noun · neuterthird declension
rōbur
rōbur n (genitive rōboris)
Classical[ˈroː.bʊr]Ecclesiastical[ˈrɔː.bur]
rōbora pl. nom.; pl. acc.; pl. voc.
Meaning
- a tough-wooded oak tree
- hardness
- strength
In ūniversum aestimantī plūs penes peditem rōboris.
In general, to one estimating, more of their strength is in their infantry.c. 98 CE, Tacitus, Germania 6.4Satis natura dedit roboris si illo utamur.
Nature has given us enough strength, if only we would employ it.c. 65 CE, Seneca Minor, Epistulae morales ad Lucilium 116.7 - stronghold
Latīnē defined in Latin in our graded readers
firmitās, vīsrōbur -oris (n) — in IVLIANVS I: Gallia, ch. 11
lignum dūrissimum; ipsa quercusrōbur rōboris (n) — in Metamorphoses I, ch. 17
Choosing the right word Döderlein's Latin Synonyms
Potentia · Potentatus · Potestas · Vis · Robur
Potentia, potentatus, and potestas (πότνιος) denote an exterior power, which acts by means of men, and upon men; whereas vis and robur denote an interior power and strength, independent of the co-operation and good-will of others. Potentia denotes a merely factitious power, which can be exerted at will, like δύναμις; potentatus, the exterior rank of the ruler, which is acknowledged by those who are subject to him, like δυναστεία; potestas, a just and lawful power, with which a person is entrusted, like ἐξουσία. Tac. Ann. xiii. 19. Nihil tam fluxum est quam fama potentiæ non sua vi nixæ. Vis (ἴς) is the strength which shows itself in moving and attacking, as an ability to constrain others, like κράτος; robur (from ἐῤῥῶσθαι) the strength which shows itself in remaining quiet, as an ability to resist attack, and remain firm, like ῥώμη. (v. 83.)
Declension
| form | singular | plural |
|---|---|---|
| nominative | rōbur | rōbora |
| genitive | rōboris | rōborum |
| dative | rōborī | rōboribus |
| accusative | rōbur | rōbora |
| ablative | rōbore | rōboribus |
| vocative | rōbur | rōbora |
Phrases from Meissner's Latin Phrase-Book
- robora peditum
- the flower of the infantry.
rōbur (rōbor, v. Lucr. p. 140 Lachm.; also an older form rōbus, Cato, R. R. 17, 1; Col. 2, 6, 1; cf. Paul. ex Fest. p. 264 Müll.), ŏris, n. cf. Sanscr. radh-as, abundance; Gr. ῥώννυμι for ῥώθνυμι, to strengthen, ῥώμη,
I. a very hard kind of oak (cf.:
quercus, ilex), Plin. 16, 6, 8, § 19; 16, 7, 10, § 28; 16, 38, 73, § 186; 16, 40, 76, § 204; 16, 40, 77, § 218.— Hence, I. Lit.
1. In gen., a very hard kind of tree or wood:
morsus roboris, i. e. of the wild olive, Verg. A. 12, 783 (a little before: foliis oleaster amaris Hic steterat); so of the same, id. G. 2, 305; cf.: solido de robore myrtus, id. ib. 2, 64: annoso validam robore quercum, i. e. of an old and sturdy trunk, id. A. 4, 441; so, annoso robore quercus, Ov. M. 8, 743: antiquo robore quercus, with ancient trunk, Verg. G. 3, 332: Massyla, i. e. citri, Stat. S. 3, 3, 94; also, Maurorum, id. ib. 4, 2, 39.—2. Absol., usu., an oak-tree, an oak in gen.:
fixa est pariter cum robore cervix, i. e. was pinned fast to the oak, Ov. M. 3, 92: agitata robora pulsant (delphines), id. ib. 1, 303.— 3. Oak-wood, oak:
naves totae factae ex robore, Caes. B. G. 3, 13; cf.: (sapiens) non est e saxo sculptus aut e robore dolatus, Cic. Ac. 2, 31, 101; and with this cf. id. Div. 2, 41, 85. — Poet.: illi robur et aes triplex Circa pectus erat, Hor. C. 1, 3, 9; cf.: o saxis nimirum et robore nati! Stat. Th. 4, 340. — II. Transf.
A. Of things made of oak or of any other hard wood.
1. In gen.:
Lacedaemonii cottidianis epulis in robore accumbunt, i. e. on oaken, hard benches, Cic. Mur. 35, 74.— So of the wooden horse before Troy: sacrum, Verg. A. 2, 230; of a lance: ferro praefixum, id. ib. 10, 479; Sil. 2, 244; 267; of a club, Ov. M. 12, 349; Mart. 9, 44, 4 et saep.: aratri, i. e. the oaken plough, Verg. G. 1, 162; Val. Fl. 7, 555.—2. In partic., the lower and stronger part of the prison at Rome, built by Servius Tullius, was called Robur (also Tullianum):
Robus in carcere dicitur is locus, quo praecipitatur maleficorum genus, quod ante arcis robusteis includebatur, Paul. ex Fest. s. v. robum, p. 264 Müll.: in robore et tenebris exspiret, Liv. 38, 59 fin.: robur et saxum minitari, Tac. A. 4, 29; Val. Max. 6, 3, 1: verbera, carnifices, robur, Lucr. 3, 1017; Hor. C. 2, 13, 19 (v. carcer and Tullianum).—B. Hardness, strength, firmness, vigor, power (cf. vires; v. Fabri ad Liv. 21, 1, 2).
