sŭper-scrībo

scrībo, psi, ptum, 3 ( perf. sync. scripsti, Plaut. As. 4, 1, 57: scripstis, Enn. ap. Non. 153, 28, or Trag. v. 239 Vahl.; inf. scripse, Aus. Sept. Sap. Lud. 1; cf. 2. dico init.), v. a. [root skrabh-, to dig; whence, Gr. graphô; Lat. scrobis, scrofa; cf. Germ. schreiben], prop., to scratch, grave, engrave with a sharp point; hence,

In gen.

Lit., to write, draw, or otherwise make lines, letters, figures, etc. (cf. scalpo):

in libro cum scribuntur calamo litterae,

Plaut. Ps. 1, 5, 131; cf. id. Bacch. 4, 4, 76 sq.:

litteras, tabellas,

id. Ps. 1, 1, 28:

(littera M) etiamsi scribitur, tamen parum exprimitur,

Quint. 9, 4, 40; cf. id. 1, 7, 28:

nostri praeceptores cervum servumque u et o litteris scripserunt,

id. 1, 7, 26; cf. id. 1, 7, 4; 1, 7, 20; 1, 7, 30; 12, 10, 28;

12, 10, 30: terra in augurum libris scripta cum r uno,

Varr. L. L. 5, § 21 Müll.:

hic carmen mediā scribe columnā,

Prop. 4 (5), 7, 83; cf.:

scribitur vestris Cynthia corticibus,

id. 1, 18, 22; Ov. M. 9, 527; Luc. 2, 343:

in aquā,

Cat. 68, 4; cf.

also: fac lapis his scriptus stet super ossa notis: hic jacet, etc.,

Tib. 1, 3, 54 (but the better reading is inscriptis):

scribere decore,

to write a good hand, Amm. 30, 9, 4:

erat scriptum ipsius manu,

Cic. Cat. 3, 5, 10:

suā manu scripsit,

Liv. 37, 10.—Of drawing, etc.:

si quis fugitivo stigmata scripserit,

has branded a runaway, Quint. 7, 4, 14; cf.: charaxat ambas ungulis scribentibus genas, Prud. steph. 10, 557:

totius vobis Frontem tabernae scipionibus scribam,

Cat. 37, 10:

(Diodotus Stoicus) geometriae munus tuebatur, verbis praecipiens discentibus, unde, quo quamque lineam scriberent,

Cic. Tusc. 5, 39, 113:

ut formam (porticus) secundum rationem loci scribas,

draw, design, Plin. Ep. 9, 39, 5; Stat. S. 1, 3, 9:

quae Attalicis variata per artem Aulaeis scribuntur acu,

i. e. are embroidered, Sil. 14, 660:

scripto radiat Germanicus auro, i. e. sculpto,

Juv. 6, 205; cf. Mart. 11, 5, 3.—

Trop.: memor essem? etiam nunc mihi Scripta illa dicta sunt in animo Chrysidis De Glycerio, graven, imprinted (syn.:

inscripta, insculpta),

Ter. And. 1, 5, 48:

arva sanguineo scribit rutilantia gyro,

Stat. Th. 11, 514.—

In partic., with the accessory idea of intellectual action, of written composition of every kind, to write, write down, compose, describe, depict; to draw up, communicate, announce in writing (syn.: compono, perscribo).

With acc.:

quoniam de re publicā multa quaesierint et scripserint,

Cic. Rep. 1, 7, 12:

Cn. Aufidius praetorius (caecus) Graecam scribebat historiam,

id. Tusc. 5, 38, 112; so,

historiam,

id. de Or. 2, 12, 51; id. Brut. 75, 262:

bellum,

Liv. 21, 1:

res gestas,

Hor. A. P. 74; id. Ep. 1, 3, 7 al.:

librum de rebus rusticis,

Cic. Sen. 15, 54:

scripsi etiam versibus tres libros de temporibus meis,

id. Fam. 1, 9, 23:

in Catone Majore, qui est scriptus ad te de senectute,

id. Lael. 1, 4:

carmen in aliquem,

id. de Or. 2, 86, 352:

Furius defensionem causae suae scripsit,

id. Verr. 2, 5, 43, § 112; cf. Quint. 2, 15, 29:

libellos,

Ov. Tr. 5, 12, 61; id. P. 4, 13, 19:

notas,

id. ib. 3, 2, 90:

