faciō

Facies (from species) and oculi (from ὄκκος) denote the face and eyes only in a physical point of view, as the natural physiognomy and the organs of sight; but os and vultus with a moral reference, as making known the temporary, and even the habitual state of the mind by the looks and eyes; os (from ὄθομαι), by the glance of the eye, and the corresponding expression of the mouth; vultus (from ἑλικτός), by the motion of the eye, and the simultaneous expression of the parts nearest to it, the serene and the darkened brow. Tac. Agr. 44. Nihil metus in vultu; gratia oris supererat. (iv. 318.)

1. Agere (ἄγειν) has an effect that exists in time only, like to do; facere, an effect that exists in space also, as to make. The acta are past as soon as the agens ceases, and remain invisible in the memory; the facta cannot properly be said to exist till the faciens ceases. Quintil. ii. 18. The agens is supposed to be in a state of activity of some kind; the faciens in a state of productive activity. 2. Agere means ‘to do’ something for one’s own interest; gerere (ἀγείρειν), for the interest of another, to execute a commission. Cic. Verr. i. 38. Quæ etiamsi voluntate Dolabellæ fiebant, per istum tamen omnia gerebantur. 3. Opus is the result of facere, as the work, ἔργον; factum is the result of agere, as the transaction; res gestæ are deeds [e.g. in war], πράξεις; acta are only political enactments. Cic. Att. xiv. 17. Multa de facto ac de re gesta; the former by the exertions of Amatius, the latter by his own wise and spirited animadversions through Dolabella. 4. Age, agedum, is an earnest exhortation, as ‘On, on!’ I nunc is an ironical exhortation, as ‘Go to!’ 5. Agere means to be active, and in the midst of business; degere, to live somewhere in a state of rest, in voluntary or involuntary inactivity. Tac. Ann. xv. 74. Deum honor principi non ante habetur, quam agere inter homines desierit, compared with iv. 54. Certus procul urbe degere. (v. 327.)

1. Lutum, limus, cœnum, all denote impurity, as a substance, and as of a wet sort; lutum (from λύθρον) is the dirt of the streets or roads, like πηλός; limus (λειβόμενος) the mud of a river, like ἰλύς; cœnum (from cunire) the mire of a moor or morass, like βόρβορος. Tac. Ann. i. 63. Cætera limosa, tenacia gravi cœno aut rivis incerta erant; whereas sordes, squalor, pœdor, situs, denote impurities as a form, and of a dry sort; sodes (from ἄρδα) in opp. to splendor, through indigence, or niggardliness and vulgarity, for example, clothes dirty from long wear, like ῥύπος; squalor (from σκέλλω) in opp. to nitor, through want of civilized habits, and of delicacy in the senses, for example uncombed hair, like αὐχμός; pædor (from ψοῖθος) in opp. to munditiæ, through neglect of the person, for example, through pædiculos, vermin, itch, etc., like πίνος; situs (ἄσις) in opp. to usus, in consequence of long disuse, for example, through mould, rust, etc., like ἄζη. Hence the different forms of the adjectives lutosus, limosus, cœnosus, that is, full of lutum, etc.; and of sordidus, squalidus, pædidus, that is, resembling sordes, etc., and in circumlocution, oblitus luto, limo, cœno, but obsitus, sordibus, squalore, pædore. 2. Stercus (from τάργανον) denotes in dung its disgusting sense, as filth, like κόπρος; whereas fimus (opimus?) in its useful sense, as manure. 3. For offensive excrements cœnum is the most general; oletum denotes human; merda (μίνθος) animal excrements.