the giving of thanks

actĭo, ōnis, f. [ago], a doing, performing, acting, action, act.

In gen.:

non modo deos spoliat motu et actione divina, sed etiam homines inertes efficit,

Cic. N. D. 1, 37; 2, 16;

virtutis laus omnis in actione consistit,

id. Off. 1, 6; id. Fin. 5, 19, 54.—With subject. gen.:

ad eas res parandas, quibus actio vitae continetur,

active, practical life, id. Off. 1, 5:

corporis,

id. Div. 1, 32:

mentis,

id. N. D. 1, 17; and with object. gen.: itaque nec actio rerum illarum ( the public performance of those things) apertā petulantiā vacat, id. ib. 1, 35, 127; ib. 1, 43:

actio ullius rei,

id. Ac. 2, 33, 108; and so plur.: periculosae rerum actiones sunt, Off. 1, 2, 4;

hence: actio gratiarum,

the giving of thanks, id. Fam. 10, 19 (cf.: gratias agere).—

Esp.

Public functions, civil acts, proceedings, or duties.

In gen., Cic. Fam. 9, 8:

tribunorum,

their official duties, Liv. 5, 11; so,

consularis,

id. 4, 55 al.:

actiones nostras scriptis mandamus,

Cic. Off. 2, 1; Caes. B. C. 1, 5.—Hence negotiation, deliberation:

discessu consulum actio de pace sublata est,

Cic. Att. 9. 9.—Esp.

Of judicial proceedings.

An action, suit, process ( in abstr.), with a gen. more precisely defining it, e. g. actio furti, injuriarum; also with de:

actio de repetundis, de arboribus succisis, etc.: actionem alicui intendere,

Cic. Mil. 14:

instituere,

to bring an action against one, id. Mur. 9: multis actiones ( processes, suits) et res ( the property in suit) peribant, Liv. 39, 18 al.—

The accusation ( in concr.), the statement of the crime, the indictment, charge, accusation:

Inde illa actio, OPE CONSILIOQVE TVO FVRTVM AIO FACTVM ESSE,

Cic. N. D. 3, 30, 74; cf. id. Caecin. 3; id. de Or. 1, 36, 167.—Hence, in gen., judicial forms (the omission of which rendered a suit null and void): actiones Manilianae, forms relative to purchase and sale; cf. Cic. de Or. 1, 58, 246:

Hostilianae,

ib. 1, 57, 245.—Hence,

A pleading of a case (spoken or written); so Cic. calls his Orats. against Verres, actiones, pleas, simply dividing them into actio prima and actio secunda:

actio causae,

Cic. Caecin. 2, 4;

actiones litium,

id. Phil. 9, 5, 11; so,

Suet. continuae actiones, Ner. 15: in prima parte actionis,

Quint. 10, 1, 20 al. —

Permission for a suit:

dare alicui actionem (which was the right or duty of the praetor or judge),

Cic. Verr. 2, 2, 27.—

The judicial management of a suit, the trial, the day of trial:

prima, altera, tertia,

Cic. Verr. 1, 30; 2, 2, 6.—

Of an orator; the exterior air or bearing, the action, delivery: Demosthenem ferunt ei qui quaesivisset quid primum esset in dicendo, actionem;

quid secundum, idem et idem tertium respondisse,

Cic. Brut. 38; cf. id. de Or. 1, 18;

so that it often includes even the voice: actio ejus (Pompeii) habebat et in voce magnum splendorem et in motu summam dignitatem,

id. Brut. 68; cf. id. Or. 17:

est actio quasi sermo corporis,

id. de Or. 3, 59; cf. ib. 2, 17 al.—Hence, also —

Of an actor, action:

in quo tanta commoveri actio non posset,

id. de Or. 3, 26.—

In dramatic lang., the action, the connection or series of events, the plot, in a play:

habet enim (fabula) varios actus multasque actiones et consiliorum et temporum,

Cic. Fam. 5, 12, 6.

bĕnĕfĭcĭum (better than bĕnĭfĭcĭ-um), ii, n. [beneficus].

A benefaction, kindness, favor, benefit, service, euergetêma (sunt qui ita distinguunt, quaedam beneficia esse, quaedam officia, quaedam ministeria. Beneficium esse, quod alienus det:

alienus est, qui potuit sine reprehensione cessare: officium esse filii, uxoris et earum personarum, quas necessitudo suscitat et ferre opem jubet: ministerium esse servi, quem condicio sua eo loco posuit, ut nihil eorum, quae praestat, imputet superiori,

Sen. Ben.3, 18, 1);—(in prose freq.; in poetry, for metrical reasons, only in play-writers; most freq. in Ter.).