Diphilus Hanc (fabulam) Graece scripsit,

Plaut. Cas. prol. 33; Ter. Heaut. prol. 43; id. Hec. prol. 6 (cf. also infra, d):

versus,

Lucr. 1, 24; Hor. S. 1, 9, 23; 1, 10, 60:

carmina,

id. ib. 2, 5, 74; id. Ep. 1, 19, 3:

poëmata,

id. ib. 2, 2, 66 et saep.; cf.: scripsere alii rem Versibus, Enn. ap. Cic. Brut. 19, 76 (Ann. v. 221 Vahl.):

formam et situm agri alicui,

to describe, Hor. Ep. 1, 16, 4 et saep.—Of written communications, letters, etc.:

epistulis tuis perdiligenter scriptis,

Cic. Att. 1, 11, 1; cf. Planc. ap. Cic. Fam. 10, 4, 1:

haec scripsi properans,

Cic. Att. 2, 19, 5:

litteras, quas ad Pompeium scripsi, tibi misi,

id. ib. 3, 9, 3:

litterae extemplo Romam scriptae,

Liv. 41, 16:

plura ad te scribam, si, etc.,

Cic. Att. 11, 10, 3:

scriberem ad te de hoc plura, si Romae esses,

id. ib. 6, 4, 11:

haec ad te scripsi verbosius,

id. Fam. 7, 3, 5:

scriptā jam epistulā superiore,

id. ib. 1, 9, 26:

non quo haberem, quod tibi scriberem,

id. Att. 4, 4, a:

epistulam,

Plin. Ep. 7, 9, 8 et saep.:

scribere salutem,

to send a greeting, Plaut. Bacch. 4, 9, 77; cf.:

laudes atque gratias populo Romano,

Gell. 3, 8, 5.—With a personal object:

nullos habeo scriptos (homines), memini tamen,

written down, Plaut. Mil. 1, 1, 48:

per eum Marium, quem scripsissem,

Cic. Att. 12, 49, 1: quis Martem digne scripserit aut...Merionem aut...Tydiden? who could depict, represent, etc., Hor. C. 1, 6, 14; id. S. 2, 1, 16; cf. in the pass.:

scriberis Vario fortis et hostium Victor,

id. C. 1, 6, 1.—With two acc.: cum auctor pugnae se A. Cornelium Cossum consulem scripserit, subscribed himself, declared himself in the inscription to be, Liv. 4, 20, 11.—

With object-clause:

in foribus scribat occupatum esse se,

Plaut. As. 4, 1, 15:

ut Africanum avum meum scribit Cato solitum esse dicere,

Cic. Rep. 1, 17, 27; id. Att. 1, 8, 1; cf.:

Romae quod scribis sileri, ita putabam,

id. ib. 2, 13, 2:

quod ad te scripseram me in Epiro futurum,

id. ib. 3, 13, 1:

Graeceius ad me scripsit, C. Cassium sibi scripsisse, homines comparari, qui, etc.,

id. ib. 15, 8, 2:

Cicero quodam loco scribit, id esse optimum, etc.,

Quint. 11, 1, 92:

post paulo scribit, sibi millia quinque Esse domi chlamydum,

Hor. Ep. 1, 6, 43 et saep.—In pass., with nom. or acc.:

eadem haec avis scribitur conchis se solere complere, etc.,

Cic. N. D. 2, 49, 125: scribitur nobis, magnam veteranorum multitudinem Romam convenisse jam, etc., Brut. et Cass. ap. Cic. Fam. 11, 2, 1:

scriptum est item, quaesivisse (Socratem), quid esset,

Cic. Div. 1, 54, 123.—

With rel.-clause:

nec scribis, quam ad diem te exspectemus,

Cic. Att. 3, 7, 1:

scribe aliquando ad nos, quid agas,

id. Fam. 7, 12, 2:

ad me Valerius scripsit... quem ad modum ducta esses, etc.,

id. ib. 14, 2, 2.—

Absol.:

quo (Platone) nemo in scribendo praestantior fuit,

Cic. Rep. 2, 11, 21; cf. id. ib. 3, 8, 13:

Demophilus scripsit, Marcus vortit barbare,

Plaut. As. prol. 11; id. Trin. prol. 19:

poëta quom primum ad scribendum animum appulit,

Ter. And. prol. 1; id. Heaut. prol. 7:

sumite materiem vestris, qui scribitis, aequam Viribus,

Hor. A. P. 38:

sic raro scribis, ut toto non quater anno Membranam poscas,

id. S. 2, 3, 1 et saep.:

