Minister, minictri: & Ministra, ministræ. Cic.A seruant: a minister.Cathedralitius minister. Martial. Sedulus mioister. Hora. Segnis minister. Sil. Succincti ministri. Lucan. Hortatur celeres clamore ministros. Claud. Taciti sedent ad iussa ministri. Valer. Flac. Seruauntes sitte readie to doe that they be bidden. Minister libidinis.Cic.A furtherer of some silthie lust.Minister in mleficio.Cic.He that serueth or belpeth one in doing some mischienous acts.Sceleribus ministri.Tacit. Ministræ voluptatum artes. Cicero. Craftes that serue to pleasure and sensnalitie.Baculus minister.Ouid.A staffe that helpeth one to goe.Manus cædis scelerúmque ministræ.Ouid.Handes that did and committed that mischiefe and murder.Populus minister. Lucan. Ministræ & satellites voluptatum, virtutes.Cic.
Lewis and Short: Latin dictionary
mĭnister, tra, trum, adj. (gen. plur. ministrūm, Stat. S. 3, 1, 86) [a double comp. in form, from minus and comp. ending -ter, Gr. ter-os; cf.: magister, sinister], that is at hand, that serves, ministers (as an adj. only poet. and later): lumina (i. e. oculi) propositi facta ministra tui, that further, promote; promotive, or in a subst. sense, Ov. H. 21, 114: minister Grex, Sil. 11, 274: ardor, Lucr. 5, 297: ministro baculo,
with the aid of a staff
, Ov. Ib. 261.—II.Subst.A. mĭnister, tri, m., an attendant, waiter, servant; also a priest's attendant or assistant; likewise an inferior officer, underofficial; hence, transf., an aider in a good or bad sense, a furtherer, promoter, helper, an abettor, accomplice: centum aliae (famulae), totidemque pares aetate ministri, Verg. A. 1, 705: Phrygius,
the cup-bearer Ganymede
, Val. Fl. 5, 691; Mart. 12, 15, 7: Falerni,
a cup -bearer
, Cat. 27, 1: ministri publici Martis, Cic. Clu. 15, 43: hostia Inter cunctantes cecidit moribunda ministros, Verg. G. 3, 488: ministri imperii tui,
inferior officers, under-officials
, Cic. Q. Fr 1, 1, 3: regni,
an assistant in the regal government, a minister
, Just. 16, 1, 3: infimi homines ministros se praebent in judiciis oratoribus, i. e.
inform the orators what the law is
, Cic. de Or 1, 45, 146: legum,
a minister, administrator
, id. Clu. 53, 198: sermonum,
a mediator, negotiator
, Tac. H. 2, 99: consiliorum suorum, Vell. 2, 129, 3: Tiberius Alexander ... minister bello datus, Tac. A. 15, 28: ministri ac servi seditionum, Cic. Fam. 1, 9, 13: ministri ac satellites cupiditatum, id. Verr 2, 3, 8, 21; so, furoris alieni,
, Verg. A. 2, 100: ministrum esse in maleficio, Cic. Clu. 22, 60: minister fulminis ales, i. e.
the eagle
, Hor. C. 4, 4, 1: calidae gelidaeque (aquae) minister,
one who serves
, Juv. 5, 63: me nemo ministro fur erit,
by my aid
, id. 3, 46.—Esp. (eccl. Lat.), a minister of religion, a preacher of Christ: ut sim minister Christi, Vulg. Rom. 15, 16; id. Eph. 3, 7: fidelis, id. ib. 6, 21: Dei, id. 2 Cor. 6, 4: optimus, Aug. Conf. 10, 26.—Of inanimate things: sit anulus tuus non minister alienae voluntatis, Cic. Q. Fr 1, 1, 4: taedae, ardore ministro, suppeditant novum lumen, Lucr. 5, 297.—B. mĭnistra, ae, f., a female attendant, maid-servant; a female assistant or minister, at religious worship (class. only in the trop. signif.). 1.Lit.: una ministrarum, Ov. M. 9, 90; 306; 14, 705: accipiat missas apta ministra notas, Ov. A. A. 3, 470: ara deae certe tremuit, pariente ministrā, i. e.
the Vestal Sylvia
, id. F. 3, 47.—Also among Christians: ancillae, quae ministrae dicebantur, i. e.
deaconesses
, Plin. Ep. 10, 97, 8.—2.Trop., a servant, handmaid; in a bad sense, an aider, accessory, abettor: ministra et famula corporis res familiaris, Cic. Tusc. 1, 31, 75: voluptatum satellites et ministrae, id. Fin. 2, 12, 37: Camilla delegit pacisque bonas bellique ministras, Verg. A. 11, 658.
