scaenicus

Forms

scaenicus (feminine scaenica, neuter scaenicum); first/second-declension adjective^[1] Also spelled scēnicus.^[2][3] Wiktionary takes scaenicus for a variant of scēnicus, an early hypercorrect spelling of /ɛː/ as ⟨ae⟩.^[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Ancient Greek σκηνικός (skēnikós, “of the stage”).^[2][4][3][5] VOLI gives it as derived from scaena (“stage”),^[6] whose spelling with ⟨ae⟩ it shares.^[2]

Earliest recorded meaning

Köbler records it first in Terence,^[7] whose prologue to the Hecyra says scībam dubiam fortūnam esse scaenicam, “I knew that fortune on the stage is uncertain”, and speaks of lūdī scaenicī.^[8][3]

Semantic evolution

Its basic sense is “of the stage”: lūdī scaenicī were theatrical shows, as opposed to races and other contests,^[2][3] Varro speaks of poētae scaenicī, dramatic poets,^[3][8] and Cicero of artificēs scaenicī, actors.^[2][3] As a masculine noun it is an actor, used by Cicero, Quintilian and Suetonius,^[3] and Tacitus calls Nero ille scaenicus, “that stage player”, as a reproach.^[8][9] It also took a disparaging sense, theatrical or melodramatic: Quintilian speaks of a scurrilous dicācitās scaenica.^[2][3] Ovid has scaenica adulteria, adulteries shown on the stage,^[2][3] a sense that led to “feigned”: Florus calls the pretender Andriscus a stage king.^[9][2] Late Latin has a feminine noun scaenica, an actress, in Ambrose and the Code of Justinian.^[9] Medieval writers in Britain used it of theatrical shows and gestures.^[5]

Timeline

• 190–159 BC – Terence speaks of the fortune of the stage.^[8][7]
• 116–27 BC – Varro has poētae scaenicī.^[3][8]
• 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of actors.^[2][7]
• 43 BC–18 AD – Ovid writes of adulteries shown on the stage.^[2][3]
• c. 35–95/96 AD – Quintilian uses it of theatrical wit and gesture.^[2][3]
• 98–115 AD – Tacitus calls Nero ille scaenicus.^[8]
• Late Latin – Ambrose has scaenica, an actress.^[9]

Meanings

Adjective

1. Of the stage, theatrical, dramatic;^[2][3][10] lūdī scaenicī, theatrical shows (as opposed to the games of the circus).^[2][3][10]
2. Of persons, appearing on the stage.^[2]
3. Typical of the stage;^[2][3] (disparaging) theatrical, melodramatic.^[2][3]
4. Represented on the stage;^[2][9] (figuratively) pretended, fictitious.^[2][9]

Noun

1. An actor, stage performer.^[2][3][9]
2. (Late Latin) (feminine scaenica) An actress.^[9]

Related words

• scaena

References

1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
4. ^ Saalfeld, Günther Alexander (1874), Index Graecorum vocabulorum in linguam latinam translatorum, Berlin: Weidmann
5. ^ a b Latham, R. E., D. R. Howlett, R. K. Ashdowne, et al. (1975–2013), Dictionary of Medieval Latin from British Sources, London: British Academy / Oxford University Press
6. ^ Bianchi, Rossella; Lelli, Olga (2014), VOLI: Vocabolario di latino, Florence: Le Monnier
7. ^ a b c Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
8. ^ a b c d e f Conte, Gian Biagio; Pianezzola, Emilio; Ranucci, Giuliano (2010), il Latino: Vocabolario della lingua latina, 3rd ed., Florence: Le Monnier
9. ^ a b c d e f g h Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn
10. ^ a b Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson