Summum ingenium

Latin Construction

summum ingenium. neut.

1. ‘The highest talent;’ the highest or best of talent.

Constructions

none yet collected

Loci

• αʹ Cicero, Ad Atticum 13.28:

Quid? tu non vides ipsum illum Aristoteli discipulum summo ingenio, summa modestia, postea quam rex appellatus sit, superbum, crudelem, immoderatum fuisse?

What—don't you see that he, that most talented and most proper student of Aristotle, was proud, cruel, and unrestrained after he was hailed king?

• βʹ Cicero, Ad Atticum 14.17a (= Ad Familiares 9.14):

semper amavi, ut scis, M. Brutum propter eius summum ingenium, suavissimos mores, singularem probitatem atque constantiam

As you know, I always loved Marcus Brutus because of his top-notch talent, his very pleasant manners, and his unparalleled honesty and reliability.

• γʹ Cicero, Ad Brutum 1.15:

Tanta autem industria est tantumque evigilat in studio ut non maxima ingenio, quod in eo summum est, gratia habenda videatur.

He works so hard and is so vigilant in his study that it seems that the greatest of the thanks is not due to talent, which is, in him, at its highest.

• δʹ Cicero, Ad Familiares 11.22:

Nutus tuus potest hominem summo loco natum, summo ingenio, summa virtute, officiosissimum praeterea et gratissimum, incolumem in civitate retinere

A nod from you can keep this man—born in the highest rank, highly talented, highly virtuous, most helpful besides, and grateful—secure in his citizenship.

• εʹ Cicero, Ad Familiares 12.17:

Velim sic existimes me cum amori quem inter nos mutuum esse intellegam plurimum tribuam, tum de summo ingenio et de studiis tuis optimis et de spe amplissimae dignitatis ita iudicare, ut neminem tibi anteponam, comparem paucos.

I want you to know that not only do I give my all to the love that I understand is mutual between us, I also judge that—because of the greatness of your talent and the high quality of your endeavors and your prospect for the highest of ranks—I should put no one above you and few on a level with you.