supplex

Latin

Etymology

From supplicō (“I pray, beseech”).

Alternative forms

• supp. (abbreviation)

Pronunciation

• (Classical Latin) IPA^(key): /ˈsup.pleks/, [ˈs̠ʊpːɫ̪ɛks̠]
• (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /ˈsup.pleks/, [ˈsupːleks]

Adjective

supplex (genitive supplicis, adverb suppliciter); third-declension one-termination adjective

1. kneeling
2. begging
3. suppliant

Declension

Third-declension one-termination adjective.

Number	Singular			Plural
Case / Gender	Masc./Fem.	Neuter		Masc./Fem.	Neuter
Nominative	supplex			supplicēs	supplicia
Genitive	supplicis			supplicium
Dative	supplicī			supplicibus
Accusative	supplicem	supplex		supplicēs	supplicia
Ablative	supplicī			supplicibus
Vocative	supplex			supplicēs	supplicia

Quotations

• Publius Ovidius Naso, metamorphoses, liber II. In: Ovid Metamorphoses with an English translation by Frank Justus Miller. In two Volumes I Books I–VIII, 1951, p. 86f.:

  Talia dicentem circumstant omnia Solem
  numina, neve velit tenebras inducere rebus,
  supplice voce rogant ;

  As he thus speaks all the gods stand around him, and beg him humbly not to plunge the world in darkness.

• Publius Ovidius Naso, metamorphoses, liber XI. In: Ovid Metamorphoses with an English translation by Frank Justus Miller. In two Volumes II Books IX–XV, 1916, p. 140f.:

  copia cum facta est adeundi prima tyranni,
  velamenta manu praetendens supplice, qui sit
  quoque satus, memorat, tantum sua crimina celat
  mentiturque fugae causam;

  then, when first he was allowed to approach the monarch, stretching out with suppliant hand an olive-branch wound with woollen fillets, he told him who he was and from what father sprung. He concealed only his crime, and lied concerning the reason for his flight.

• Marcus Annaeus Lucanus, de bello civili. In: Lucan with an English translation by J. D. Duff; The Civil War Books I–X (Pharsalia), 1962, p. 342f., p. 372–375, p. 420f., p. 456f., p. 462f.:

  Nec superos orat nec cantu supplice numen
  Auxiliare vocat nec fibras ilia litantes
  Novit : (liber VI)

  She addresses no prayer to Heaven, invokes no divine aid with suppliant hymn, and knows nothing of the organs of victims offered in sacrifice ;

  "Hoc pro tot meritis solum te, Magne, precatur
  Uti se Foituna velis, proceresque tuorum
  Castrorum regesque tui cum supplice mundo
  Adfusi, vinci socerum patiare rogamus.
  [...]" (liber VII)

  " Magnus, in return for all her favours Fortune makes one request of you—that you will deign to make use of her; and we, the chief men of your army, and the kings you made, together with the whole world upon its knees, now prostrate ourselves at your feet and ask that you will consent to the conquest of your father-in-law. [...]"

  Aspice securus voltu non supplice reges (liber VII)

  Calmly and with no petitionary aspect look upon the kings

  Iam supplice Varo
  Intumuit viditque loco Romana secundo. (liber VIII)

  Already, when Varus begged his aid, Juba swelled with pride to see Rome take the second place.

  Se simul et Romam Pompeio supplice mensus ? (liber VIII)

  measuring himself and Rome together by the prayers of Pompey ?

• Gajus Sallustius Crispus, bellum catalinae. In: Sallust with an English translation by J. C. Rolfe, 1921, p. 54f.:

  Sed ubi ulle adsedit, Catalina, ut erat paratus ad dissimulanda omnia, demisso voltu, voce supplici postulare a patribus coepit nequid de se temere crederent;

  When he took his seat, Cataline, prepared as he was to deny everything, with downcast eyes and pleading accents began to beg the Fathers of the Senate not to believe any unfounded charge against him;

Noun

supplex m (genitive supplicis); third declension

1. suppliant

Declension

Third-declension noun.

Case	Singular	Plural
Nominative	supplex	supplicēs
Genitive	supplicis	supplicum
Dative	supplicī	supplicibus
Accusative	supplicem	supplicēs
Ablative	supplice	supplicibus
Vocative	supplex	supplicēs

References

• “supplex”, in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• “supplex”, in Charlton T. Lewis (1891) An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers
• supplex in Gaffiot, Félix (1934) Dictionnaire illustré latin-français, Hachette.
• Carl Meißner, Henry William Auden (1894) Latin Phrase-Book‎^[1], London: Macmillan and Co.
  • to crave humbly; to supplicate: supplicibus verbis orare