Samiae, ut ibi (i. e. in oratione) scribit Laelius, capedines,

Cic. Rep. 6, 2, 11; cf. id. ib. 1, 16, 25:

ut, quemadmodum scribit ille, cottidiano, etc.,

id. ib. 6, 2, 8:

denique non video de tot scribentibus unum,

Ov. Tr. 2, 495.—So freq. of written communications, letters; usually with ad aliquem (less freq. alicui) or de aliquā re:

tv si, ut scribis, Kal. Jun. Romā profectus es, etc.,

Cic. Att. 3, 9, 3:

ego te, ut scribis, cito videbo,

id. ib. 3, 27:

nihil habeo, quod ad te scribam, scribo tamen, non ut te delectem, etc.,

id. ib. 14, 12, 3:

senatusconsultum si erit factum, scribes ad me,

id. ib. 5, 4, 2; cf.:

scripsi etiam ad Camillum, ad Lamiam,

id. ib. 5, 8, 3:

in quā (epistulā) de agro Campano scribis,

id. ib. 2, 16, 11:

ut nuper me scis scripsisse ad te de Varronis erga me officio, etc.,

id. ib. 2, 25, 1; cf.:

Hermae tui Pentelici, de quibus ad me scripsisti,

id. ib. 1, 8, 2; 1, 9, 2 et saep.— With ut, ne, etc.:

velim domum ad te scribas, ut mihi tui libri pateant,

Cic. Att. 4, 14, 1:

ad me scriberet, ut in Italiam quam primum venirem,

id. ib. 11, 7, 2; 5, 11, 6.— With dat.:

consules Fulvio, ut ex Falisco, Postumio, ut ex Vaticano exercitum ad Clusium admoveant, scribunt,

Liv. 10, 27; 42, 27; Tac. A. 1, 29.—With ne:

Scipioni scribendum, ne bellum remitteret,

Liv. 30, 23.—With simple subj.:

scribit Labieno, si rei publicae commodo facere posset, cum legione ad fines Nerviorum veniat,

Caes. B. G. 5, 46 fin. —In Tac. also, with inf.:

scribitur tetrarchis ac regibus, jussis Corbulonis obsequi,

Tac. A. 15, 25 fin. —In eccl. Lat. as a formula of quotation from the Scriptures:

scriptum est,

i. e. it is said in Holy Writ, Vulg. Matt. 4, 4; id. Luc. 19, 46; id. Rom. 11, 8 et saep.—

Publicists', milit., jurid., and business t. t., of written plans, drafts, and other writings of various import.

Publicists' t. t., to draw up, draught a law, decree, treaty, etc.:

quod proditum memoria est, X. viros, qui leges scripserint, etc.,

Cic. Rep. 2, 31, 54; so,

leges,

id. ib. 2, 36, 61; 2, 10, 18; id. Rosc. Am. 25, 70; id. de Or. 1, 19, 86; id. Inv. 1, 38, 68 al.; cf.

in a transf. signif.: cui non apparet, inopiam et miseriam civitatis istam legem scripsisse, etc.,

Liv. 34, 6 fin.; and:

testamentum, quod pietas, fides, pudor scripsit,

Plin. Ep. 8, 18, 7:

haec senatusconsulta non ignoro ab amicissimis ejus, cujus de honore agitur, scribi solere,

Cic. Fam. 15, 6, 2.—So very freq.: senatusconsulto scribendo, or simply scribendo adesse, or also, ad scribendum esse, to witness the drawing up of a decree of the Senate; to subscribe it: erat nobis dictum, te existimare, alicui senatusconsulto, quod contra dignitatem tuam fieret, scribendo Lamiam [p. 1648] affuisse, qui omnino consulibus illis numquam fuit ad scribendum, Cic. Fam. 12, 29, 2 Orell. N. cr.; cf.: senatusconsulta scribuntur apud familiarem meum (i. e. Caesarem). Et quidem cum in mentem venit (Caesari), ponor ad scribendum (i. e. he adds my signature to it), id. ib. 9, 15, 4:

quod me esse ad scribendum vides,

id. Att. 1, 19, 9; id. Fam. 9, 15, 3: S. C. auctoritas. Pridie Kal. Octob. in aede Apollinis scrib. affuerunt L. Domitius, etc., an official formula ap. Cic. Fam. 8, 8, 5 sq. (v. assum):

