1. saltem — Lewis & Short
saltem (sometimes in MSS. saltim; cf. adv.old acc. form, from salvus, salus. prop.,
Aus. Ep. 7, 23; and Prisc. p. 1013 P.),I saved, reserved (salvā re; compare Engl. save, except). It serves to point out that which still remains or holds good, in spite of or by way of exception to something opposed to it; and accordingly is used (like certe, II.) as a restrictive particle, at least, at the least, at all events, anyhow.
I Affirmatively (class.).
A With a statement of the opposite:
si illud non licet, Saltem hoc licebit,Ter. Eun. 4, 2, 12; Plaut. Capt. 3, 1, 26:
semper tu hoc facito cogites, tute uti sis optimus: Si id nequeas, saltem ut optimis sis proximus,id. Trin. 2, 4, 86; cf. Quint. 10, 1, 127:
saltem accurate, ut metui videar, si resciverim,Ter. And. 3, 2, 14:
impetrabo, ut aliquot saltem nuptiis prodat dies,id. ib. 2, 1, 13:
si alia membra vino madeant, cor sit saltem sobrium,Plaut. Truc. 4, 4, 2:
etsi istuc mihi acerbum'st ... saltem id volupe est, cum, etc.,id. Mil. 4, 5, 12:
quo provocati a me venire noluerunt, revocati saltem revertantur,Cic. Agr. 3, 1, 1:
attrepidate saltem, nam vos approperare haud postulo,Plaut. Poen. 3, 1, 41; cf.:
vere nihil potes dicere: finge aliquid saltem commode,Cic. Rosc. Am. 19, 54; id. Fl. 13, 35:
eripe mihi hunc dolorem aut minue saltem,id. Att. 9, 6, 5: neque iis (militibus) posse persuaderi, ut eum defendant aut sequantur saltem, * Caes. B. C. 1, 6; Quint. 6, 5, 1; Plaut. Merc. 3, 4, 52: utinam quietis temporibus atque aliquo, si non bono, at saltem certo statu civitatis haec inter nos studia exercere possemus! Cic. Fam. 9, 8, 2; id. Pis. 11, 24.—In a question:
quis ego sum saltem, si non sum Sosia?tell me, at least, who I am; then who am I, pray? Plaut. Am. 1, 2, 282.—
B Without mention of the opposite:
istuc sapienter saltem fecit filius,Plaut. Bacch. 2, 3, 103:
saltem aliquem velim, qui mihi ex his locis viam monstret,id. Rud. 1, 3, 29:
saltem Pseudolum mihi dedas,id. Ps. 4, 7, 127:
saltem aliquid de pondere detraxisset,Cic. Fin. 4, 20, 57:
nunc saltem ad illos calculos revertamur,id. Att. 8, 12, 5:
saltem tenet hoc nos,Hor. S. 1, 6, 44:
ut opperiare hos sex dies saltem modo,Plaut. Ps. 1, 3, 87; cf.:
triduom hoc saltem,id. Truc. 4, 4, 21:
saltem tantisper, dum, etc.,id. Rud. 4, 4, 146:
antehac quidem sperare saltem licebat: nunc etiam id ereptum est,Cic. Fam. 12, 23, 3:
at grammatici saltem omnes descendent,Quint. 1, 4, 7. This last mode of enunciation forms the transition to its use,
II With the negatives non, neque, to indicate that not even a single remaining thing specified holds good; and, consequently, = ne ... quidem, not at least, not even, nor even (so perh. only since the Aug. per.):
ibi tribuni militum non praemunito vallo, non deorum saltem, si non hominum, memores, nec auspicato, etc. ... instruunt aciem,Liv. 5, 38; 2, 43, 8; 6, 2, 19; Quint. 10, 7, 20; Plin. Pan. 82, 1; App. M. 7, p. 194, 33 al.:
neque enim mihi illud saltem placet, quod, etc.,Quint. 1, 1, 24; cf.:
nec vero saltem iis sufficiat, etc.,id. 10, 2, 15:
non fratrem, non patruum saltem porta tenus obvium,Tac. A. 3, 5 fin.:
nec deformitate istā saltem flumina carebant atque amnes,Plin. Pan. 82, 3:
ut ipsum iter neque impervium neque saltem durum putent,Quint. 12, 11, 11:
nec mihi statuta saltem cibaria praestabantur,App. M. 7, p. 194, 33.—Cf. with vix:
illud vix saltem praecipiendum videtur, ne, etc.,Quint. 6, 4, 15.—After ne ... quidem:
ut ne a sententiis quidem ac verbis saltem singulis possit separari,Quint. 6, 5, 1.