To assure: to make stable or sure: to make strong: to satissie: to affirme. Tabulis hoc Censorum, memoria multorum firmabo ac docebo. Cic. I wil consirme and prooue it. Ad spem aliquem firmare. Tacit. To animate or cause one to hope. Aciem firmare. Liu. Aditus. Tacit. Vide ADITVS. Æstuaria proxima aggeribus & pontibus traducendo grauiori agmini firmar. Tacit He fortifieth, &c. Firmare agrum sepibus. Pli. To inclose a ground with hedges: to hedge aboute. Firmare aluum. Plin. To binde the bellie: to make costiue. Animum alicui Ouid. To comforte one, and put him out of feare: to animate. Animum aduersum suprema firmat. Tacit. Firmarunt robore castra. Sil. They fortified. Cohortes firmare. Tacir. Aduersum venena multis antea medicaminibus corpus firmauerat. Pli. iun. He had strengthned, &c. Corpora cibo firmare. Liui. To strengthen the bodies with meate. Firmare labore corpora iuuenum. Cicer. To harden the bodies of yong men with labour. Dotem firmare. Tere. To put in assurance what he will giue with his danghter. Fidem. Ter. To coufirme his promise: to make assurãce of, &c. Firmare fidem alicui rei. Terent. To make that men wil beltene it. Fides antiquitatis religione firmatur. Tacitus. The credit of antiquitie is consir med with, &c. Fœdera sirmare dictis. Virg. To confirme a league. Imperium firmare. Ci. To est ablish. Cæteris belli meditamentis militem firmabant. Taci. They confirmed and animated the souldiors with, &c. Mœnia vrbis sirmauit. Tibul. Hefortified. Firmat & auget etiam latronum opes iustitia. Cic. Grauitate quadam firmare orationem. Cic. His rebus pace firmata. Cæsar. By this meanes peace beeing established and conftrmed. Præsidia alicuius firmare. Cic. Promissa numine sirmat. Ouid. Hee confirmeth his promise with an othe.

Firme: stable: constant: wel fortified: assured: strong: in good health: lustie. Firmus accusator. Cic. A sure accuser that wauereth not. Firma oculorum acies Ouid. A stedfaste looke. Firma amicitia. Terent. Sure and stedefaste. Amore firmo vinctus. Ouid. Argumenta firma ad probandum. Cic. Strong. Firma & constans assensio. Cic. Carina firma. Ouid. A strong shippe. Cibus sirmus: cui opponitur Imbecillis. Cels. A strong meat that giueth substantial nourishment. Stabilis & firma ciuitas. Cice. Valens & firma ciuitas. Cic. A strong citie and wel fortified. Satis firmo corpore nondum esse. Cic. Not to bee yet of perfire good health. Omnino firmos duces exercitus habere. Cic. Firma fides. Plaut. Constant truth and faithfulnesse not mutable. Fundus nec vendibilis, nec pascere firmus. Horatius. Neither good and substantiall to feede cattel. Gener firmus. Terent. A sure sonne in lawe that will loue his wiues sather. Ianua firma. Ouid. Iuuenis firmus. Horat. Strong and mightie. Mens firma permanet in suo voto. Ouid. Nuptiæ firmæ. Terent. A sure marriage without breache. Fitma & stabilis opinio de aliqua re Cic. Firmum pectus. Plaut. A constant heart. Potestas firma rerum Val. Flac. Potio firma. Cels. A strong nourishing drinke. Firmissima præsidia vitæ sine metu degendæ. Cic. Robora firma. Virg. Rumor firmus. Cic. A constant rumor. In firmiore spe esse. Cic. To haue a surer hope. Firmior valetudo. Plin. Better health: more heal thinesse. Vina firmisima. Virg. Strong wines long continuing. Vincula firma. Ouid. Vires firmæ Ouid. Firmum ad defensionem. Cicer. Strong or sure to defende one. Nihilo firmior ad dolorem ferendum. Cicer. Nothing more animated or hartie to abide sorrowe. Fideliter firmum. Quint.

