prudence Copy link Outline 1. prūdentia (a more comprehensive and profound word than Eng. = Gr. φρόνηοις· it includes well-grounded knowledge, especially of things good and their opposites2. săpientia3. circumspectio (rare)4. expr. by neut. of consultus, consīdĕrātus (comp. L. G. § 538) • prudence: 1. prūdentia (a more comprehensive and profound word than Eng. = Gr. φρόνηοις· it includes well-grounded knowledge, especially of things good and their opposites: it also occurs in the more limited sense: cf. Cic. Sen. 6, extr., where it is the antithesis of temeritas; i. e. wise sagacity opp. to recklessness and thoughtlessness): p. in private affairs is usually called domestic, p. in suis rebus domestica appellari solet, Cic. Part. 22, 76: cf. id. Off. 1, 40, 143, where prudentia is spoken of as a knowledge of opportunity. 2. săpientia: v. WISDOM. 3. circumspectio (rare): Join: circumspectio et accurata consideratio, Cic. Ac. 2, 11, 35 (where however an act of mind rather than a quality is spoken of). 4. expr. by neut. of consultus, consīdĕrātus (comp. L. G. § 538): he showed no p. or forethought, *nihil in eo consulti nec considerati erat; omnia temere inconsulteque agebantur. See also caution.