olim

ōlim, adv. [ole, olle, ollus or olus, archaic for ille, with locative ending -im, = illo tempore, v. Brix ad Plaut. Trin. 523], lit., at that (sc. remote) time; hence,

I.

Of past time, some time ago, once upon a time, once, formerly, in time past, whilom, erst (freq. and class.; syn. quondam): versibu' quos olim Fauni vatesque canebant, Enn. ap. Cic. Brut. 19, 76 (Ann. v. 222 Vahl.):

ut fuit olim Sisyphus,

Hor. S. 1, 3, 46:

sic enim olim loquebantur,

Cic. de Or. 2, 43, 183:

olim, vel nuper,

id. Div. 2, 25, 55;

so corresp. to hoc tempore,

id. Fam. 7, 24, 1:

olim...mox,

Tac. H. 1, 67:

ut erant olim,

Cic. Att. 12, 39, 2; cf.:

alium esse censes nunc me, atque olim,

Ter. And. 3, 3, 13; Cic. Fam. 15, 20, 2:

gens olim armis, mox memoriā nominis clara,

Tac. H. 7, 67:

fuit olim senex: ei filiae Duae erant,

there was once an old man, Plaut. Stich. 4, 1, 33.—

B.

Transf.

1.

From the meaning in times past is derived that of since ever (Germ. von jener), what used to happen, was, is, the old custom; hence, in propositions which state, as the result cf experience, that any thing is wont to take place, at times (only ante-class. and poet. ):

nunc lenonum plus est fere, Quam olim muscarum'st, cum caletur maxime,

Plaut. Truc. 1, 1, 45; cf. id. Mil. 1, 1, 2; id. Poen. 1, 2, 143; cf. also id. Trin. 2, 4, 123:

saxum tumidis submersum tunditur olim Fluctibus, etc.,

Verg. A. 5, 125; id. ib. 8, 391:

ut pueris olim dant crustula blandi Doctores,

Hor. S. 1, 1, 25 Orell.:

ut calceus olim, Si pede major erit, subvertet, si minor, uret,

id. Ep. 1, 10, 42; id. C. 4, 4, 5:

parentis olim si quis impiā manu Senile guttur fregerit,

id. Epod. 3, 1:

ut olim Amisso dubiae rege vagantur apes,

Ov. F. 3, 555:

color oris erat, qui frondibus olim Esse solet seris,

id. ib. 6, 149; id. M. 14, 429:

an quid est olim homini salute melius?

ever, Plaut. As. 3, 3, 128:

vestra meos olim si fistula dicat amores,

if ever, Verg. E. 10, 34.—

2.

Now for a long time, this good while, long ago (mostly post-Aug.;

not in Cic.): olim non librum in manus sumpsi: olim nescio, quid sit otium,

Plin. Ep. 8, 9, 1:

audio quid veteres olim moneatis amici,

Juv. 6, 346:

nullas mihi epistulas mittas,

Plin. Ep. 1, 11, 1:

provisum erat,

Tac. A. 13, 15:

corruptis moribus,

id. ib. 14, 15:

olim jam nec perit quicquam mihi nec acquiritur,

Sen. Ep. 77, 3.—

II.

Of the future, one day, on a future day, at a future time, hereafter (rare but class.): audire edepol lubet. St. Primum omnium olim terra quom proscinditur, Plaut. Trin. 2, 4, 122:

utinam coram tecum olim, potius quam per epistulas!

Cic. Att. 11, 4, 1:

exoriare aliquis ultor...Nunc, olim, quocumque dabunt se tempore vires,

Verg. A. 4, 625; cf.:

non si male nunc et olim Sic erit,

Hor. C. 2, 10, 17:

forsan et haec olim meminisse juvabit,

Verg. A. 1, 203:

numquid ego illi Imprudens olim faciam simile?

Hor. S. 1, 4, 137:

vir nominabitur,

Quint. 10, 1, 104.