altus, a, um, participle from alo., lit., grown or become great, great (altus ab alendo dictus, Paul. ex Fest. p. 7 Müll.; cf. the Germ. gross with the Engl. grow), a polar word meaning both high and deep. A. Seen from below upwards, high. I. Lit.: IN ALTOD MARID PVCNANDOD, etc., Columna Duilii; so, maria alta, Liv. Andron. ap. Macr. S. 6, 5, 10; id. ib. ap. Prisc. p. 725 P.: aequor, Pac. ap. Varr. L. L. 7, 23 Müll.: parietes, Enn. ap. Cic. Tusc. 3, 19, 44: sub ramis arboris altae
, Lucr. 2, 30: acervus
, id. 3, 198 al.: columellam tribus cubitis ne altiorem
, Cic. Leg. 2, 26, 66: altior illis Ipsa dea est colloque tenus supereminet omnes
, taller
, Ov. M. 3, 181: altis de montibus
, Verg. E. 1, 83: umbras Altorum nemorum
, Ov. M. 1, 591 al.—With the acc. of measure: clausi lateribus pedem altis
, a foot high
, Sall. H. Fragm. 4, 39 Gerl.; cf. Lind. C. Gr. I. p. 215.—With gen.: triglyphi alti unius et dimidiati moduli, lati in fronte unius moduli
, Vitr. 4, 3: majorem turrim altam cubitorum CXX.
, id. 10, 5: alta novem pedum
, Col. 8, 14, 1: singula latera pedum lata tricenum, alta quinquagenum
, Plin. 36, 13, 19, 4.—II. Trop., high, lofty, elevated, great, magnanimous, high-minded, noble, august, etc.: altissimus dignitatis gradus
, Cic. Phil. 1, 6, 14; so id. Clu. 55; id. Dom. 37.—Of mind or thought: te natura excelsum quendam videlicet et altum et humana despicientem genuit
, Cic. Tusc. 2, 4, 11: homo sapiens et altā mente praeditus
, highminded
, id. Mil. 8: qui altiore animo sunt
, id. Fin. 5, 20, 57 al.—So of gods, or persons elevated in birth, rank, etc.; also of things personified: rex aetheris altus Juppiter
, Verg. A. 12, 140: Apollo
, id. ib. 10, 875: Caesar
, Hor. C. 3, 4, 37: Aeneas, i. e. deā natus
, id. S. 2, 5, 62: Roma
, Ov. Tr. 1, 3, 33: Carthago
, Prop. 2, 1, 23 al.—Of the voice, high, shrill, loud, clear: Conclamate iterum altiore voce
, Cat. 42, 18: haec fatus altā voce
, Sen. Troad. 196: altissimus sonus
, Quint. 11, 3, 23 (cf.: vox magna
, Ov. Tr. 4, 9, 24; Juv. 4, 32).—Subst.: altum, i, n., a height: sic est hic ordo (senatorius) quasi propositus atque editus in altum
, on high
, Cic. Verr. 2, 3, 41, 98: aedificia in altum edita
, Tac. H. 3, 71: quidquid in altum Fortuna tulit, ruitura levat
, Sen. Agam. 100.—Esp. (a). (Sc. caelum.) The height of heaven, high heaven, the heavens: ex alto volavit avis
, Enn. Ann. 1, 108: haec ait, et Maiā genitum demisit ab alto
, Verg. A. 1, 297.—Still more freq., (b). (Sc. mare.) The high sea, the deep, the sea: rapit ex alto navīs velivolas, Enn. ap. Serv. ad Verg. A. 1, 224: ubi sumus provecti in altum, capiunt praedones navem illam, ubi vectus fui
, Plaut. Mil. 2, 1, 39; so id. Men. 1, 2, 2; id. Rud. prol. 66; 2, 3, 64: terris jactatus et alto
, Verg. A. 1, 3: in altum Vela dabant
, id. ib. 1, 34: collectae ex alto nubes
, id. G. 1, 324: urget ab alto Notus
, id. ib. 1, 443 al.: alto mersā classe
, Sil. 6, 665: ab illā parte urbis navibus aditus ex alto est
, Cic. Verr. 2, 5, 32: in alto jactari
, id. Inv. 2, 31, 95: naves nisi in alto constitui non poterant
, Caes. B. G. 4, 24: naves in altum provectae
, id. ib. 4, 28: scapha in altum navigat, Sall. Fragm.—So in the plur.: alta petens
