art Copy link Outline I. Human skill (as opposed to nature)1. mănus, ūs, f. (only in abl.)2. ŏpus, ĕris, n. (only in abl.)II. Any particular application of human skill1. ars, artis, f.2. artĭfĭcĭum (i.e. the practice of some craft, ars, hence a term of more respect than opificium, from opera3. ŏpus, ĕris, n.III. The principles of art, art in the abstractIV. Skill (q. v.) • art: I. Human skill (as opposed to nature): 1. mănus, ūs, f. (only in abl.): a town fortified both by natural situation and by a., oppidum et natura loci et manu munitum, Caes.: for what, either in nature or in the productions of a., can be found so well arranged? quid enim aut in natura aut in operibus manu factis tam compositum inveniri potest? Cic.: harbours made by a., portus manu facti, Cic.: without the a. and labour of men, sine hominum manu atque opera, Cic. 2. ŏpus, ĕris, n. (only in abl.): they found a place admirably fortified both by nature and by a., locum nacti sunt egregie et natura et opere munitum, Caes.: a camp very strongly fortified both by natural situation and by a., et opere et natura loci munitissima castra, Caes.: v. skill. II. Any particular application of human skill: 1. ars, artis, f.: shaping fire, the master of the other a.s, ignis artificiosus magister artium reliquarum, Cic.: liberal and refined a.s, ingenuae et humanae artes, Cic.: the fine a.s (but in a wider sense than our phrase, including rhetoric, poetry, etc.): artes elegantes et ingenuae, Cic. Fin. 3, 2, 4 (for our "fine arts" we may perhaps use, artes elegantiores): the rhetorical a.s, artes oratoriae, Cic.: to cultivate the fine a.s, artes liberales colere, Suet.: Ov.: to practise an a., artem exercere, Hor.: to be engaged in the practice of the liberal a.s, in ingenuis artibus versari, Cic.: you have devoted your attention to these a.s, his artibus studium tuum dedisti, Cic.: to study an a., arti studere, Cic.: is not medicine to be considered an a.? an medicina ars non putanda est? Cic.: healing a.s, medicae artes, Ov.: city a.s, i. e. jurisprudence and oratory, artes urbanae, Liv.: the a. of debating, i. e. logic, ars disserendi, Cic.: the a. of music, ars musica, Plin.. he published a book on the a. of gambling, de aleae arte librum emisit, Suet.: all artisans are employed in some mean (mechanical) a., opifices omnes in sordida arte versantur, Cic.: the a. of navigation, ars gubernandi or gubernatoris, Cic.: the works of a. which Parrhasius produced, artes quas Parrhasius protulit, Hor. 2. artĭfĭcĭum (i.e. the practice of some craft, ars, hence a term of more respect than opificium, from opera: the latter including the meanest manual occupations: cf. Cic. Off. 1, 42, 150): respecting a.s and occupations, which are to be considered liberal, which mean, we have learnt somewhat as follows, de a. et quaestibus qui liberales habendi, qui sordidi sint, haec fere accepimus, Cic.: I believe that the a.s had flourished in that island, credo magna a. fuisse in ea insula, Cic.: also in bad sense, the a. of deception, a. simulationis, Cic. 3. ŏpus, ĕris, n.: helmets chased in the Corinthian style of a., galeae caelatae opere Corinthio, Cic.: things made in the ancient style of a., antiquo opere facta, Cic.: they have plenty of Corinthian works of a., Corinthiis operibus abundant, Cic. III. The principles of art, art in the abstract: ars: Zeno holds that it is the special function of a. to create and produce, Zeno censet artis maxime proprium esse creare et gignere, Cic.: to reduce every thing to a. and rules, omnia ad artem et ad praecepta revocare, Cic.: a. is a surer guide than nature, ars est dux certior quam natura, Cic.: the thing seems to me to be very good in practice, but only tolerable in a., res mihi videtur esse facultate praeclara, arte mediocris, Cic. IV. Skill (q. v.): sollertia: Cic.