opitulor

1. Auxilium, opem ferre, and opitulari, suppose a person in a strait, whom one would rescue from necessity and danger, in opp. to deserere, destituere, and so forth; the auxilium ferens is to be considered as an ally, who makes himself subservient to the personal safety, or to the interest of him who is in a strait; the opem ferens, as a benefactor, who employs his power and strength for the benefit of the weak; whereas juvare and adjuvare (ἰᾶσθαι) suppose only a person striving to do something, which he may be enabled to do better and quicker by help, in opp. to impedire, Cic. Verr. i. 6. Ter. Heaut. v. 2, 39. Matres solent esse filiis in peccato adjutrices, auxilio in paterna injuria. When in Liv. ii. 6, Tarquin entreats the Veientes, ferrent opem, adjuvarent, he is first considered as exulans, then as regnum repetiturus. 2. Opem and auxilium ferre derive their emphasis from the noun, to bring help, and nothing else; whereas opitulari, and the poetical word, auxiliari, derive their emphasis from their verbal form, and mean to bring help, and not to refuse. (v. 70.)