Boeotorum gentem numquam ad scribendum amicitiae foedus adduci potuisse,

to make, enter into, conclude, Liv. 42, 12.—

Milit. t. t.: scribere milites (legiones, supplementum, etc.), to enlist, enroll, levy:

milites,

Sall. J. 43, 3:

legiones,

id. C. 32, 1:

exercitui supplementum,

id. J. 39, 2:

supplementum legionibus,

Cic. Fam. 3, 3, 1; Liv. 8, 8:

exercitum,

id. 4, 43; 9, 8; 9, 19:

equites,

id. 10, 25; 21, 40; 35, 20:

socios navales,

id. 37, 2; so, too: sex milia colonorum Albam in Aequos, to enroll for the purpose of sending, to send, id. 10, 1:

socios scribere in urbem,

id. 4, 11, 4.—

Poet., transf.:

scribe tui gregis hunc,

enroll him among your retinue, Hor. Ep. 1, 9, 13.—

Jurid. and business t. t.: dicam scribere (alicui), like dikên graphein tini, to bring an action in writing against any one (v. dica); of a lawyer, to draw up legal instruments (complaints or charges, contracts, wills, etc.):

Servius hanc urbanam militiam respondendi, scribendi, cavendi secutus est,

Cic. Mur. 9, 19; id. Fam. 7, 14 Manut.; cf. id. Leg. 1, 4, 14:

omnia testamenta tu scribes unus,

id. de Or. 2, 6, 24; Dig. 28, 2, 25.—Hence, transf., with a personal object: aliquem heredem, to appoint or designate any one as heir:

testamentum palam fecerat et illum heredem et me scripserat,

Cic. Mil. 18, 48; cf.:

in testamento Ptolemaei patris heredes erant scripti, etc.,

Caes. B. C. 3, 108:

quem Micipsa testamento secundum heredem scripsit,

Sall. J. 65, 1; Auct. B. Alex. 33; Plin. Pan. 43, 1 sq.; Tac. A. 14, 31; Hor. S. 2, 5, 48; Juv. 3, 161; 9, 87:

aliquem coheredem,

Tac. Agr. 43 fin.:

aliquem exheredem,

to disinherit any one by will, Dig. 37, 4, 8, §§

1 and 6: aliquem tutorem liberis suis,

to appoint as guardian by will, Cic. Clu. 14, 41:

libertatem servo,

to bequeath to a slave his freedom, Dig. 29, 2, 71.—Of contracts, notes, drafts, etc.:

pulchre scripsti: scitum syngraphum!

Plaut. As. 4, 1, 57: nummos, usuras, etc. (alicui), to give a note or bond for:

scribit nummos,

id. ib. 2, 4, 34:

sibi creditam pecuniam,

Dig. 26, 7, 9, § 7:

genero usuras praestandas quasi ex dotis promissione,

ib. 4, 4, 17:

lecta est cautio hujusmodi: Lutius Titius scripsi, me accepisse a Publio Maevio quindecim mutua numerata mihi de domo, etc.,

ib. 12, 1, 40: scribe decem (tabulas) a Nerio, give ten notes or bonds drawn up by the usurer Nerius, Hor. S. 2, 3, 69. scriptos expendere nummos, v. l. ap. Hor. Ep. 2, 1, 105 (Hold. cautos); cf. rescribo.—Hence, scriptum, i, n., something written, viz.,

(Acc. to I.) A line; so only: duodecim scripta, a game played with colored stones (calculi) on a draught-board marked into spaces by twelve oblique lines: tibi concedo, quod in duodecim scriptis olim, ut calculum reducas, si te alicujus dati poenitet, Cic. Fragm. ap. Non. 170, 30; cf.:

in lusu duodecim scriptorum cum prior calculum promovisset essetque victus, etc.,

Quint. 11, 2, 38;

v. also scriptula, and Becker, Gall. 3, pp. 261 and 264 sq.: duodecim scriptis ludere,

