The firste or principall matter whereof al things take their beginning, whereof bee foure, fire, aire, water, earth. Also a letter, as A. B. &c. Molestiæ elementorum. Quint. The griefe or paine in teaching the firste principles. Primæ indolis elementa. Statius. The firste principles that youth learne. Acuta elementa. Lucr. Grandia elementa. Ouid. Prima literarum elementa. Quint. Prima elementa. Hor. Tractare prima elementa. Qui. Irarum elemÊta mearum. Sil. The first causes of my anger. Elementa loquendi. Cic. The first principles or instructions of right speaking. Rationis elementa inire. Lucr. Vitiorum elementa. Iuuen.

I. Lit., in plur.: nec de elementis video dubitari quatuor esse ea, Plin. 2, 5, 4, 10; Lucr. 1, 827; 913; 2, 393 et saep.; Cic. Ac. 1, 7, 26; Sen. Q. N. 3, 12 sq.; Quint. 2, 17, 38; 3, 8, 31; Ov. M. 15, 237; 1, 29; Vulg. 2 Pet. 3, 10.—In sing., Plin. 10, 69, 88, 191; 11, 36, 42, 119; 31, 1, 1, 1; Juv. 15, 86; Amm. 17, 13: quia ignis inviolabile sit elementum, Lact. 1, 12 med.; 7, 9 al.—

II. Transf.

A. The alphabet, Suet. Caes. 56 (cf. Prisc. 538 P.).—More freq.,

B. Transf., the first principles, rudiments, in the arts and sciences (cf. doctrina, praecepta).

1. In gen.: puerorum, Cic. de Or. 1, 35, 163; cf. Quint. prooem. 21; 1, 1, 35; Hor. S. 1, 1, 26; id. Ep. 1, 20, 17 et saep.: loquendi, Cic. Ac. 2, 28 fin.; cf. id. de Or. 2, 11, 45; Quint. 2, 3, 13; Ov. M. 9, 719 et saep.—

2. In partic.

a. The ten categories of Aristotle, Quint. 3, 6, 23 sq. Spald.—

b. Meton., elementary scholars, beginners: vix se prima elementa ad spem effingendae eloquentiae audebunt, Quint. 1, 2, 26.—

C. The beginnings of other things: prima Romae, Ov. F. 3, 179: prima Caesaris, id. ib. 709: cupidinis pravi, Hor. C. 3, 24, 52; cf. irarum, Sil. 3, 77: vitiorum, Juv. 14, 123 al.