I. Lit., a due mingling or tempering of ingredients, fit proportion or combination, symmetry, constitution, temperament (class.; esp. freq. in Cic.); “ut enim corporis temperatio cum ea congruunt inter se, e quibus constamus, sanitas: sic animi dicitur, cum ejus judicia opinionesque concordant: eaque animi est virtus, quam alii ipsam temperantiam dicunt esse, alii obtemperantem temperantiae praeceptis,” Cic. Tusc 4, 13, 30: “corporum,” id. ib. 1, 28, 68; “1, 10, 21: aeris temperatio,” composition, temper, id. Verr 2, 4, 44, § 98; cf. id. Ac. 2, 26, 85: “caerulei temperationes Alexandriae primum sunt inventae,” Vitr. 7, 11; quae a luna ceterisque sideribus caeli temperatio fit, Cic. Div. 2, 45, 94; so, “caeli,” id. N. D. 2, 5, 13: “temperatio lunae caelique moderatio efficit hoc,” id. Div. 2, 45, 94: “semina temperatione caloris et oriri et augescere,” id. N. D. 2, 10, 26: “mensium temperatio,” id. Leg. 2, 7, 16: “disciplina ac temperatio civitatis,” organization, constitution. id. Tusc. 4, 1, 1: “rei publicae,” id. Leg. 3, 5, 12: “ordinum,” Liv. 9, 46, 15: “temperatio juris, cum potestas in populo, auctoritas in senatu sit,” Cic. Leg. 3, 12, 28: sed praesto est hujus vitii temperatio, quod senatus lege nostra confirmatur auctoritas, a means of moderating, qualifying, or tempering, id. ib. § 27.—
II. Transf.: sol dux et princeps et moderator luminum reliquorum, mens mundi et temperatio, the organizing or ordering principle, Cic. Rep. 6, 17, 17 (Somn. Scip. 4, 10).
