stilus

stĭlus (not stylus ), i, m. [for stiglus; Gr. stizô, to stick, puncture; stigma, mark, point; Sanscr. tig, to be sharp; tigmas, sharp; cf. Engl. stick, sting; Lat. stimulus; not connected with stulos].

I.

In gen., a stake, pale: extra vallum stili caeci, concealed stakes, Auct. B. Afr. 31, 5; cf. Sil. 10, 415 (for which stimuli, Caes. B. G. 7, 73 fin. ):

ligneus,

Amm. 23, 4, 5; 15, 10, 5.—In agriculture, a pointed instrument for freeing plants from worms or from shoots which grow too rankly, etc., Col. 11, 3, 53; Pall. Mart. 10, 20.—Of the stem or stalk of many plants (e. g. of the asparagus), Col. 11, 3, 46; 11, 3, 58; 5, 10, 13; 5, 10, 21.—

II.

In partic.

A.

A style used by the Romans for writing on waxen tablets (pointed, and usually made of iron):

effer cito stilum, ceram et tabellas et linum,

Plaut. Bacch. 4, 4, 64; cf. id. ib. 4, 4, 76; 4, 9, 73; Quint. 1, 1, 27:

cum otiosus stilum prehenderat, flaccebat oratio,

Cic. Brut. 24, 93:

orationes paene Attico stilo scriptae,

with an Attic pen, id. ib. 45, 167; so,

(comoediae quaedam) resipiant stilum Plautinum,

Gell. 3, 3, 13.—And with reference to the ecenomical use, in a double sense, Cic. de Or. 2, 23, 96.—Writing on wax was erased with the broad upper end of the style; hence the phrase stilum vertere, for to erase what one has written, Cic. Verr. 2, 2, 41, § 101:

saepe stilum vertas, iterum quae digna legi sint, Scripturus,

Hor. S. 1, 10, 73.—But cf.:

et mihi vertenti stilum in Gallias,

i. e. turning to write of, Amm. 29, 3, 1.—Comically:

stilis me totum usque ulmeis conscribito,

i. e. with elm switches, Plaut. Ps. 1, 5, 131 (cf. conscribo).—

B.

Transf.

1.

= scriptio and scriptura, a setting down in writing, composing, composition; the practice of composing; manner of writing, mode of composition:

stilus optimus et praestantissimus dicendi effector ac magister,

Cic. de Or. 1, 33, 150; 1, 60, 257; cf. id. ib. 3, 49, 190; Quint. 1, 9, 2; cf.:

multus stilus et assidua lectio,

id. 10, 7, 4:

stilus exercitatus,

i. e. a practised pen, Cic. Or. 44, 150:

tardior stilus cogitationem moratur,

Quint. 1, 1, 28:

neglegens,

id. 2, 4, 13:

multus,

id. 10, 1, 1:

tardus,

id. 10, 3, 5:

rudis et confusus,

id. 1, 1, 28:

fidelis,

id. 10, 7, 7:

stilo incumbere,

Plin. Ep. 7, 29, 9:

aliquid stilo prosequi,

id. ib. 1, 8, 8;

2, 3, 3: signare stilo,

Vell. 1, 16, 1:

non ita dissimili sunt argumento, sed tamen Dissimili oratione sunt factae ac stilo,

in speech and writing, Ter. And. prol. 12 (for which:

oratione et scripturā,

id. Phorm. prol. 5 ); cf.:

unus sonus est totius orationis et idem stilus,

the same tone and the same style of composition run through the whole speech, Cic. Brut. 26, 100:

artifex stilus,

an artistic style, id. ib. 25, 96:

familiares opes velut supremo distribuens stilo,

i. e. by his last will, Amm. 25, 3, 21.—

2.

A manner of speaking, mode of expression, style in speaking (post-Aug. and very rare; not as early as Quint.;

in class. Lat. sermo, oratio, dictio, dicendi modus, ars, genus or forma): stilus pressus demissusque,

Plin. Ep. 1, 8, 5:

pugnax et quasi bellatorins,

id. ib. 7, 9, 7:

laetior,

id. ib. 3, 18, 10; cf.:

diligentis stili anxietas,

Tac. Or. 39:

(Octavius) tragoediam magno impetu exorsus, non succedente stilo, abolevit,

Suet. Aug. 85:

affectatione obscurabat stilum,

id. Tib. 70:

stili dicendi duo sunt: unus est maturus et gravis, alter ardens erectus et infensus, etc.,

Macr. S. 5, 1; 6, 3.—

* 3.

A decision, verdict, opinion, App. M. 10, p. 242, 20.