sevērus¹

Severus (αὐηρός) means, actively, one who cuts no jokes; serius, in a neutral sense, what is no subject for joking; and severe means earnestly; serio, in earnest; whence severus is an epithet for persons, serius for things; Hor. A. P. 105. Decent vultum severum seria dictu. Senec. Tranq. 15. Nihil magnum, nihil severum nec serium quidem ex tanto apparatu putat. Severus is in opp. to hilaris, Cic. Brut. 93, remissus, Orat. ii. 17, luxuriosus, Quintil. xi. 3, 74; whereas serius is in opp. to jucundus, jocosus; and serio to joco, per jocum. Yet severus also supplies the place of serius; particularly in severior, severissimus, and severitas, because serius does not possess these forms. (i. 75.)

1. Austerus (αὐστηρός, from αὔω) denotes gravity as an intellectual, severus (αὐηρός) as a moral quality. The austerus in opp. to jucundus, Plin. H. N. xxxiv. 8. xxxv. 11, is an enemy to jocularity and frivolity, and seeks in science, learning, and social intercourse, always that which is serious and real, at the risk of passing for dull; the severus, in opp. to luxuriosus, Quintil. xi. 3, 74, is rigid, hates all dissoluteness and laxity of principle, and exacts from himself and others self-control and energy of character, at the risk of passing for harsh. The stoic, as a philosopher, is austerus, as a man, severus. 2. Austerus and severus involve no blame; whereas difficilis, morosus, and tetricus, denote an excess or degeneracy of rigor. The difficilis understands not the art of easy and agreeable converse, from hypochondria and temperament; the morosus (from mos) is scrupulous, and wishes everything to be done according to rule, from scrupulosity and want of tolerance; the tetricus (redupl. of trux, τραχύς) is stiff and constrained, from pedantry and want of temper. (iii. 232.)