play (subs.) Copy link Outline I. Recreation in general1. lūdus (the proper word to denote play as opp. to work)2. lūsus, ūs (act of playing)3. very often expr. by lūdo, si, sum, 3 (to be at p.)II. Mere p., as easy as p. lūdus (Gr. παιδιά)III. GamingIV. Free actionV. Movement, esp. of a quick or graceful kindVI. A theatrical pieceVII. In phr. fair play • play (subs.): I. Recreation in general: 1. lūdus (the proper word to denote play as opp. to work): to engage in exercise and p. in the campus, exercitatione l.que campestri uti, Cic. Coel. 5, init.: v. game. 2. lūsus, ūs (act of playing): to give children ivory letters by way of p., (infantibus) eburneas litterarum formas in lusum offerre, Quint. 1, 1, 26. (Not in Cic.) 3. very often expr. by lūdo, si, sum, 3 (to be at p.): to be with children when at p., *pueris ludentibus (dum ludunt) adesse: v. to play. II. Mere p., as easy as p. lūdus (Gr. παιδιά): Cic. de Or. 2, 17, 72. III. Gaming: ālea: v. gambling. IV. Free action: Phr.: a field in which eloquence may have full p., campus in quo possit exsultare oratio, Cic. Ac. 2, 35, init.: cf. Quint. 2, 17, 1, exspatiari et indulgere voluptati: his powers had not free p. owing to the narrowness of the subject, *in tantis rerum angustiis parum libere movebatur animus atque ingenium. V. Movement, esp. of a quick or graceful kind: argūtiae, arum: (quick) play of features, a. vultus, Plin. 35, 10, 36 § 67 (in Cic. Or. 18, 59, argutiae digitorum, denotes undignified gesticulation with the fingers): cf. Quint. 11, 3, 181, quare neque in gestu persequemur omnes argutias, i. e. every kind of p. of feature and person. Phr.: to make use of p. of hands or features, varias manus, diversos nutus adhibere, Quint. l. c.: cf. ib. § 184, actio paullo agitatior, i. e. a delivery marked by much gesticulation, or play of the features and person; p. of colours: v. iridescence. VI. A theatrical piece: fābŭla: to have a p. acted (teach the actors their parts), f. docere, Cic. Br. 18, 72: also, f. dare, id. Tusc. 1, 1, 3: to act a p., f. agere, Ter. Ad. prol. 12; to the end, f. peragere, Cic. Sen. 19, 70: a p. succeeds or is damned, f. stat, cadit, Hor. Ep. 2, 1, 176. Dimin., fabella, a short p.: Cic. Also the specific terms, tragoedia, comoedia, etc., may be used when needful: v. tragedy, comedy, etc. VII. In phr. fair play: Phr.: to see fair p., *videre ne quid malitiose (dolo malo) fiat; prospicere ut omnia ex aequo et bono fiant (cf. Cic. Caec. 23, 65, ex aequo et bono non ex callido versutoque jure rem judicari oportere): fair p. is a jewel, *nihil aequo et bono antiquius!