praetextus Latin · revision 34048

+ {{homograph|1|bordered; wearing the toga praetexta}}

+

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=81–43 BC, Cicero|origins=ine-pro *teḱ-s-}}

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''praetextus''' (feminine praetexta, neuter praetextum); first/second-declension participle^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ Used as an adjective, it is the past participle [[der|la|praetexō|t=to weave in front, border]].^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879) That verb is [[m|la|prae-|t=in front]] with [[m|la|texō|t=to weave]], which de Vaan traces to [[itc-pro|*tekse/o-]] and [[ine-pro|*teḱ-s-|t=to fashion]].^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Cicero uses ''toga praetexta'', the purple-bordered toga, of the dress of curule magistrates and of a girl's toga.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Above all it is used in the phrase ''toga praetexta'', the toga with a purple border worn by curule magistrates and by children until manhood;^(OLD 2012) Cicero speaks of youthful loves laid aside with the ''praetexta''.^(OLD 2012) Poets vary it, as Propertius' ''praetextus amictus''.^(OLD 2012) Of persons it means clothed in the ''praetexta'': Propertius has a senate so dressed.^(OLD 2012) Festus reports that some explained ''praetextus sermō'' as obscene talk, because children wearing the ''praetexta'' were forbidden to use obscene words.^(OLD 2012) Quintilian has a figure: one cannot hope for a bordered toga when the opening is dark.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero of the toga of magistrates and children.^(OLD 2012)

+ * 59 BC–17 AD – Livy of a toga a priest bids someone put on.^(OLD 2012)

+ * 57/46–12 BC – Propertius of a senate in bordered togas.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # ''toga praetexta'': the purple-bordered [[m|en|toga]] of curule magistrates and children.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+ # Clothed in the toga praetexta.^(OLD 2012)

+ # ''praetextus sermō'': obscene talk, in an ancient explanation.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ {{homograph|2|show; pretext}}

+

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=59 BC–17 AD, Livy|origins=la praetexō}}

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''praetextus''' ''m'' (genitive praetextūs); fourth declension^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ The noun is [[af|la|praetexō|-tus|t1=to weave in front; to allege as an excuse]].^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(TLL)^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Köbler dates it from Livy,^(Köbler 2010) who writes of a decree made in favour of a king under a mild pretext of words.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It is an outward appearance or show, as in Tacitus, and above all a pretext or pretence, almost always in ''sub praetextū'' “under the pretext of”: Petronius has a man seek another's blood under pretext of a search, and the jurists use it often.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879) Lewis & Short find it only in the ablative singular; the TLL finds a nominative only in the Justinian Code and glosses, and an accusative perhaps in Gregory the Great.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(TLL) Church Latin glosses it pretext, excuse.^(Stelten 1995) In Medieval Latin ''sub praetextū'' also means “by way of, as”, and “with such a proviso”, and in charters it marks a reserved right of ownership.^(Niermeyer 1976)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 59 BC–17 AD – Livy of a pretext.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * before 66 AD – Petronius.^(OLD 2012)^(TLL)

+ * 98–115 AD – Tacitus of outward show.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # Outward appearance, show, display.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+ # A [[m|en|pretext]], pretence, [[m|en|excuse]], especially ''sub praetextū''.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Stelten 1995)

+ # ''(Medieval Latin)'' ''sub praetextū'': by way of; with such a proviso.^(Niermeyer 1976)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[praetexo|alt=praetexō]]

+ * [[praetexta]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}