be Copy link Outline 1. sum, fui, esseA. Denoting simple existenceB. In connection with attributives, denoting a definite manner of being; the verb being merely the logical copula2. exsisto, stĭti, stĭtum, 33. versor, 1 (to go in and out amongst; be engaged or situated in any particular way)4. hăbĕo, 2 (usu. with pron. reflect.; but the reflect. form is sometimes used; and the verb may be employed as an impersonal • be: 1. sum, fui, esse: A. Denoting simple existence: (i) In a simple proposition: there is a river Arar, flumen est Arar, Caes.: the most worthless fellow of all who are, have been, or shall be, homo nequissimus omnium qui sunt, qui fuerunt, qui futuri sunt, Cic. (ii) When a relative clause follows, its verb is in the indic. when it states a fact; but in the subj. when it expresses a mere conception, or implies contingency: there are some who do not dare to say what they think, sunt qui quod sentiunt non audent dicere, Cic. (with reference to certain persons): yet there are offences which (= of such a kind that) we should be willing to forgive, sunt delicta tamen quibus ignovisse velimus, Hor. (iii) The perfect tenses sometimes denote the cessation of existence: we Trojans have been, Troy has been, and the great glory of the Teucrians, fuimus Troes, fuit Ilium, et ingens gloria Teucrorum, Virg.: they have ceased to be, fuerunt (Cic.'s announcement of the death of the conspirators). (iv) The dat. is often used with sum to denote with what the subject of the verb is connected or to what it belongs: their private property was scanty, privatus illis census erat brevis, Hor.: the name of this place too is Troy, Trojae et huic loco nomen est, Liv. (concerning the double dat., v. L. G. § 297). (v) The Latin verb is employed elliptically = to be the fact, to be possible, &c.: what do you wish me to say to you except what is the fact? quid tibi vis dicam nisi quod est? Pl.: what you say, Laelius, is true, sunt ista, Laeli, Cic.: there is no reason why we should say much, non est quod multa loquamur, Hor.: which it is not possible to say in verse, quod versu dicere non est, Hor. B. In connection with attributives, denoting a definite manner of being; the verb being merely the logical copula: (i) we are at leisure, otiosi sumus, Cic.: sometimes with an adv.: as, that enterprise was unsuccessful for the Volsci, frustra id inceptum Volscis fuit, Liv. (with an adv. however to be is often expr. by habeo: v. infr. 4). (ii) When a subs. and an adj. together are employed to describe, in connection with the verb "be," they are in Latin put in either the abl. or the gen.: let your friends and mine be of good cheer, bono animo sint et tui et mei familiares, Cic.: I confess that I have been too fearful, spiritless, nimium me timidum, nullius animi fuisse confiteor, Cic. (iii) "To be a duty, characteristic," &c. is often expressed by sum with a gen.: rashness is characteristic of youth, prudence of age, temeritas est florentis aetatis, prudentia senescentis, Cic.: it is the duty of a young man to respect his elders, est adolescentis majores natu vereri, Cic.: Ptolemy was subject to the will of others, Ptolemaeus alieni arbitrii erat, Liv. (iv) The objector result (in Eng. simply a predicate) is sometimes expressed by a dat. dependent on sum (v. L. G. § 296): you think that this country life ought to be a reproach and subject of accusation, vitam hanc rusticam tu probro et crimini putas esse oportere, Cic. 2. exsisto, stĭti, stĭtum, 3: this is (= arises; q. v.) chiefly the case in the greatest intellects, id in maximis ingeniis exsistit maxime, Cic.: I fear that I am too severe towards him, timeo ne in eum exsistam crudelior, Cic.: v. to prove, turn out (intr.). 3. versor, 1 (to go in and out amongst; be engaged or situated in any particular way): they saw that the enemy were in our camp, hostes in nostris castris versari videbant, Caes.: nor shall I be able to be among them without disgrace, nec v. inter eos sine dedecore potero, Cic.: you know not in what great distress I am, nescis quantis in malis verser, Ter.: they are now in peace, illi nunc in pace versantur, Cic. 4. hăbĕo, 2 (usu. with pron. reflect.; but the reflect. form is sometimes used; and the verb may be employed as an impersonal: esp. of manner of being, and hence usu. with adv.): he seemed to be not very ill, videbatur se non graviter habere, Cic.: I am well, ego me bene habeo, Tac.: I long to know how the matter is, scire aveo quomodo res se habeat, Cic.: as is the case with most human affairs, sicuti pleraque mortalium habentur, Sall.: it is well, bene habet, Cic.: you tell great news, hardly credible,--and yet it is even so, magnum narras, vix credibile;--atqui sic habet, Hor. Phr.: so the matter is, ita dat se res, poet. ap. Cic.: just as the time and circumstance might be, prout tempus ac res se daret, Liv.: they were within a little of being killed, haud multum abfuit quin interficerentur, Liv.: it would be tedious to relate, longum est (not esset) dicere, Cic. (For to be well or ill, v. well, ill, etc.)