PRINCIPLE Copy link • PRINCIPLEOrigin, principium: origo. Maxim laid down, opinion, practical sentiment, dogma (δόγμα), or, pure Latin, decretum, or (post-Augustan) placitum, or scitum (of philosophers; Vid: Cic., Acad., 2, 43, 133; 2, 9, 27 and 29; Sen., Ep., 95, 9): ratio (at the foundation of thinking and acting; of philosophers and others. ☞ In this sense principium is not Latin): consilium (rule for a rational mode of acting): praeceptum (a precept regulating actions, a rule; also, a maxim of a philosopher, as Hor., Ep., 1, 1, 18; Sen., Ep., 95, 12; different from praeceptio): institutum (that which use or custom has established as a rule, different from institutio). (The words are found in this connection and order.) praecepta institutaque philosophiae; sententia (an opinion): judicium, also with animi (a conviction, view, founded on judgement): regula alicujus rei or ad quam aliquid dirigitur (rule by which one directs himself in anything, that which one ought to follow in anything: ☞ never without a genitive of the object, etc.; e.g., eadem utilitatis quae honestatis est regula = the same principle avails for, etc., Cic., Off., 3, 18, 75): lex (law, rule for direction, as Cic., De Or., 2, 15, 62, primam esse historiae legem): principles of sound reason, integra certaque ratio (Vid: Cic., Tusc., 4, 17, 38): principles for our conduct in life, ratio vitae; ratio ac vita: the principles of an individual, quid quisque sentit (sentiat): firm principles, ratio firma stabilisque: a man of firm principles, homo constans (true to his character): homo gravis (of strict moral principle): a person of no fixed principles, homo levis; of corrupt principles, homo impurus (Vid: Ter., Eun., 2, 2, 4; Cic., Lael., 16, 59): one who acts up to his principles, vir sui judicii (according to his conviction, whereas vir sui arbitrii would be one who acts according to his own will and pleasure): from principle, ratione (agreeably to adopted principle): judicio, animi quodam judicio (from certain conviction): doctrina (from instruction; opposed to natura = from natural inclination; Vid: Nep., Att., 17, 3): to remain true to one’s principle, rationem et institutionem suam conservare; sibi constare; obtinere eandem antiquam rationem (of conduct): in pristinis sententiis permanere (of opinions): to change one’s principles, mutare animi judicium: to adopt the principles of anybody, alicujus rationem suscipere: to have principles, sentire, with an adverb expressing the nature of the principles; as, recte (correct), bene (good), male (bad), humiliter demisseque (low), temere (not firm): this is my principle, mea sic est ratio.