Cic. de Or. 1, 50, 217.—

(Acc. to II.) A written composition, writing, treatise, book, work, etc. (most freq. in plur.):

ex scripto et sententiā controversia nascitur cum videtur scriptoris voluntas cum scripto ipso dissentire,

the writing, the written expression, Auct. Her. 1, 11, 19:

incredibile dictu est, quam multi Graeci de harum valvarum pulchritudine scriptum reliquerunt,

have left something written concerning it, speak of it in their writings, Cic. Verr. 2, 4, 56, § 124; so Quint. 6, 1, 7; cf. in plur., Cic. Rep. 1, 22, 36:

quod a Democrito et Platone in scriptis relictum esse dicunt,

id. de Or. 2, 46, 194:

utinam exstarent illa carmina, quae multis saeculis ante suam aetatem in epulis esse cantata, in Originibus scriptum reliquit Cato!

id. Brut. 19, 75: ut ipsis scriptis non ea mandaremus, id. Off. 2, 1, 3:

in quo libro scriptum hoc invenitur,

Quint. 1, 1, 15:

Hortensius erat memoriā tantā, ut quae secum commentatus esset, ea sine scripto verbis eisdem redderet, quibus cogitavisset,

without notes, Cic. Brut. 88, 301; cf. on the contrary: de scripto dicere, to speak or read from a written paper:

recitetur oratio, quae propter rei magnitudinem dicta de scripto est,

id. Planc. 30, 74; id. Phil. 10, 2, 5; id. Brut. 12, 46; id. Att. 4, 3, 3; id. Fam. 10, 13, 1:

laudavit pater scripto meo,

in a speech composed by me, id. Q. Fr. 3, 8, 5:

adire aliquem scripto,

Tac. H. 4, 39:

cum eorum inventis scriptisque se oblectent,

writings, Cic. Rep. 1, 17, 28:

ardeo cupiditate...nomen ut nostrum scriptis illustretur et celebretur tuis,

id. Fam. 5, 12, 1:

scripta recitare,

Hor. S. 1, 4, 75:

nosmet Lucili scripta legentes,

id. ib. 1, 10, 56:

Graecorum Scripta optima,

id. Ep. 2, 1, 29:

si non accipiet scriptum,

Ov. A. A. 1, 469:

debueram scripto certior esse tuo,

id. H. 6, 4.—

(Acc. to II. B. 1.) Scriptum legis, and simply scriptum, a written ordinance, a law:

quam tu mihi ex ordine recita de legis scripto populi Romani auctionem,

Cic. Agr. 2, 18, 48:

(Crassus) ita multa tum contra scriptum pro aequo et bono dixit, ut, etc.,

id. Brut. 39, 145; cf. id. Inv. 2, 46, 135; 2, 47, 138; cf.:

(senatus) scripto illo istius sententiam dicere vetabatur,

rescript, id. Dom. 26, 69.

sŭper-scrībo, psi, ptum, 3, v. a., to write upon or over, to superscribe (postAug.), Dig. 28, 4, 1; 50, 10, 4; Schol. Juv. 6, 123.—

Esp., to write over as a correction, Suet. Ner. 52 fin.; Gell. 20, 6, 14.

causa (by Cicero, and also a little after him, caussa, Quint. 1, 7, 20; so Fast. Praenest. pp. 321, 322; Inscr. Orell. 3681; 4077; 4698 al.; in Mon. Ancyr. 3, 1 dub.), ae, f. [perh. root cav- of caveo, prop. that which is defended or protected; cf. cura], that by, on account of, or through which any thing takes place or is done; a cause, reason, motive, inducement; also, in gen., an occasion, opportunity (opp. effectis, Quint. 6, 3, 66; 7, 3, 29:

factis,

id. 4, 2, 52; 12, 1, 36 al.; very freq. in all periods, and in all kinds of discourse. In its different meanings syn. with ratio, principium, fons, origo, caput; excusatio, defensio; judicium, controversia, lis; partes, actio; condicio, negotium, commodum, al.).