I. Lit.: lacertos, Lucr. 6, 397: corpora juvenum firmari labore voluerunt, Cic. Tusc. 2, 15, 36: corpora cibo, Liv. 27, 13 fin.: vexatos milites quiete, Curt. 9, 10: praegnantes largo pascuo, Col. 6, 27, 10: bitumen aeramentis illinitur firmatque ea contra ignes, Plin. 35, 15, 51, 182: remedium ad dentium mobilĭs firmandos, id. 21, 31, 105, 180: aestuaria aggeribus et pontibus, Tac. A. 4, 73: vestigia, Verg. A. 3, 659: gradum, Quint. 9, 4, 129: alvum solutam, to bind, Cels. 1, 3; Plin. 14, 18, 22, 117.—

II. Trop.

A. In gen., to fortify, strengthen, secure; to make lasting, durable, permanent: (Romulus) urbem auspicato condere, et firmare dicitur primum cogitavisse rem publicam, Cic. Rep. 2, 3; cf.: urbem colonis firmare, id. ib. 2, 18; so, novam civitatem, id. ib. 2, 7: provinciam pace praesidiisque, id. Fam. 1, 7, 4: locum magnis munitionibus, Caes. B. G. 6, 29, 3: turres praesidiis, Sall. J. 23, 1: aditum urbis, Verg. A. 11, 466: aciem subsidiis, Liv. 9, 17, 15: latronum opes firmare atque augere, Cic. Off. 2, 11, 40; in aliquos imperium, id. Sull. 11, 32: vocem, id. de Or. 3, 61, 227: firmari consuetudine, Quint. 11, 3, 24: quorum (hominum) cum adolescentiae cupiditates defervissent, eximiae virtutes firmata jam aetate exstiterunt, Cic. Cael. 18, 43; cf.: animus adolescentis nondum consilio ac ratione firmatus, id. Clu. 6, 13: firmata stirpe virtutis, id. Cael. 32, 79: pacem amicitiamque, Liv. 9, 3, 10: memoria praecipue firmatur atque alitur exercitatione, Quint. 1, 1, 36; so, memoriam, id. 2, 4, 15: opinio omnium gentium firmata consensu, Cic. Div. 1, 1, 1: non tamen pro firmato stetit magistratus ejus jus, Liv. 4, 7, 3.—

B. In partic.

1. To strengthen in resolution, to encourage, animate: cujus adventus Pompeianos compressit nostrosque firmavit, ut, etc., Caes. B. C. 3, 65, 2: donec firmaret consilio patres auctor, Hor. C. 3, 5, 46: suos, Just. 2, 11: plebem hinc provocatione, hinc tribunicio auxilio, Liv. 3, 55: cunctos alloquio et cura sibique et proelio, Tac. A. 1, 71: animum exemplis, id. ib. 16, 35: animum praesenti pignore, Verg. A. 3, 611: firmatus animi, Sall. Hist. Fragm. 3, 24, p. 236 ed. Gerl. (ap. Arus. Mess. p. 232 ed. Lindem.).—

2. In fidelity, to make sure of, secure: civitates obsidibus, Hirt. B. G. 8, 27.—

3. to confirm, show, prove; to affirm, assert, declare, promise the correctness or truth of a circumstance, statement, etc. (less freq. than confirmo, affirmo): cum intelligat, quam multa firmentur jure jurando, Cic. Leg. 2, 7, 16: si vis et natura fati ex divinationis ratione firmabitur, id. Fat. 5, 11: firmatam dare fidem, Plaut. Mil. 2, 5, 45; so, fidem, Ter. And. 3, 1, 4; id. Hec. 4, 2, 5: vix quidquam firmare ausim, Tac. A. 1, 81; 6, 6; id. H. 2, 9: hoc genus in rebus firmandum est multa prius quam Ipsius rei rationem reddere possis, to prove, Lucr. 6, 917: da augurium, atque haec omina firma, Verg. A. 2, 691; so, numina, id. ib. 8, 78.—

(b). With object-clauses: seque et ibi futurum, ubi praescripserit et ea facturum, quae imperarit obsidibus datis firmat, Hirt. B. G. 8, 48, 9; cf.: paratis omnium animis reversuros firmaverunt, Tac. H. 2, 9: firmare necesse est, nil esse in promptu, etc., Lucr. 6, 940.—In pass. with a subject-clause: sata bene provenire firmantur, Pall. 11, 12.

