prosum

1.

prō-sum, fŭi, prōdesse, v. n., to be useful or of use, to do good, benefit, profit.

I.

In gen., constr. with dat., a subjectclause, or absol., rarely with ad or in and acc.: sibi prodesse, Enn. ap. Cic. Fam. 7, 6, 2 (Trag. v. 310 Vahl.); cf.:

qui nec sibi nec alteri prosunt,

Cic. Off. 2, 10, 36:

multis,

id. Lael. 1, 4:

nihil tibi litterae meae proderunt,

id. Fam. 2, 17, 7.—With subj.-clause:

multum prodest ea quae metuuntur ipsa contemnere,

Cic. Tusc. 4, 30, 64:

iis carum et jucundum esse maxime prodest,

Q. Cic. Petit. Cons. 5, 16; cf. id. ib. 11, 43:

quid mihi fingere prodest?

Ov. M. 13, 935:

nec quicquam tibi prodest Aërias tentasse domos,

Hor. C. 1, 28, 4; id. Epod. 17, 60; id. S. 1, 2, 113:

quae scire magis juvat quam prodest,

Sen. Ep. 106, 3.— Absol.:

prodesse aequom est,

Ter. Ad. 5, 9, 11:

quorum altera prosunt, Cin. Fin. 3, 21, 69: studia aliena ac nihil profutura,

Sall. J. 1, 5:

magis tamen Menenianum profuit judicium,

Liv. 2, 52; Quint. 4, 1, 3; 11, 1, 9:

quae nocuere sequar, fugiam quae profore credam,

Hor. Ep. 1, 8, 11:

aut prodesse volunt aut delectare poëtae,

id. A. P. 333:

tu tantum corpore prodes, Nos animo,

Ov. M. 13, 365.— With ad or in and acc.:

id mirum, quantum profuit ad concordiam civitatis,

Liv. 2, 1:

in id quoque prodest, ut, etc.,

Quint. 8, 3, 9:

in commune,

id. 6, 1, 7.—With abl.:

constantia multum prodest in amore,

Prop. 2, 26, 27.—

II.

In partic., of medicines, to be good, be beneficial:

fabam voci prodesse,

Plin. 22, 25, 69, § 141:

balineum assumo, quia prodest,

Plin. Ep. 7, 21, 3:

ad tormina,

Plin. 22, 25, 63, § 131:

contra ignem sacrum,

id. 20, 7, 25, § 59.—With inf.:

contra anginas tritum in poscā gargarizare prodest,

Plin. 20, 6, 23, § 52.

2.

prōsum, = prorsum, q. v.