In gen.: causa ea est, quae id efficit, cujus est causa; ut vulnus mortis; cruditas morbi;

ignis ardoris. Itaque non sic causa intellegi debet, ut quod cuique antecedat, id ei causa sit, sed quod cuique efficienter antecedat,

Cic. Fat. 15, 34:

justa et magna et perspicua,

id. Rosc. Am. 14, 40: id. Phil. 2, 22, 53; id. Att. 16, 7, 6:

sontica causa, v. sonticus.—Followed by a particle of cause: causa, quamobrem, etc.,

Ter. And. 5, 1, 18; id. Eun. 1, 2, 65; id. [p. 304] Heaut. 2, 3, 95; id. Hec. 3, 3, 22; 3, 5, 2; 4, 4, 73; Cic. Fin. 4, 16, 44:

causa, quare, etc.,

Cic. Inv. 2, 20, 60:

causa, cur, etc.,

id. Ac. 1, 3, 10; Quint. 11, 3, 16; 2, 3, 11; Hor. C. 1, 16, 19 al.:

causa quod, etc.,

Cic. Verr. 2, 3, 46, § 109; id. Phil. 6, 1, 1; Quint. 2, 1, 1; 5, 10, 30 al.:

ut, etc.,

Plaut. Capt. 2, 2, 7; Ter. Eun. 3, 3, 6; Cic. Fam. 1, 8, 4 al.:

haud causa quin, etc.,

Plaut. Most. 2, 2, 4:

quae causa est quin,

id. Capt. 2, 2, 103:

quid causae est quin,

Ter. And. 3, 4, 21; Cic. Tusc. 5, 11, 32; Hor. S. 1, 1, 20:

nulla causa est quin,

Cic. Fam. 2, 17, 1:

causa quominus,

Sall. C. 51, 41; Liv. 34, 56, 9:

causa ne,

id. 34, 39, 9:

nihil causae est cur non, etc.,

Quint. 11, 3, 59:

causae propter quas, etc.,

id. 4, 2, 12; 5, 7, 24; 8, 6, 23.—With gen. obj.:

is, qui causa mortis fuit,

Cic. Phil. 9, 3, 7; Liv. 21, 21, 1; Quint. 7, 3, 18; 7, 4, 42:

salutis,

Lucr. 3, 349:

morbi,

id. 3, 502; Verg. G. 4, 397; Hor. C. 2, 2, 14:

nos causa belli sumus,

Liv. 1, 13, 3:

causa mortis fuistis,

Quint. 7, 3, 32; Sen. Ira, 2, 27, 3:

explicandae philosophiae,

Cic. Div. 2, 2, 6:

nec vero umquam bellorum civilium semen et causa deerit,

id. Off. 2, 8, 29; so,

belli,

Sall. C. 2, 2; Verg. A. 7, 553; Hor. C. 2, 1, 2; id. S. 1, 3, 108; id. Ep. 1, 2, 9:

felix qui potuit rerum cognoscere causas,

Verg. G. 2, 490:

vera objurgandi causa,

Ter. And. 1, 1, 131; cf. with ad:

causa ad objurgandum,

id. ib. 1, 1, 123; id. Hec. 4, 4, 71; and poet. with inf.:

consurgere in arma,

Verg. A. 10, 90:

perire,

Tib. 3, 2, 30:

gestare carinas,

Luc. 5, 464.— With prepp.:

cum causā,

with good reason, Cic. Verr. 2, 1, 8, § 21; id. de Or. 2, 60, 247; Varr. R. R. 1, 17, 4:

sine causā,

without good reason, Cic. Div. 2, 28, 61; id. Fat. 9, 18; id. de Or. 2, 60, 246; id. Att. 13, 22, 1; Caes. B. G. 1, 14; Nep. Alcib. 6, 2; Quint. 1, 10, 35; 1, 12, 9:

his de causis,

Cic. Att. 6, 1, 6:

id nisi gravi de causā non fecisset,

id. ib. 7, 7, 3:

justis de causis,

id. Fam. 5, 20, 2:

quā de causā,

id. Off. 1, 41, 147; id. Ac. 1, 12, 43; Caes. B. G. 1, 1:

quibus de causis,

Quint. 4, 2, 15;

less freq. in ante-Aug. prose: quā ex causa,

Cic. Rep. 2, 7, 13; id. Mur. 17, 36; but very freq. in Quint., Sen., and the younger Plin.; so,

nullā aliā ex causā,

Sen. Ep. 29, 1:

multis ex causis,

Quint. 5, 12, 3:

quibus ex causis,

id. 4, 2, 15; Plin. Ep. 6, 6, 8:

ex plurimis causis,

id. ib. 1, 3, 6:

ex his (causis),

id. ib. 5, 8, 6:—ob eam causam scribo, ut, etc., Cic. Fam. 1, 8, 4:

illa festinatio fuit ob illam causam, ne, etc.,

id. Verr. 2, 2, 40, § 99; Nep. Milt. 6, 2:

