Both verbs have a double function and, depending on that function, can have different meanings:
- intersum, interesse, interfuī: be / lie between; differ; be present / attend
- referō, referre, rettulī, relātus: many meanings including bring / carry back; relate / report
Here, however, we focus on their impersonal uses in the 3rd person singular:
[1] interest: it interests / concerns / makes a difference / it is important (of importance)
Hoc inter mē et illōs interest (Cicero)
- The difference between me and them is this.
At quid interest inter periūrum et mendācem? (Cicero)
- What is the difference between a perjurer and a liar?
Quid interest ¦ dare tē in manūs argentum amantī hominī adulēscentī? (Plautus)
- What difference does it make ¦ for you to hand money to a young man who loves (women)?
Nihil enim interest (Cicero)
- For it’s of no importance / It does not matter (to me).
Sī nihil interest, nūlla rēgula est (Cicero)
- If nothing makes a difference / if there is no difference, there is no rule.
Neque … multum interest utrum mē hominēs in oppidō videant an in viā (Cicero)
- nor … does it much matter whether people see me in a town or on the road
When expressing the person affected:
interest: + (1) the genitive, or (2) the feminine ablative singular of the possessive adjective e.g. meā, nostrā etc. but with no noun expressed
(1)
nam eōrum quoque vehementer interest (Cicero)
- For it’s also a matter of great importance to them.
Eius aliquid interest vidērī … (Cicero)
- It is of some importance to him to appear …
Quid autem illīus interest … ubi sīs? (Cicero)
- What does it matter to him where you are?
Omnium interest valēre.
- It concerns all / it is in the interest of all to keep well.
(2)
Illud meā magnī interest (Cicero)
- That’s of great interest to me.
Meā nihil interest (Cicero)
- It’s of no interest to me / It does not matter to me.
Permagnī nostrā interest (Cicero)
- It is of the highest importance to us [ = to me]
This example shows both genitive and ablative used in the same sentence:
Magnī interest Cicerōnis [genitive], vel meā [ablative] potius vel mehercule utrīusque [genitive] (Cicero)
- It is a matter of great concern to my son*, or rather to me, or rather upon my word to both of us
*i.e. his son shares the cognomen
The extent of the concern is expressed by:
[i] the genitive
Illud meā magnī interest │ That is of great interest to me.
Permagnī nostrā interest │ It is of the highest importance to us
[ii] adverbs such as maximē:
Hoc maximē interest │ This is of very great / the greatest importance.
[iii] neuter pronouns
Neque … multum interest │ Nor does it matter much.
Meā nihil interest │ It’s of no interest to me.
[2] rēfert: it matters / concerns / it is important (of importance)
Quid rēfert? (Cicero)
- What does that matter?
The person affected is expressed by the ablative case:
Nam quid est? num meā [ablative] rēfert? (Plautus)
- Well what is it? Something that concerns me?
Tuā istuc rēfert maximē (Plautus)
- That business concerns you the most.
Tuā quod nīl rēfert, nē cūrēs (Plautus)
[literally: do not take care of what is of no concern to you]
- Keep your nose out of other people’s business!
‘nōn nostrā' inquit 'magis quam vestrā rēfert vōs nōn rebellāre’ (Livy)
- "It is not," he told them, "more in our interest than in yours, that you should not rebel”
GELASIMUS
Ōrātōrēs tū accipis, habeās tibi. │ You’re entertaining orators, you may keep them.
EPIGNOMUS
Tuā pol rēfert. │ By Pollux, this concerns you.
GELASIMUS
Enim, sī quidem meā rēfert, opera ūtere. │ Well then, if it really concerns me, make use of my services.
(Plautus)