II. Deriv.: Firmānus, a, um, adj., of or belonging to Firmum, Firmian: cohors, Liv. 44, 40: L. Tarutius Firmanus, of Firmum, Cic. Div. 2, 47, 98: audivi ex Gavio hoc Firmano, id. Att. 4, 8, b, 3: fratres, id. ib.— Subst.: Firmāni, ōrum, m., the inhabitants of Firmum, Firmians, Cic. Phil. 7, 9, 23.—Castellum Firmānōrum, the port of Firmum, regarded as a separate place, now Porto di Fermo, Plin. 3, 13, 18, 111.

I. Lit.: nos fragili vastum ligno sulcavimus aequor: Quae tulit Aesoniden, firma carina fuit, Ov. P. 1, 4, 35: robora, Verg. A. 2, 481: arbor, Ov. A. A. 2, 652: vincula, id. F. 1, 370: janua, i. e. shut fast, id. Am. 2, 12, 3; cf. sera, id. P. 1, 2, 24: solum, Curt. 5, 1: firmioris testae murices, Plin. 9, 33, 52, 102: sunt et Amineae vites, firmissima vina. Verg. G. 2, 97: firmo cibo pasta pecus, strengthening, Varr. R. R. 2, 11, 2: firmius est triticum quam milium: id ipsum quam hordeum: ex tritico firmissima siligo, Cels. 2, 18: effice ut valeas, et ut ad nos firmus ac valens quam primum venias, Cic. Fam. 16, 8, 1 and 2; cf.: mihi placebat, si firmior esses, etc., id. ib. 16, 5, 1: nondum satis firmo corpore, id. ib. 11, 27, 1: hinc remiges firmissimi, illinc inopia affectissimi, Vell. 2, 84, 2.—With dat.: area firma templis sustinendis, Liv. 2, 5, 4: testa in structura oneri ferendo firma, Vitr. 2, 8, 19: adversis, Tac. Agr. 35 fin.