ob eam causam, quia, etc.,

Cic. N. D. 3, 20, 51:

ob eas causas,

Caes. B. G. 1, 10:

ob eam ipsam causam,

Cic. Brut. 7, 29:

quam ob causam,

Nep. Paus. 2, 6:

propter eam quam dixi causam,

Cic. Verr. 2, 3, 46, § 110:

causae propter quas,

Quint. 4, 2, 12.—In causā esse, to be the cause of, responsible for, etc. (rare):

in causā haec sunt,

Cic. Fam. 1, 1, 1:

vim morbi in causā esse, quo serius perficeretur,

Liv. 40, 26, 5:

verecundiam multis in causā fuisse, ut, etc.,

Quint. 12, 5, 2; Plin. Ep. 6, 10, 3; 7, 5, 1; Plin. 9, 30, 49, § 94; cf.:

tarditatis causa in senatu fuit,

Liv. 4, 58, 4.—

Causā, in abl. with gen. or possess. adj. (usu. put after the noun), as patris causā, meā causā, on account of, for the sake of (in the best prose, almost always referring to the future, and implying a purpose; cf. propter with acc. of the pre-existing cause or motive):

honoris tui causā huc ad te venimus,

Plaut. Poen. 3, 3, 25; Ter. Phorm. 5, 7, 35; Cic. Fam. 13, 26, 2 al.:

animi causa, v. animus, II., etc.: exempli causā, v. exemplum: causā meā,

Plaut. Most. 5, 2, 47; id. Poen. 1, 2, 160; id. Am. 1, 3, 42 al.; Ter. Heaut. prol. 41; 5, 5, 23 al.;

causā meāpte,

id. ib. 4, 3, 8:

nostra causa,

id. Phorm. 4, 4, 14; Cic. Ac. 2, 38, 120; Quint. 7, 4, 9:

vestrā magis hoc causā volebam quam meā,

Cic. de Or. 1, 35. 162:

aliena potius causa quam sua,

Quint. 3, 7, 16.—Put before the noun:

rastros capsit causă potiendi agri,

Enn. Ann. 324 Vahl.:

quidquid hujus feci, causā virginis Feci,

Ter. Eun. 1, 2, 122; so Liv. 26, 32, 6; 31, 12, 4; 39, 14, 8; 40, 41 fin.; 40, 44, 10.—Rarely with propter in the same sense:

vestrarum sedum templorumque causā, propter salutem meorum civium,

Cic. Sest. 20, 45.—With gen. of pers. or reflex. pron. instead of possess. very rare (v. Lahmeyer ad Cic. Lael. 16, 57):

quod illi semper sui causā fecerant,

Cic. Verr. 2, 3, 52, § 121.

Esp.

= justa causa, good reason, just cause, full right:

cum causā accedere ad accusandum,

with good reason, Cic. Verr. 2, 1, 8, § 21; so,

cum causā,

id. de Or. 2, 60, 247; Varr. R. R. 1, 17, 4; 3, 16, 7;

and the contrary: sine causā,

without good reason, Cic. Div. 2, 28, 61; id. de Or. 2, 60, 246; Caes. B. G. 1, 14; Nep. Alcib. 6, 2 al.—

An apology, excuse, Cato, R. R. 2, 2; Plaut. Capt. 3, 4, 92; Ter. Phorm. 2, 1, 42; Cic. Fam. 16, 19 fin.; Verg. A. 9, 219 al.—

Causam alicui dare alicujus rei, occasion:

qui (Nebatius) mihi dedit causam harum litterarum,

Cic. Fam. 11, 27, 8;

for which poët.: Bacchus et ad culpam causas dedit,

Verg. G. 2, 455 Forbig. ad loc.—

A feigned cause, a pretext, pretence, = praetextus, prophasis:

habere causam,

Plaut. As. 4, 1, 44:

fingere falsas causas,

Ter. Hec. 4, 4, 71; id. And. 1, 3, 8 Ruhnk.; 4, 1, 18; id. Phorm. 2, 1, 4:

fingit causas ne det,

id. Eun. 1, 2, 58; cf. Tib. 1, 6, 11:

morae facere,

to pretend reasons for the delay, Sall. J. 36, 2:

inferre causam,

Caes. B. G. 1, 39, 2:

