(adj.adv.) : prūdens, entis, adj.contr. from providens.
* Foreseeing, foreknowing (very rare); constr. with an objective clause, or absol.: ille contra urinam spargit, prudens, hanc quoque leoni exitialem,Plin. 8, 38, 57, § 136: quos prudentis possumus dicere, id est providentis,Cic. Div. 1, 49, 111: de futuro satis callidus satisque prudens, Ps.-Sall. ap. Cic. init.
* Transf.
* Knowing, skilled, experienced, versed, practised in a thing (class.; syn.: peritus, consultus); constr. with gen. or in; poet. and post-Aug. also with inf.
* With gen.: ceterarum rerum pater familias et prudens et attentus,Cic. Quint. 3, 11: belli prudentes, Sall. Ep. Mith. (H. 4, 61, 16 Dietsch): rei militaris,Nep. Con. 1, 2: locorum,Liv. 34, 28 fin.: animus rerum prudens,Hor. C. 4, 9, 35: artis,Ov. H. 5, 150: animorum provinciae prudens,Tac. Agr. 19: doli prudens,id. H. 2, 25: agricolationis,Col. 2, 2, 15.—Comp.: prudentiores rerum rusticarum,Col. 4, 2, 1; so, earum rerum,Gell. 14, 2, 4.—Sup.: adulandi gens prudentissima,Juv. 3, 86.
* In gen., sagacious, sensible, intelligent, clever, judicious, etc. (very freq.): vir naturā peracutus et prudens,Cic. Or. 5, 18: quis P. Octavio ingenio prudentior, jure peritior,id. Clu. 38, 107: prudentem et, ut ita dicam, catum,id. Leg. 1, 16, 45: in existimando admodum prudens,id. Brut. 68, 239; cf.: prudentissimi in disserendo,id. ib. 31, 118: virum ad consilia prudentem,id. Font. 15, 43: quo nemo prudentior,id. Lael. 1, 5: homines amicissimi ac prudentissimi,id. Rep. 1, 46, 10: vir bonus et prudens,Hor. Ep. 1, 16, 32; cf. id. A. P. 445: si divitiae prudentem reddere possent,id. Ep. 2, 2, 155: prudentior ille consilio, hic animo magnificentior,Just. 9, 8, 13.—With adverb. acc.: prudens alia,Amm. 15, 13, 2.—Of abstract things: prudens, temperata, fortis, justa ratio,Cic. Fin. 5, 21, 58: prudens animi sententia,Ov. H. 21, 137: consilium, quod si non fuerit prudens, Balb. ap. Cic. Att. 9, 7, A, 1; Ov. M. 13, 433: prudentissimum consilium,Nep. Eum. 3, 4; Hirt. B. Alex. 24.
* Cautious, circumspect (very rare): malebant me nimium timidum quam satis prudentem existimari,Cic. Fam. 4, 14, 2.— Hence, adv.: prūdenter, sagaciously, intelligently, discreetly, wisely, skilfully, learnedly, prudently, etc.: loqui, Enn. ap. Gell. 12, 4, 4 (Ann. v. 255 Vahl.): facere,Cic. Fin. 5, 6, 15; cf. id. Rep. 3, 9, 16: rationem excogitare,id. ib. 2, 12, 23: multa ab eo prudenter disputata,id. Lael. 1, 1: multa provisa prudenter,id. ib. 2, 6.—Comp., Aug. in Suet. Tib. 21; Quint. 9, 2, 44.—Sup.: defendere,Cic. Div. 2, 72, 150: scribere,id. Att. 13, 1, 1; Val. Max. 3, 3, 4 ext. 4.
* Juris prudens, also prudens alone (like juris peritus), skilled or learned in the law; as subst.: jūrisprūdens, ntis, m., one learned in the law, a lawyer, jurist, jurisconsult (only post-class.), Dig. 38, 15, 2 fin.; 1, 2, 2; 1, 1, 7; 40, 7, 30; Just. Inst. 1, 2.
* Like sciens, knowing, wise, discreet, prudent; usually connected with sciens: prudens animam de corpore mitto, Enn. ap. Non. 150, 8 (Ann. v. 216 Vahl.): quos prudens praetereo,Hor. S. 1, 10, 88; 2, 5, 58 (cf.: imprudens praeteriisse videris,Cic. Brut. 77, 269): ibis sub furcam prudens,Hor. S. 2, 7, 66: nequidquam deus abscidit Prudens Oceano terras,id. C. 1, 3, 22; 3, 29, 29; Ov. M. 3, 364: an prudens imprudensve rupisset,Gell. 20, 1, 34.—With sciens: amore ardeo: et prudens, sciens, Vivus vidensque pereo,Ter. Eun. 1, 1, 27: ut in fabulis Amphiaraus sic ego prudens et sciens ad pestem ante oculos positam sum profectus,Cic. Fam. 6, 6, 6; Cael. ap. Cic. Att. 10, 9, A, 5; Suet. Ner. 2 fin.

s. TLL