1. nītor — Lewis & Short
nītor, nīsus and nixus (
I inf. nitier, Lucr. 1, 1059; old form of the part. perf.: gnitus et gnixus a genibus prisci dixerunt, Paul. ex Fest. p. 96 Müll.), 3, v. dep. n. [from gnitor; root gnic- or gnig-; cf.: nico, conivere], to bear or rest upon something.
I Lit.
(a) With abl.: ambae te obsecramus genibus nixae, we implore thee upon our knees, i. e. kneeling, Plaut. Rud. 3, 3, 33:
stirpibus suis niti,Cic. Tusc. 5, 13, 37:
herbescens viriditas, quae nixa fibris stirpium sensim adulescit,id. Sen. 15, 51:
hastili nixus,id. Rab. Perd. 7, 21:
mulierculā nixus,Cic. Verr. 2, 5, 33, § 86:
juvenis, qui nititur hastā,Verg. A. 6, 760:
paribus nitens Cyllenius alis Constitit,id. ib. 4, 252:
nixus baculo,Ov. P. 1, 8, 52.—
(b) With in and acc.:
nixus in hastam,Verg. A. 12, 398.—
(g) With de:
de quā pariens arbore nixa dea est,Ov. H. 21, 100.—
(d) With gen. of place:
humi nitens,Verg. A. 2, 380.—(e) Absol.: Sisiphu' versat Saxum sudans nitendo, Poët. ap. Cic. Tusc. 1, 5, 10:
niti modo ac statim concidere,to strive to rise, Sall. J. 101, 11.—
B Transf.
1 To make one's way with an effort, to press forward, advance; and, with respect to the goal, to mount, climb, fly, etc. (mostly poet.):
quaedam serpentes ortae extra aquam simul ac primum niti possunt, aquam persequuntur,Cic. N. D. 2, 48, 124:
nituntur gradibus,Verg. A. 2, 442:
in altas rupes,Luc. 4, 37:
ad sidera,Verg. G. 2, 427:
in aëra,Ov. P. 2, 7, 27:
in adversum,id. M. 2, 72:
sursum nitier,Lucr. 1, 1059.—Of violent bodily motion:
niti corporibus et ea huc illuc, quasi vitabundi aut jacientes tela agitare,to struggle, Sall. J. 60, 4.—
2 To strain in giving birth, to bring forth, Plin. 9, 35, 54, § 107 (al. eniti):
nitor,I am in labor, Ov. M. 9, 302; Pseud.-Ov. Her. 21, 100.—
3 To strain for a stool, Suet. Vesp. 20.—
II Trop.
A To strive, to exert one's self, make an effort, labor, endeavor:
moderatio modo virium adsit et tantum, quantum potest, quisque nitatur,Cic. Sen. 10, 33; Nep. Att. 15, 2:
nisurus contra regem,Caes. B. C. 2, 37; Sall. C. 38, 2:
pro aliquo,Liv. 35, 10; cf.:
pro libertate summā ope niti,Sall. J. 31, 17:
nitebantur, ne gravius in eum consuleretur,Sall. J. 13, 8; cf.:
unus Miltiades maxime nitebatur, ut, etc.,Nep. Milt. 4, 2. —Inf.:
summā vi Cirtam irrumpere nititur,Sall. J. 25, 9:
patriam recuperare niti,Nep. Pelop. 2:
ingenio nitor non periisse meo,Ov. P. 3, 5, 34; id. M. 8, 694.—Absol., of soldiers hard pressed in battle:
tamen virtute et patientia nitebantur atque omnia vulnera sustinebant,Caes. B. C. 1, 45.—
2 To strive after a thing:
ad immortalitatem gloriae niti,Cic. Sen. 23, 82:
ad summa, Quint. prooem. § 20: in vetitum,Ov. Am. 3, 4, 17.—
3 To try to prove, contend in argument, argue, with acc. and inf.:
nitamur igitur nihil posse percipi,Cic. Ac. 2, 21, 68.—
B To rest, rely, depend upon a thing.
(a) With in and abl.:
nixus in nomine inani,Lucr. 5, 909:
conjectura in quā nititur divinatio,Cic. Div. 2, 26, 55:
ea, in quibus causa nititur,id. Cael. 10, 25:
cujus in vitā nitebatur salus civitatis,id. Mil. 7, 19.—
(b) With abl.:
spe niti,Cic. Att. 3, 9, 2:
consilio atque auctoritate alicujus,id. Off. 1, 34, 122; id. Fam. 1, 5, a, 2:
si quis hoc uno nititur quod sit ignobilis,id. Clu. 40, 112.—
(g) With ubi:
quo confugies? ubi nitere?Cic. Verr. 2, 2, 64, § 155.—Hence, P. a., as subst., Nixus, i, m., only plur., Nixi, ōrum, m., three guardian deities of women in labor, the statues of whom, representing them in a kneeling posture, stood on the Capitol before the chapel of Minerva, Paul. ex Fest. p. 174 Müll.:
magno Lucinam Nixosque patres clamore vocabam,Ov. M. 9, 294.