magus Latin · revision 32952

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=81–43 BC, Cicero|origins=grc μάγος}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * Classical: [ˈma.ɡʊs]^(Wiktionary)

+ * Ecclesiastical: [ˈmaː.ɡus]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''magus''' (feminine maga, neuter magum); first/second-declension adjective^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|grc|μάγος|tr=mágos|t=magian, magician]].^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Wiktionary)^(Köbler 2010) The Greek word is from [[m|grc|Μάγος|tr=Mágos|t=Magian]], of an Old Iranian origin that is not clear;^(Wiktionary) Etymonline and Köbler cite an Old Persian word for magician.^(Etymonline)^(Köbler 2010) Apuleius says that the Persian word means what Latin calls a priest, and Porphyrio derived it from [[magnus]] “great”.^(TLL)^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Köbler dates it from Cicero,^(Köbler 2010) who writes of the magi of the Persians, a class held to be wise and learned.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It is first one of the Persian priests and diviners: Cicero says they do not bury their dead and practise augury and divination, and Pliny the Elder says the Gauls call their own magi Druids.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879) From this it is a magician or sorcerer: Horace asks what witch, what magician with Thessalian poisons could free someone, Ovid makes Hecate the helper of magicians' arts, and Tacitus reports decrees of the senate expelling astrologers and magicians from Italy.^(OLD 2012) As an adjective it is magic, in Ovid and Seneca.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(OLD 2012) Church Latin glosses it wise man, wizard or sorcerer,^(Stelten 1995) and in Medieval Latin it is a sorcerer, fortune-teller or astrologer.^(Niermeyer 1976) English ''Magi'' is from about 1200, ''magus'' from the late 14th century.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero of the Persian magi.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 65–8 BC – Horace of a magician with Thessalian poisons.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 43 BC–18 AD – Ovid of magicians' arts and of magic arts.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 98–115 AD – Tacitus of magicians expelled from Italy.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * c. 1200 – English ''Magi''.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # One of the Persian priests and diviners, a [[m|en|Magian]].^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Wiktionary)

+ # A [[m|en|magician]], [[m|en|sorcerer]];^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Wiktionary)^(Stelten 1995)^(Niermeyer 1976) ''(Medieval Latin)'' a fortune-teller, astrologer.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Wiktionary)^(Stelten 1995)^(Niermeyer 1976)

+

+ ===Adjective===

+ # [[m|en|magic|alt=Magic]], magical.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[magicus]]

+ * [[maga]]

+ * [[magīa]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[en|magus]]

+ * [[en|magic]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}