I.inf. cunctarier, Lucr. 3, 67), v. dep. cf. Sanscr. çank, to be anxious; Gr. ὄκνος, to delay action (from deliberation or indolence), to linger, loiter, hesitate, doubt (freq. and class.); constr. absol., with the inf. or a subj.-clause.
I. Of personal subjects.
(α).
Absol., so the verse of Ennius upon the dictator Q. Fab. Maximus Cunctator: unus homo nobis cunctando restituit rem, Enn. ap. Cic. Off. 1, 24, 84 (Ann. v. 313 Vahl.; also cited Cic. Sen. 4, 10; id. Att. 2, 19, 2; Liv. 30, 26, 9); “imitated by Verg., A. 6, 846,” Ov. F. 2, 242 (the idea contained in cunctando is expressed by sedendo, Varr. R. R. 1, 2, 2; cf.: “sedendo et cunctando bellum gerebat,” Liv. 22, 24, 10; “and by non pugnando,” Plin. 22, 5, 5, § 10): “assequor omnia si propero, si cunctor amitto,” Cic. Att. 10, 8, 5: “an etiam tunc quiesceretis, cunctaremini, timeretis?” id. Sest. 38, 81; cf.: “ne quis cesset ... qui cunctatus fuerit, etc.,” Liv. 35, 35, 17, and v. cesso: “nostris militibus cunctantibus, Desilite, inquit, etc.,” Caes. B. G. 4, 25: “alius alium exspectantes cunctamini,” Sall. C. 52, 28; Ov. M. 8, 753 et saep.: “in vitā cunctatur et haeret,” Lucr. 3, 407; cf. Cic. Tusc. 1, 46, 111: “inter metum et iram cunctatus,” Tac. A. 2, 66: “ille inter pudorem et iram cunctatus,” id. ib. 14, 49: “cunctante ad ea Mithridate,” id. ib. 12, 46: “ut ad laborem capessendum nihil cunctentur,” Gell. 2, 29, 12.—Impers. pass.: “nec cunctatum apud latera,” Tac. A. 3, 46: “non esse cunctandum,” Cic. Fam. 1, 7, 5: “non cunctandum neque cessandum esse,” Liv. 35, 18, 8.—
(β).
With inf.: “non est cunctandum profiteri, hunc, etc.,” Cic. Univ. 3 fin.: “utrisque cunctantibus periculum summae rerum facere,” Liv. 25, 39, 18; 31, 7, 5: “ne cunctetur ipse propius accedere,” Sall. C. 44, 6; id. J. 13, 6; Col. 8, 15 fin.; Suet. Caes. 70; id. Vesp. 16: “ne cunctaretur Agrippam morte adficere,” Tac. A. 1, 6.—
(γ).
With rel.-clause (rare): “vos cunctamini etiam nunc, quid faciatis?” Sall. C. 52, 25: “diu cunctatus an, etc.,” Suet. Caes. 81; id. Aug. 8: “primum cunctati, utrumne ... an, etc.,” id. Caes. 80: “non cunctandum existimavit quin, etc.,” Caes. B. G. 3, 23 fin.—
II. Poet. transf., of things as subjects: “tardum cunctatur olivum,” runs slowly, Lucr. 2, 392: “refrigescit cunctando plaga,” id. 4, 703: “turpis contemptus et acris egestas ... videntur cunctarier,” id. 3, 67; cf.: “cunctatur et amnis Rauca sonans revocatque pedem Tiberinus ab alto,” Verg. A. 9, 124.—Hence, cunctans , antis, P. a., delaying, lingering, dilatory, slow, tardy.
1. Of persons (post-Aug. and rare): “erat cunctantior cautiorque,” Plin. Ep. 9, 13, 6; cf. id. ib. 2, 16, 4: “ad dimicandum cunctantior,” Suet. Caes. 60; cf.: “familia cunctans ad opera,” Col. 11, 1, 14: “naturā ac senectā cunctantior,” Tac. H. 3, 4.—With acc. respect.: “alternos aegro cunctantem poplite gressus,” Val. Fl. 2, 93.—
2. Of things, tenacious, tough, slow, resisting, etc. (poet. and rare): “mellis cunctantior actus,” Lucr. 3, 193: “corripit Aeneas extemplo avidusque refringit Cunctantem (ramum),” Verg. A. 6, 211: “glaebas cunctantis exspecta,” id. G. 2, 236: “corda viri,” Val. Fl. 3, 693: “ira,” Stat. Th. 5, 680.—Adv.: cunctanter , slowly, with delay (rare), Liv. 1, 36, 4; 10, 4, 8; Tac. H. 2, 52 al.—Comp., Suet. Galb. 12; id. Caes. 19; Tac. A. 1, 71.