1. Lit.:
duri robora ferri, Lucr. 2, 449; so, ferri, Verg. A. 7, 609: saxi, Lucr. 1, 882: navium, Liv. 37, 30: omnia pariter crescunt et robora sumunt, gain strength, Lucr. 5, 820; 895; cf.: qui si jam satis aetatis atque roboris haberet, ipse pro Sex. Roscio diceret, Cic. Rosc. Am. 51, 149: paululum jam roboris accessit aetati, id. Cael. 30, 73: solidaeque suo stant robore vires, Verg. A. 2, 639; Vulg. Judic. 8, 21: si quod est robur, Flor. 2, 1, 1.—2. Trop., power, strength, force, vigor (very freq.):
alter virtutis robore firmior quam aetatis, Cic. Phil. 10, 8, 16: in animi excelsi atque invicti magnitudine ac robore, id. Off. 1, 5, 14; so, animi (with magnitudo), id. de Or. 2, 84, 343; id. Tusc. 1, 40, 95: robur incredibile animi, id. Mil. 37, 101: quantum in cujusque animo roboris est ac nervorum, id. Fam. 6, 1, 3: multo plus firmamenti ac roboris, id. Imp. Pomp. 4, 10; so (with firmamentum) id. Mur. 28, 58; (with firmitas) id. Fin. 5, 5, 12: hi tot equites Romani quid roboris hujus petitioni attulerunt? id. Planc. 8, 21: pectus robore fultum, Ov. Tr. 5, 12, 11: te mea robora fallunt, id. H. 16, 367: velocitate pari, robore animi virumque praestanti, Liv. 24, 26, 11: verba quanti roboris plena, Sen. Ep 10, 3: qui robur aliquod in stilo fecerint, Quint. 10, 3, 10; cf.: robur oratorium adicere sententiis, id. 10, 5, 4; 8, prooem. § 3: illi robur et aes triplex Circa pectus erat, Hor. C. 1, 3, 9; cf.: O saxis nimirum et robore nati, Stat. Th. 4, 340. — b. Authority: nostrarum constitutionum, Just. Inst. prooem. 6.—
c. Concr., the strongest, most effective, or best part, the pith, kernel, strength of any thing; of soldiers, the flower of the troops, choice troops, etc. (freq. and class.):
versaris in optimorum civium vel flore vel robore, Cic. Or. 10, 34: et robur et suboles militum interiit, Asin. ap. Cic. Fam. 10, 33; cf.: quod fuit roboris, duobus proeliis interiit, Caes. B. C. 3, 87: quod roboris ea provincia habuerat, Liv. 30, 2; Ov. M. 14, 454 al.: senatūs robur, Liv. 5, 39. — Plur.: tunc C. Flavius Pusio, Cn. Titinnius, C. Maecenas, illa robora populi Romani, Cic. Clu. 56, 163: haec sunt nostra robora, id. Att. 6, 5, 3; Liv. 7, 7; 12; 21, 54; 22, 6; 23, 16; 25, 6 init.: robora pubis, Verg. A. 8, 518; Ov. M. 7, 510: ingentia robora virorum, Plin. Pan. 34, 3: conferta robora virorum, Curt. 3, 5, 13: betae, i. e. stalks, Col. poët. 10, 326. — Of a place, a stronghold: quod coloniam virium et opum validam robur ac sedem bello legisset, Tac. H. 2, 19.—Absol.: robus, the name of an excellent kind of wheat: quoniam et pondere et nitore praestat, Col. 2, 6, 1.Charlton Lewis's shorter dictionary for students: the same scholarship in plain, modern definitions.
rōbur oris, n
hard-wood, oak-wood, oak: naves totae factae ex robore, Cs.: (sapiens) non est e robore dolatus: Illi robur et aes triplex Circa pectus erat, H.—Very hard wood: morsus Roboris, i. e. of the wild olive, V.: solido de robore myrtus, V.—A tree-trunk: annoso validam robore quercum, i. e. old and sturdy, V.: antiquo robore quercus, with ancient trunk, V.—An oak-tree, oak: fixa est pariter cum robore cervix, i. e. was pinned fast to the oak, O.: agitata robora pulsant (delphines), O.—A piece of oak, structure of hard wood: in robore accumbunt, i. e. on hard benches: sacrum, i. e. the wooden horse, V.: ferro praefixum, i. e. lance, V.: nodosum, i. e. club, O.: aratri, i. e. the oaken plough, V.—A stronghold, dungeon: in robore et tenebris exspiret, L.: Italum, H.—Fig., hardness, physical strength, firmness, vigor, power: aeternaque ferri Robora, V.: navium, L.: satis aetatis atque roboris habere: corporum animorumque, L.: solidaeque suo stant robore vires, V. —Enduring strength, force, vigor: virtutis: animi: pectus robore fultum, O.: neque his (gentibus) tantum virium aut roboris fuit, L.—The best part, pith, kernel, strength, flower, choice: totius Italiae: quod fuit roboris, duobus proeliis interiit, Cs.: senatūs robur, L.: haec sunt nostra robora: lecta robora virorum, L.: robora pubis, V.
Origins
From earlier rōbus (with change of nominative after the pattern of iecur), from Proto-Italic *rouβos, from Proto-Indo-European *h₁rewdʰ- (“red”), named for its reddish hardwood and thus cognate to ruber.
Descendants
- Frenchrouvre
- Catalanroure
- Italianrovere
- Occitanroire
- Portugueseroble
- Spanishroble
- Aragoneserobre
- Piedmonteseróvol
- Piedmonteserol
- Piedmonteserovr