“die” in Latin

plur., DICE,

Any small cubic body, cubus (Greek); Latin, quadrantal (Gell.); figura ex omni latere quadrata (ibidem): of or belonging to a die, cubicus: like a die, cubo similis.

A cube used in gaming, talus (ἄστρις, ἄστριχος, ἀστράγαλος; with six sides; only four of them being square, and marked respectively with 1, 3, 4, and 6 points; the other two sides were rounded and blank): tessera (κύβος; with six sides, marked respectively with 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 points, exactly like our modern dice). The diminutive of talus is taxillus; of tessera, tesserula or tessella. ☞ The players used four tali, and three tesserae, which were placed in a kind of box (phimus, fritillus), and then shaken, and thrown into the pyrgus (a kind of perpendicular box, like a tower, with steps or a kind of spiral staircase, inside), through which the dice fell on the board (talos, or tesseras, jacere or mittere). If all the tali presented the same numbers, they were said stare eodem vultu; if one of them fell on an end (in caput), it was said rectus cadit or assistit, and the throw was repeated. A throw of the dice, jactus, or missus, talorum; or from context, simply jactus. The best, or most lucky throw, was called Venus, or jactus venereus (with the tali, when each of them presented a different number); jactus basilicus (with the tesserae, when all six were thrown). The worst, or most unlucky throw, was called canis, canicula (with the tali, when none but even numbers were thrown); jactus vulturius (with the tesserae, when all were aces or single points). The next to the canis was when six were thrown = 1, 1, 1, 3, called senio; the next to that, when seven were thrown = 1, 1, 1, 4, called ursus or ursa; the next, when eight = 1, 1, 3, 3, called stesichorus (which won). To play at dice, talis (or tesseris) ludere: alea, or aleam, ludere; alea se oblectare (☞ not ocellatis ludere, Suet., Augustin, 83): to throw dice, talos (tesseras) jacere or mittere: a game at dice, alea; ludus talarius. The die is cast, jacta est alea.

mori (the proper word in all the meanings of the English word): demori (to die off, with reference to others; especially of a member of a society, whose death causes a vacancy): emori (= omnino mori; often opposed to to a living death in misery, slavery, disgrace, etc.; e.g., emori potius quam servire; aut vincere aut emori. ☞ in Cic., only in the infinitive): intermori (= (1) paulatim mori; but in this sense only figuratively of trees, a fire, etc.; (2) in tempus, in praesens mori; of an apparent death, a fainting-fit, etc.). ☞ For mori the Latin, like every other language, has many euphemistic expressions; decedere: vita decedere: e vita cedere: a or e vita, discedere: e vita excedere: ex vita egredi: exire de or e vita: abire e vita: e vita proficisci (all = “to depart this life”): vitam ponere or relinquere: vitam edere (to quit this life): animam efflare or edere: extremum vitae spiritum edere (to breathe one’s last: ☞ animum exspirare or exspirare only; vitam or animam exhalare; vitam or extremum spiritum exhalare are poetical but exspirare, Liv., 37, 53): vivere or esse desinere (to cease to be): inter homines esse or agere desinere. homines relinquere (to depart from this world; post-Augustan): exstingui (figuratively; taken from putting out a light): perire (to perish before one’s time; especially by suicide; never without an adverb or ablative of manner, etc.; e.g., summo cruciatu, turpiter, ferro): interire (to die slowly, either by an unperceived and easy death or by a long and painful one; mostly with mention of the manner; e.g., fame aut ferro): naturae satisfacere or debitum reddere (to pay the debt of nature): naturae concedere (to yield to the universal law of death): mortem cum vita commutare (to pass from life into death): mortem or diem supremum obire (to reach the appointed end of life; mostly of a peaceful death = πότμον ἐπισπεῖν: ☞ obire morte is un-Latin; obire only, un-classical): mortem oppetere (as a moral act of one who, if he does not court death, yet, at all events, faces it with firmness; e.g., millies oppetere mortem, quam illa perpeti malle): mortem (less commonly) morte occumbere (e.g., pro patria): occidere (to fall; e.g., in bello, Cic.). To die a natural death, naturae concedere or satisfacere; vitam naturae reddere; morbo naturae debitum reddere; sua morte defungi; fato obire mortem; fataliter mori: to die a violent death, morte violenta perire: to die a voluntary death, consciscere mortem voluntariam (Cic.; Vid: SUICIDE): to die of a disease, morbo mori, or perire, or confici, or consumi, or absumi; in morbum implicitus moritur aliquis (Nep.): to die suddenly, repentino mori; subita morte exstingui or corripi: to die in a calm, composed frame of mind, animo aequo paratoque mori: to die before his time, mature decedere (Nep., Att., 2, 1, Vid: Bremi): to die of hunger [Vid: HUNGER]: to die of a wound, ex vulnere mori: to die of his wounds, ex vulneribus perire (Liv.): to die of old age, senectute confectum or derelictum supremum diem obire: to be about to die, to be dying, animam agere: to wish to die, vitam fugere: to be determined to die, obstinatum esse mori: to die in anybody’s arms, in alicujus complexu extremum vitae spiritum edere: to die by anybody’s hands [Vid: HAND]: to die an honorable death, honesta morte defungi: to die in battle, (in) proelio or acie cadere: to die for anybody, mori or emori pro aliquo: mortem oppetere pro alicujus salute: cadere pro aliquo (in battle): IMPROPR.

To die offear, to be almost dead with fear, paene timore corruere (Cic.): to die of joy, fear, etc., gaudio, terrore exstingui, exanimari, opprimi (after Cic.): to die with laughing, risu (paene) corruere (Cic.); risu (paene) emori (Terentianus); risu rumpi (Afranius, ap. Non.): to die for one’s country, pro patria mori; pro patria mortem oppetere; largiri patriae suum sanguinem (Cic.).

To suffer capital punishment, capitis poenam or supplicium subire.

To DIE AWAY, intermori (of plants, etc.; of fire): senescere (grow old; both PROP. and figuratively; e.g., of strength, diseases, hope, zeal, etc.): remittere (to abate; of rain, pain, a fever, etc.): defervescere (to cool down; of heat, desires, passions): hebescere (to grow blunt; e.g., of the mind): quiescere: conquiescere (to rest): residue: considgre: remittere (of winds and passions, etc.): concidere (of winds, poetical, Hor.): conticescere (of a noise; e.g., of an uproar, etc., also of rage). The wind has quite died away, venti vis omnis cecidit.

To lose vigour or life gradually, mori, emori, intermori (of plants, trees): mori, emori, praemori (the last, to die at one end, of limbs); exanimari (of animals); sanguine et tanquam spiritu carere coepisse (of limbs). These arms are dead, hi lacerti mortui sunt.