Döderlein's Hand-book of Latin Synonymes - Ludwig von Doederlein

[Disceptatio]; Litigatio; Controversia; Contentio; Altercatio; Jurgium; Rixa. 1. Disceptatio, litigatio, and controversia, are dissensions, the settling of which is attempted quietly, and in an orderly way; contentio, altercatio, and jurgium, such as are conducted with passion and vehemence, but which are still confined to words; rixæ (ὀρέκτης) such as, like frays and broils come to blows, or at least threaten to come to blows, and are mid-way between jurgium and pugna. Liv. xxxv. 17. Ex disceptatione altercationem fecerunt. Tac. Hist. i. 64. Jurgia primum, mox rixa inter Batavos et legionarios. Dial. 26. Cassius Severus non pugnat, sed rixatur. 2. Controversia takes place between two parties the moment they place themselves in array on opposite sides; disceptatio, when they commence disputing with each other, in order to arrive at the path of truth, or to discover what is right, but without a hostile feeling; litigatio, when a hostile feeling and a personal interest are at the bottom of the dispute. 3. Contentio would maintain the right against all opponents, and effect its purpose, whatever it may be, by the strenuous exertion of all its faculties; altercatio would not be in debt to its opponent a single word, but have the last word itself; jurgium (from ὀργή) will, without hearkening to another, give vent to its ill-humor by harsh words. Contentio presents the serious image of strenuous exertion; altercatio, the comic image of excessive heat, as in women’s quarrels; jurgium, the hateful image of rude anger. (v. 274.)

[Discernere]; Distinguere. Discernere (διακρίνειν) means to distinguish by discrimination and judgment; distinguere (διαστίξαι, or διατέγγειν), by signs and marks. (vi. 103.)

Disciplinæ, see [Literæ].

Discrimen, see [Tentare].

[Disertus]; Facundus; Eloquens. Disertus and facundus denote a natural gift or talent for speaking, whereas eloquens, an acquired and cultivated art. Disertus is he who speaks with clearness and precision; facundus, he who speaks with elegance and beauty; eloquens, he who combines clearness and precision with elegance and beauty. The disertus makes a good teacher, who may nevertheless be confined to a one-sided formation of intellect; the facundus is a good companion, whose excellence may nevertheless be confined to a superficial adroitness in speaking, without acuteness or depth, whereas the eloquens, whether he speaks as a statesman or as an author, must, by talent and discipline in all that relates to his art, possess a complete mastery over language, and the resources of eloquence. Cic. Orat. 5, 19. Antonius . . . . disertos ait se vidisse multos, eloquentem omnino neminem. Quintil. viii. pr. 13. Diserto satis dicere quæ oporteat; ornate autem dicere proprium est eloquentissimi. Suet. Cat. 53. Eloquentiæ quam plurimum adtendit, quantumvis facundus et promptus. (iv. 14.)