nummus — Lewis & Short
nummus (thus written in the better MSS., others nūmus), i (
I gen. plur. usu. nummūm, but nummorum, Plaut. Trin. 1, 2, 115; Cic. Verr. 2, 3, 49, § 117; Hor. S. 2, 3, 149, etc.), m. from root ne/mw; cf. numerus, a piece of money, a coin, money.
I In gen.:
adulterini,counterfeit money, Cic. Off. 3, 23, 91:
adulterati,Paul. Sent. 5, 25, 1:
aurei,Cic. Phil. 12, 8, 20:
plumbei,Plaut. Most. 4, 2, 11:
argenteus,Vulg. 1 Reg. 2, 36:
putat suos nummos vos comedisse,Cic. Att. 6, 1, 25:
habere in nummis,in ready money, id. Off. 8, 10, 1; Cic. Verr. 2, 3, 86, § 199; cf.:
(hominem) non modo in aere alieno nullo, sed in suis nummis multis esse et semper fuisse,id. ib. 2, 4, 6, § 11;
jactabatur enim temporibus illis nummus sic, ut nemo posset scire, quid haberet,the value of money fluctuated, id. Off. 3, 20, 80:
asper,i. e. not worn smooth by use, Pers. 3, 69; cf. Sen. Ep. 19, 10: crescit amor nummi, Juv 14, 139.—
II In partic.
A A Roman silver coin, called also nummus sestertius, and simply sestertius (v. sestertius), a sesterce:
eccos trīs nummos habes,Plaut. Men. 1, 4, 1:
cogit Scandilium quinque illa milia nummum dare atque annumerare Apronio,Cic. Verr. 2, 3, 60, § 140; cf. id. ib. 2, 3, 61, §
140: binis milibus nummum,Plin. 17, 1, 1, § 8; cf. for the gen. nummūm, Cic. Or. 46, 156, and v. Ritschl, prol. p. 89; gen. nummorum, Hor. Ep. 2, 2, 5; Suet. Aug. 46 fin.; id. Dom. 4 fin.; Plin. 8, 43, 68, § 167—With sestertius, Liv. 8, 11:
percipere mille nongentos quinquaginta sestertios nummos,Col. 3, 3, 9:
sestertiis sescentis nummis,id. 3, 3, 9, § 13.—
2 Transf., like our farthing, cent, to denote a very small sum, a trifle, low price, etc.:
assident, subducunt, ad nummum convenit,to a farthing, to a cent, Cic. Att. 5, 21, 12:
ecquis est ex tanto populo, qui bona C. Rabirii nummo sestertio sibi addici velit?at a farthing's value, id. Rab. Post. 17, 45; id. Fin. 2, 17, 55:
quae maxima inter vos habentur, divitiae, gratia, potentia, sestertio nummo aestimanda sunt,Sen. Ep. 95, 59:
damnatus ... et sestertio nummo veniit,Liv. Epit. 55; Plaut. Most. 1, 2, 34.—
B As a Greek coin, two drachmae (only in Plaut.): illi sunt drachumis miseri;
me nemo potest Minoris quisquam nummo, ut surgam, subigere,Plaut. Ps. 3, 2, 19: Me. Quibus hic pretiis porci veneunt sacres sinceri? Cy. Nummo, id. Men. 2, 2, 16; id. Ep. 1, 1, 52; id. Aul. 3, 2, 34.