[Mirari is indifferent: admirari usually involves praise, demirari blame.]
Misereri; Miserari; Miseret me. Misereri means to feel pity in the heart, to compassionate, like ἐλεεῖν; whereas miserari, to express pity in words, to commiserate, like οἰκτείρειν. For the German word erbarmen, to show pity by actions, the Latins have no separate word. 2. By misereor tui, pity is represented as an act of the free-will, and thereby the noble nature of the compassionate is depicted; whereas by miseret me tui, pity is represented as a suffering, which cannot be resisted, whereby all moral merit is taken away, and the greatness of another’s misfortune more strongly expressed. Miserere is a causative, like οἰκτίζειν. (ii. 171.)
Miseria, see [Infortunium].
[Missile]; Hasta; Lancea; Jaculum; Verutum; Tragulum; Pilum. Missile is the most general name for a weapon used in fighting at a distance, from the spear to the arrow; hasta and lancea serve both for thrusting and hurling; hasta (from σχαστήριον, σχάζω,) as a genuine Roman weapon, δορύ; lancea, as a foreign weapon, supposed to have come originally from the Suevi, λόγχη; pilum, jaculum, verutum, are more for hurling; jaculum, as the most general expression, including the hunting spear, βέλος; verutum (from ὀρυχή) and tragulum (τρώγλη) military weapons for hurling, ἄκων; pilum (from πῆλαι) in the singular, as the peculiar weapon for hurling used by the Roman legion. Liv. ix. 19. Romano pilum haud paulo quam hasta vehementius ictu missuque telum.
[Mitis]; Lenis; Placidus. Mitis means mild, in opp. to acerbus, like μείλιχος; lenis (from lana? or from the Goth, latjan, lassus?) gentle, in opp. to vehemens, like πρᾶος; placidus, composed, in opp. to turbidus, like ἤπιος.
[Mittere]; Legare; Amittere; Dimittere; Omittere. 1. Mittere μεθεῖναι is the general expression, to send; legare (from λέγω) has a special political meaning, to delegate. The missus makes his appearance as a servant or messenger; the legatus, as a representative. 2. Amittere and dimittere mean to let go any thing already in one’s possession; amittere, against one’s will, as to lose; dimittere, after having used it, as to dismiss; whereas omittere means to let anything pass by, without taking possession of it; to speak with precision, Amittimus inviti et casu, omittimus volentes et sponte. Hence amittere occasionem means, to let slip an opportunity, so as not to be able to take advantage of it, from negligence; whereas omittere occasionem means, to renounce an opportunity, so as not to wish to take advantage of it, from attaching little value to it. Vitam amittere means, to lose one’s life; vitam omittere, to sacrifice it. (iii. 285.)
Moderatus, Modestia, see [Modus].
Modicus, see [Medius].
[Modo-modo]; Nunc-nunc. Modo-modo is properly applicable only to transactions of the past and of the future; nunc-nunc only to those of the present. This distinction is neglected, yet nunc-nunc gives a livelier color to description, and belongs to poetry, or to the more elevated style of prose; modo-modo, like ‘just now,’ is the proper prose expression, which Cicero always uses. (iv. 276.)
Modo, see [Nuper].