II. Trop., firm in strength or durability, also in opinion, affection, etc., fast, constant, steadfast, immovable, powerful, strong, true, faithful: quae enim domus tam stabilis, quae tam firma civitas est, quae non odiis et discidiis funditus possit everti? Cic. Lael. 7, 23: res publica firma atque robusta, id. Rep. 2, 1 fin.; cf.: civitas imprimis firma, Caes. B. G. 5, 54, 2: Trinobantes prope firmissima earum regionum civitas, id. ib. 5, 20, 1; cf. also: Mutina firmissima et splendidissima colonia, Cic. Phil. 5, 9, 24: tres potentissimi ac firmissimi populi, id. ib. 1, 3 fin.; and: evocatorum firma manus, id. Fam. 15, 4, 3: Antonius ab equitatu firmus esse dicebatur, strong in cavalry, Planc. ap. Cic. Fam. 10, 15, 2.— With ad and acc.: satis firmus ad castra facienda, Pomp. ap. Cic. Att. 8, 12, A, 1: Chrysippi consolatio ad veritatem firmissima est, Cic. Tusc. 3, 33, 79: exercitus satis firmus ad tantum bellum, Liv. 23, 25, 6; cf.: cohortes minime firmae ad dimicandum, Caes. B. G. 7, 60, 2; Sall. H. 4, 62, 16.— With contra: Jugurtha nihil satis firmum contra Metellum putat, Sall. J. 80, 1.—With adversus: firmus adversus militarem largitionem, Tac. H. 2, 82: firmior adversus fortuita, id. ib. 4, 51: adversus convicia malosque rumores, Suet. Tib. 28.—Absol.: cum neque magnas copias neque firmas haberet, Nep. Eum. 3, 3; Caes. B. G. 1, 3, 8; Sall. J. 56, 2: concordi populo nihil esse immutabilius, nihil firmius, Cic. Rep. 1, 32: praesidia firmissima, id. Fin. 1, 10, 35: fundamenta defensionis firmissima, id. Cael. 2, 7: firmior fortuna, id. Rep. 1, 17: constitutio Romuli, id. ib. 2, 31 (ap. Non. 526, 10): illud ratum, firmum, fixum fuisse vis, Cic. Ac. 2, 46, 141: officii praecepta firma, stabilia, id. Off. 1, 2, 6; cf.: opinio, firma et stabilis, id. Brut. 30, 114: firma et constans assensio, id. Ac. 1, 11, 42: ne in maximis quidem rebus quicquam adhuc inveni firmius, id. Or. 71, 237: spem firmissimam habere, id. Fam. 6, 5, 4; cf., transf.: firmior candidatus, i. e. who has stronger, greater hopes of being elected, id. Att. 1, 1, 2: litterae, i. e. containing news that may be relied upon, id. ib. 7, 25; cf. id. ib. 16, 5: senatum sua sponte bene firmum firmiorem vestra auctoritate fecistis, id. Phil. 6, 7, 18; cf.: vir in suscepta causa firmissimus, id. Mil. 33, 91: accusator firmus verusque, id. Div. in Caecil. 9, 29; with this cf.: vir pro veritate firmissimus, Plin. Ep. 2, 11, 19: sunt fortasse in sententia firmiores, id. Balb. 27, 61: firmus in hoc, Tib. 3, 2, 5: non firmus rectum defendis et haeres, Hor. S. 2, 7, 26: firmus proposito, Vell. 2, 63 fin.; so, firmissimus irā, Ov. M. 7, 457: firmo id constantique animo facias licet, Cic. Fil. ap. Cic. Fam. 16, 21, 2: nunc opus pectore firmo, Verg. A. 6, 261: firmi amici sunt (opp.: amici collabascunt), Plaut. Stich. 4, 1, 16: firmi et stabiles et constantes (amici), Cic. Lael. 17, 62: ex infidelissimis sociis firmissimos reddere, id. Fam. 15, 4, 14: non brevis et suffragatoria, sed firma et perpetua amicitia, Q. Cic. Petit. Cons. 7, 26: firmissimae amicitiae, Quint. 1, 2, 20: fides firma nobis, Plaut. Capt. 5, 1, 6.—

(b). Poet. with inf.: fundus nec vendibilis nec pascere firmus, able, capable, Hor. Ep. 1, 17, 47. —Hence, adv., firmly, steadily, lastingly, powerfully; in two (equally common) forms: firme and firmĭter.

(a). Form firme, Plaut. Mil. 4, 2, 24; id. Trin. 2, 2, 54: insistere, Suet. Calig. 26: firme graviterque aliquid comprehendere, Cic. Fin. 1, 21, 71; cf.: satis firme aliquid concipere animo, id. ib. 2, 2, 6: continere multa, Quint. 11, 2, 2: sustinere assensus suos, Cic. Fin. 3, 9, 31: graviter et firme respondere, Plin. Ep. 6, 13, 3.—

(b). Form firmiter: firmiter hoc tuo sit pectore fixum, Lucil. ap. Non. 512, 20: nisi suffulcis firmiter, Plaut. Ep. 1, 1, 77: insistere, Caes. B. G. 4, 26, 1: in suo gradu collocari, Cic. Rep. 1, 45 fin.: stabilita matrimonia, Cic. Fragm. ap. Non. 512, 23 (Rep. 6, 2 ed. Mos.): promisisse, Plaut. Ps. 3, 2 111: meminisse, Gell. 13, 8, 2.—

b. Comp.: firmius durare, Plin. 35, 12, 46, 165: firmius coire, Ov. H. 19, 67.—

c. Sup.: asseverare, Cic. Att. 10, 14 fin.: pulvinus quam firmissime statuatur, Vitr. 5, 12.