[Imitatio]; Æmulatio; Certatio; Rivalitas; Simulatio. 1. Imitari means merely the effort to produce something like some other thing, without any accessory moral notion; æmulari (from αἴσιμος) means, at the same time, to do something which shall gain equal or superior consideration, honor, and approbation, when compared with the thing imitated. Imitatio has in view only the thing itself, and is generally moderate and laudable; æmulatio has in view chiefly the person, who is already in possession of the quality worthy of imitation, and always seems more or less a passion, which deserves praise or blame, according as it has its foundation in the lover of honor, or in immoderate ambition. Plin. Ep. vii. 30. Demosthenis orationem habui in manibus, non ut æmularer (improbum enim ac pæne furiosum) at tamen imitarer ac sequerer tantum. Comp. i. 2, 2. viii. 5, 13. Quintil. i. 2, 26. Cic. Tusc. iv. 8, 17. 2. The æmulus is at first behind his opponent, and strives for a time only to come up to him, and be like him; whereas the certator and concertator are already on a par with their opponent, and strive to outdo him, and conquer him. 3. Æmulatio contends for superiority in any art; rivalitas, only for preference in estimation. Cic. Tusc. iv. 26, 56. Illa vitiosa æmulatione, quæ rivalitati similis est, quid habet utilitatis? 4. Imitatio is an effort to become something which a man at present is not, but fain would be, and really can become; whereas simulatio, an effort to pass for something which a man properly and naturally is not, nor ever can be. Imitatio is the means of attaining to an actual or presumptive ideal; whereas simulatio remains for ever a mere counterfeit. (iii. 64.)
Impar, see [Æquus].
Impensæ, see [Sumptus].
Imperare, see [Jubere].
[Impertire]; Tribuere; Participare; Communicare. Impertire and tribuere denote giving a portion, without reference to any share, which the giver is to retain for himself; impertire means giving, as an act of free will and of goodness; tribuere, as an act of justice, or of judiciousness; whereas participare and communicare, the giving a share of something of which one also retains a share one’s self; participare has generally the receiver for its object, who is to share a possession; but communicare, generally the thing shared, in the use of which the receiver is to have a share. (iv. 158.)
Impietas, see [Delictum].
Impius, see [Scelestus].
Imponere, see [Fallere].
[Imus]; Infimus. Imum (superl. from in) denotes the lowest part of a whole; infimum (superl. from inferus) either the lowest part of all the parts, that is, the basis, or the lowest in a discrete magnitude, that is, a magnitude consisting of distinct parts. The imum is the lowest extremity of a part; then the infimum, the lowest part, with reference to the other parts. Cic. Rosc. Com. 7. Ab imis unguibus usque ad summum verticem: compare with Divin. i. 33. Ut ab infima ara subito anguis emergeret; and with N. D. ii. 20. Luna infima est quinque errantium. Further, imus denotes the lowest in a purely local relation; infimus, with the accessory notion of the lowest rank. (iv. 377.)
Inambulare, see [Ambulare].