[Rumor]; Fama. Rumor (from ῥεῦμα), like report, is the uncertain, dark, often clandestine propagation of intelligence, in opp. to authentic assurance; fama (φήμη), like information, is the open and public propagation of intelligence, in opp. to ocular demonstration. The rumor interests only by its novelty, is an object of curiosity, and passes away with the generation in which it sprung up; the fama interests through its importance, is an object of research, and as a permanent property descends to posterity. (v. 233.)
Rumpere, see [Frangere].
Rupes, see [Saxum].
Rursus, see [Iterum].
Rus, see [Villa].
[Rus]; Ager; Rusticus; Agrestis; Rusticanus. 1. Rus (ἄροτον) denotes the country, in opp. to the town or city, the village with what belongs to it; whereas ager (ἀγρός) the country, in opp. to the district in general, the open country or fields. Cels. Med. 1. Sanum oportet . . . modo ruri esse, modo in urbe, sæpiusque in agro. 2. Rusticus denotes, like ἀγροῖκος, merely residing in the country; agrestis, like ἄγριος, growing wild in the fields, like ferus, but as a milder expression, for ferus (φῆρες) denotes wildness as an inward nature; agrestis, merely as a mark of the place of residence, or of extraction. 3. In a spiritual sense, rusticus denotes more an intellectual, agrestis more a moral roughness; rusticus, like countrified, has a reference to bashfulness and uncouthness; in its best sense, it is allied to innocence; in its worst, to awkwardness; whereas agrestis, like boorish, has a reference to shamelessness and vulgarity, is never used in a good sense, but borders on feritas, and answers to the German word Flegelei, ‘churlishness.’ The rusticus, in opp. to urbanus, violates only the conventional laws of decorum; the agrestis, in opp. to humanus, the natural laws of decorum also. 4. When Cicero wishes to give to rusticus a still milder sense, and secure it from ambiguity, he adopts the word rusticanus; so that, according to him, rusticus is one who actually lives in a country-village, rusticanus, one who resembles those who live in country-villages; hence among the rusticani the municipes may be reckoned, as rusticorum similes.
[ S.]
[Sabulo]; Harena; Sabura. Sabulo (from ψαφαρός, ψῆφος,) and in Pliny sabulum, denote sand, as a sort of light soil; harena, arena (from χεράς), as a dry stony soil, as small or pounded pebbles, in opp. to a fruitful soil; sabura, saburra, with especial reference to its use, as shipsand, ballast. (vi. 311.)
Sacellum, see [Templum].
[Sacer]; Sanctus. Sacer (ἄγος) denotes that which is sacred, inasmuch as it belongs to the gods, in opp. to profanus, like ἱερός; whereas sanctus (from ἁγνός) inasmuch as it is under the protection of the gods, and, being guarded from profanation, is, in consequence, pure and spotless, in opp. to pollutus, like ὅσιος. Hence sanctus homo is a pure, pious man; sacer, one accursed, devoted to the gods as an expiatory sacrifice. In the same manner sancire means to place under the immediate protection of the gods, as laws and compacts, for example; whereas sacrare means to dedicate to the gods, as temples and altars, for example. (iii. 198.)