causam interponere,

Nep. Them. 7, 1; cf. id. Milt. 4, 1:

bellandi,

id. Ham. 3, 1:

belli,

Tac. A. 12, 45:

jurgii,

Phaedr. 1, 1, 4 al. (On the other hand, causa, a true cause, is opp. to praetextus, a pretext, Suet. Caes. 30.)—So freq. per causam, under the pretext, Caes. B. C. 3, 24; 3, 76; 3, 87; Liv. 2, 32, 1 Drak.; 22, 61, 8; Suet. Caes. 2; id. Oth. 3; id. Vesp. 1; Tib. 1, 6, 26; Ov. H. 20, 140; id. Tr. 2, 452.—

In judic. lang. t. t., a cause, judicial process, lawsuit:

privatae,

Cic. Inv. 1, 3, 4:

publicae,

id. de Or. 3, 20, 74; id. Rosc. Am. 21, 59:

capitis aut famae,

id. Fam. 9, 21, 1:

causam agere,

id. de Or. 2, 48, 199; Quint. 6, 1, 54; 7, 2, 55; 10, 7, 30;

11, 1, 67 et saep.: constituere,

Cic. Verr. 2, 5, 1, § 1:

perorare,

id. Quint. 24, 77:

defendere,

Quint. 3, 6, 9; 12, 1, 24; 12, 1, 37; Suet. Caes. 49:

exponere,

Quint. 2, 5, 7:

perdere,

Cic. Rosc. Com. 4, 10:

obtinere,

id. Fam. 1, 4, 1:

tenere (= obticere),

Ov. M. 13, 190: causā cadere, v. cado, II.: causam dicere, to defend one ' s self, or to make a defence (as an advocate), Cic. Rosc. Am. 5, 12 and 13; 21, 54; id. Sest. 8, 18; id. Quint. 8, 31; Liv. 29, 19, 5; Quint. 5, 11, 39; 8, 2, 24; Suet. Caes. 30 et saep.— Poet.: causa prior, the first part of the process, i. e. the trial, Ov. M. 15, 37.—Hence,

Out of the sphere of judicial proceedings, the party, faction, cause that one defends:

ne condemnare causam illam, quam secutus esset, videretur, etc.,

Cic. Lig. 9, 27 sq.:

suarum partium causa,

Quint. 3, 8, 57:

causa Caesaris melior,

id. 5, 11, 42; Tac. A. 1, 36 al. —Hence,

Meton.

A relation of friendship, connection:

quīcum tibi adfininitas, societas, omnes denique causae et necessitudines veteres intercedebant,

Cic. Quint. 15, 48:

explicare breviter, quae mihi sit ratio et causa cum Caesare,

id. Prov. Cons. 17, 40; id. Fam. 13, 19, 1.—

In gen., = condicio, a condition, state, situation, relation, position:

ut nonnumquam mortem sibi ipse consciscere aliquis debeat, alius in eādem causā non debeat: num enim aliā in causā M. Cato fuit, alia ceteri, qui se in Africā Caesari tradiderunt?

Cic. Off. 1, 31, 112; so Caes. B. G. 4, 4 Herz.:

(Regulus) erat in meliore causā quam, etc.,

Cic. Off. 3, 27, 100; id. Agr. 3, 2, 9 (where for causa in the foll. clause is condicio):

atque in hoc genere mea causa est, ut, etc.,

id. Fam. 2, 4, 1; cf. id. ib. 9, 13, 1.—

= negotium, a cause, business undertaken for any one, an employment:

cui senatus dederat publice causam, ut mihi gratias ageret,

Cic. Verr. 2, 3, 73, § 170:

quod nemo eorum rediisset, qui super tali causā eodem missi erant,

Nep. Paus. 4, 1.—

In medic. lang., a cause for disease:

causam metuere,

Cels. 3, 3; so Sen. Cons. ad Marc. 11 fin.; Plin. 28, 15, 61, § 218.—Hence in late Lat. for disease, Cael. Aur. Tard. 5, 10, 95; id. Acut. 2, 29, 157; Veg. 1, 25, 1; 3, 6, 11; 3, 45, 5; 4, 4, 2 al.—

That which lies at the basis of a rhetorical representation, matter, subject, hupothesis, Cic. Top. 21, 79; id. Inv. 1, 6, 8; Auct. Her. 1, 11, 18; Quint. 3, 5, 7 sq.