, Verg. A. 7, 362.—Trop.: quam magis te in altum capessis, tam aestus te in portum refert
, Plaut. As. 1, 3, 6: imbecillitas ... in altum provehitur imprudens
, Cic. Tusc. 4, 18, 42: te quasi quidam aestus ingenii tui in altum abstraxit
, id. de Or. 3, 36, 145.—B. Seen from above downwards, deep, profound. I. Lit. (hence sometimes opp. summus): Acherusia templa alta Orci, salvete, Enn. ap. Varr. L. L. 7, 2, 81; Cic. Tusc. 1, 21, 48: quom ex alto puteo sursum ad summum escenderis
, Plaut. Mil. 4, 4, 14: altissimae radices
, Cic. Phil. 4, 5: altae stirpes
, id. Tusc. 3, 6, 13: altissima flumina
, Caes. B. C. 3, 77: altior aqua
, id. ib. 1, 25: alta theatri Fundamenta
, Verg. A. 1, 427: gurgite in alto
, in the deep whirlpool
, id. E. 6, 76: altum vulnus
, id. A. 10, 857; Petr. 136; Sen. Troad. 48: altum totā metitur cuspide pectus
, Sil. 4, 292; so id. 6, 580 al.: unde altior esset Casus
, Juv. 10, 106.—With the abl. of measure: faciemus (scrobes) tribus pedibus altas
, Pall. Jan. 10, 3.—II. Trop. (more freq. in and after the Aug. per.), deep, profound: somno quibus est opus alto
, Hor. S. 2, 1, 8; so Liv. 7, 35: sopor
, Verg. A. 8, 27: quies
, id. ib. 6, 522: silentium
, id. ib. 10, 63; Quint. 10, 3, 22: altissima tranquillitas
, Plin. Ep. 2, 1: altissima eruditio
, id. ib. 4, 30: altiores artes
, Quint. 8, 3, 2.—Subst.: altum, i, n., the depth, i. e. what is deep or far removed: ex alto dissimulare
, Ov. Am. 2, 4, 16: non ex alto venire nequitiam, sed summo, quod aiunt, animo inhaerere
, Sen. Ira, 1, 16 med. al.—Hence, ex alto repetere, or petere, in discourse, to bring from far; as P. a., farfetched: quae de nostris officiis scripserim, quoniam ex alto repetita sunt
, Cic. Fam. 3, 5: quid causas petis ex alto?
Verg. A. 8, 395 (cf.: alte repetere in the same sense
, Cic. Sest. 13; id. Rep. 4, 4, and v. al. infra).—C. Poet., in reference to a distant (past) time: cur vetera tam ex alto appetissis discidia, Agamemno? Att. ap. Non. 237, 22 (altum: vetus, antiquum, Non.); cf. Verg. G. 4, 285.—With the access. idea of venerable (cf. antiquus), ancient, old: genus alto a sanguine Teucri
, Verg. A. 6, 500: Thebanā de matre nothum Sarpedonis alti
, id. ib. 9, 697; genus Clauso referebat ab alto
, Ov. F. 4, 305: altā gente satus
, Val. Fl. 3, 202: altis inclitum titulis genus
, Sen. Herc. Fur. 338.—Adv.: altē, and very rarely altum, high, deep (v. supra, altus, P. a. init.). A. High, on high, high up, from on high, from above (v. altus, P. a., A.). I. Lit.: alte ex tuto prospectum aucupo
, Att. Trag. Rel. p. 188 Rib.: colomen alte geminis aptum cornibus
, id. ib. p. 221: alte jubatos angues
, Naev. ib. p. 9: jubar erigere alte
, Lucr. 4, 404: roseā sol alte lampade lucens
, id. 5, 610: in vineā ficos subradito alte, ne eas vitis scandat
, Cato, R. R. 50: cruentum alte extollens pugionem
, Cic. Phil. 2, 12, 28: non animadvertis cetarios escendere in malum alte, ut perspiciant pisces? Varr. ap. Non. 49, 15: (aër) tollit se ac rectis ita faucibus eicit alte
, Lucr. 6, 689: dextram Entellus alte extulit
, Verg. A. 5, 443: alte suras vincire cothurno
, high up
, id. ib. 1, 337: puer alte cinctus
, Hor. S. 2, 8, 10, and Sen. Ep. 92: unda alte subjectat arenam
, Verg. G. 3, 240: Nihil tam alte natura constituit, quo virtus non possit eniti
