creator, begetter,” from gigno). The Italian peoples regarded the Genius as a higher power which creates and maintains life, assists at the begetting and birth of every individual man, determines his character, tries to influence his destiny for good, accompanies him through life as his tutelary spirit, and lives on in the Lares after his death. (See Lares.) As a creative principle, the Genius is attached, strictly speaking, to the male sex only. In the case of women his place is taken by Iuno, the personification of woman's life. Thus, in a house inhabited by a man and his wife, a Genius and a Iuno are worshipped together. But in common parlance, it was usual to speak of the Genius of a house, and to this Genius the marriage bed (lectus genialis) was sacred. A man's birthday was naturally the holiday of his attendant Genius, to whom he offered incense, wine, garlands, cakes, everything, in short, but bloody sacrifices, and in whose honour he gave himself up to pleasure and enjoyment; for the Genius wishes a man to have pleasure in the life that he has given him. Hence the Romans spoke of enjoying one's self as indulging one's Genius, and of renunciation as spiting him (Hor. Carm. iii. 17, 14; Pers.iv. 27). Men swore by their Genius as by their higher self, and by the Genius of persons whom they loved and honoured. The philosophers originated the idea of a man having two Genii, a good and a bad one; but in the popular belief the notion of the Genius was that of a good and beneficent being. Families, societies, cities, and peoples had their Genius as well as individuals. The Genius of the Roman people (Genius Publicus or Genius Populi Romani) stood in the Forum, represented in the form of a bearded man crowned with a diadem, a cornucopia in his right hand, and a sceptre in his left. An annual sacrifice was offered to him on the 9th of October. Under the Empire the Genius of Augustus, the founder of the Empire, and of the reigning emperor, were publicly worshipped at the same time. Localities also, such as open spaces, streets, baths, and theatres, had their own Genii (Inscr. Orell. 343, 1697). These were usually represented under the form of snakes; and hence the common habit of keeping tame snakes. See anguis.
The Greeks also had a similar belief in Genii, calling them δαίμονες, or daemons, of whom Hesiod mentions the number as 30,000, who are appointed to be the ministers of Zeus and the guardians of men. He regards them as the souls of the righteous. Pindar speaks of a γενέθλιος δαίμων, which seems to be exactly the equivalent of the Roman Genius. See daemon.