, Curt. 7, 11, 10: alte maesti in terram cecidimus, from on high, Varr. ap. Non. 79, 16: eo calcem cribro succretam indito alte digitos duo
, to the height of two fingers
, Cato, R. R. 18, 7; so Col. R. R. 5, 6, 6.—Comp.: quae sunt humiliora neque se tollere a terrā altius possunt
, Cic. Tusc. 5, 13, 37: tollam altius tectum
, id. Har. Resp. 15, 33: altius praecincti
, Hor. S. 1, 5, 5: pullus in arvis altius ingreditur
, Verg. G. 3, 75: caput altius effert
, id. ib. 3, 553: altius atque cadant imbres
, id. E. 6, 38 ubi v. Forb.: altius aliquid tenere
, Sen. Q. N. 1, 5.—Sup.: cum altissime volāsset (aquila), Suet. Aug. 94.—II. Trop.: alte natus
, Albin. 1, 379 (cf.: altus Aeneas, supra, P. a., A. II.): alte enim cadere non potest
, Cic. Or. 28, 98: video te alte spectare
, id. Tusc. 1, 34, 82; id. Rep. 6, 23, 25.—Comp.: altius se efferre
, Cic. Rep. 6, 23, 25; 3, 3, 4: altius irae surgunt ductori
, Verg. A. 10, 813: altius aliquid agitare
, Cels. 1 prooem.: attollitur vox altius
, Quint. 11, 3, 65: verbis altius atque altius insurgentibus
, id. 8, 4, 27.— Sup.: Ille dies virtutem Catonis altissime illuminavit
, Vell. 2, 35: ingenium altissime adsurgit
, Plin. Ep. 8, 4.—B. Deep, deeply (v. altus, P. a. B.). I. Lit.: ablaqueato ficus non alte
, Cato, R. R. 36: ferrum haud alte in corpus descendere
, Liv. 1, 41: alte vulnus adactum
, Verg. A. 10, 850; Ov. M. 6, 266; Curt. 4, 6, 18; Cels. 5, 26, 30: timidum caput abdidit alte
, Verg. G. 3, 422: alte consternunt terram frondes
, deeply strew
, id. A. 4, 443: ut petivit Suspirium alte!
Plaut. Cist. 1, 1, 58 (cf.: ingentem gemitum dat pectore ab imo
, Verg. A. 1, 485): inter cupam pertundito alte digitos primorīs tres
, Cato, R. R. 21, 2: minimum alte pedem
, Col. de Arb. 30.—Comp.: ne radices altius agant
, Col. 5, 6, 8: terra altius effossa
, Quint. 10, 3, 2: cum sulcus altius esset impressus
, Cic. Div. 2, 23, 50: frigidus imber Altius ad vivum persedit, Verg G. 3, 441: tracti altius gemitus
, Sen. Ira, 3, 4, 2.— Sup.: (latronibus gladium) altissime demergo
, App. M. 2, 32.—II. Trop., deeply, profoundly, far, from afar: privatus ut altum Dormiret
, Juv. 1, 16: alte terminus haerens
, Lucr. 1, 77: longo et alte petito prooemio respondere
, Cic. Clu. 21, 58: ratio alte petita
, Quint. 11, 1, 62: alte et a capite repetis, quod quaerimus
, Cic. Leg. 1, 6, 18; id. Rep. 4, 4, 4; id. Sest. 13, 31.—Comp.: qui altius perspiciebant
, had a deeper insight
, Cic. Verr. 1, 7, 19: quae principia sint, repetendum altius videtur
, must be sought out more deeply
, id. Off. 1, 16: altius repetitae causae
, Quint. 11, 1, 62: de quo si paulo altius ordiri ac repetere memoriam religionis videbor
, Cic. Verr. 4, 105: Hisce tibi in rebus latest alteque videndum
, Lucr. 6, 647: altius supprimere iram
, Curt. 6, 7, 35: altius aliquem percellere
, Tac. A. 4, 54: altius metuere
, id. ib. 4, 41: altius animis maerere
, id. ib. 2, 82: cum verbum aliquod altius transfertur
, Cic. Or. 25, 82: Altius omnem Expediam primā repetens ab origine famam
, Verg. G. 4, 285; so
, Tac. H. 4, 12: altius aliquid persequi
, Plin. 2, 23, 31, 35: hinc altius cura serpit
, id. 4, 11, 13, 87.— Sup.: qui vir et quantus esset, altissime inspexi
, Plin. Ep. 5, 15, 5.