In gen.:

nullum beneficium esse duco id, quod, quoi facias, non placet,

Plaut. Trin. 3, 2, 12:

beneficium accipere,

Ter. Ad. 2, 3, 1:

pro maleficio beneficium reddere,

id. Phorm. 2, 2, 22:

immemor beneficii,

id. And. 1, 1, 17:

cupio aliquos parere amicos beneficio meo,

id. Eun. 1, 2, 69:

beneficium verbis initum re comprobare,

id. And. 5, 1, 5:

nec enim si tuam ob causam cuiquam commodes, beneficium illud habendum est, sed feneratio,

Cic. Fin. 2, 35, 117; id. Off. 2. 20, 70:

beneficio adligari: beneficio victus esse,

Cic. Planc. 33, 81; cf.:

Jugurtham beneficiis vincere,

Sall. J. 9, 3:

collocare,

Cic. Off. 1, 15, 49 al.; 2, 20, 69:

dare,

id. ib. 1, 15, 48; id. Fam. 13, 8, 3' deferre, id. Off. 1, 15, 49: conferre in aliquem, [p. 232] id. ib. 1, 14, 45: quia magna mihi debebat beneficia, Cael. ap. Cic. Fam. 8, 12, 1:

in republicā multo praestat benefici quam malefici immemorem esse,

Sall. J. 31, 28:

senatus et populus Romanus benefici et injuriae memor esse solet,

id. ib. 104, 5; Petr. 126, 4:

in iis (hominibus) beneficio ac maleficio abstineri aecum censent,

Liv. 5, 3, 8:

immortali memoriā retinere beneficia,

Nep. Att. 11, 5 al. —Of the favor of the people in giving their vote:

quidquid hoc beneficio populi Romani atque hac potestate praetoriā possum,

Cic. Imp. Pomp. 24, 69, and 71.—

Esp.

Beneficio, through favor, by the help, aid, support, mediation:

beneficio tuo salvus,

thanks to you, Cic. Fam. 11, 22, 1; 13, 35, 1:

nostri consulatūs beneficio,

by means of, id. Q. Fr. 1, 1, 1, § 6:

servari beneficio Caesaris,

Vell. 2, 71, 1:

hoc beneficio,

by this means, Ter. Heaut. 2, 4, 14:

sortium beneficio,

by the lucky turn of, Caes. B. G. 1, 53 Herz.:

longissimae aetatis,

Quint. 3, 1, 9:

ingenii,

id. 2, 11, 2; 5, 10, 121:

eloquentiae,

Tac. Or. 8 al.; cf.: fortunae beneficium, Planc. ap. Cic. Fam. 10, 4, 2.—

In gen., by the agency of:

quod beneficio ejus contingit,

Dig. 39, 2, 40, § 1:

beneficio furis,

ib. 47, 2, 46 pr.—

Alicujus beneficii facere (habere, etc.), to make dependent on one ' s bounty or favor (post-Aug.):

commeatus a senatu peti solitos benefici sui fecit,

Suet. Claud. 23:

ut munus imperii beneficii sui faceret,

Just. 13, 4, 9; cf.:

adeo quidem dominis servi beneficia possunt dare, ut ipsos saepe beneficii sui fecerint,

Sen. Ben. 3, 18, 4:

sed nihil habebimus nisi beneficii alieni?

Quint. 10, 4, 6.—

Transf. to political life.

A distinction, support, favor, promotion (esp. freq. after the Aug. per.):

coöptatio collegiorum ad populi beneficium transferebatur,

Cic. Lael. 25, 96; id. Phil. 2, 36, 91:

quibus omnia populi Romani beneficia dormientibus deferuntur,

id. Verr. 2, 5, 70, § 180:

in beneficiis ad aerarium delatus,

among those recommended to favor, id. Arch. 5, 11 Halm. ad loc.; id. Fam. 7, 5, 3:

cum suo magno beneficio esset,

under great obligation to his recommendation, id. Phil. 8, 6 Wernsd.; Flor. 4, 2, 92; cf. Suet. Tit. 8.—So,

Esp. freq. of military promotions (whence beneficiarius, q. v.):

quod scribis de beneficiis, scito a me et tribunos militaris et praefectos... delatos esse,

Cic. Fam. 5, 20, 7:

ut tribuni militum... quae antea dictatorum et consulum ferme fuerant beneficia,

Liv. 9, 30, 3:

beneficia gratuita esse populi Romani,

id. 45, 42, 11; Hirt. B. Afr. 54, 5:

per beneficia Nymphidii,

promoted, advanced through the favor of Nymphidius, Tac. H. 1, 25; 4, 48 Lips.:

beneficii sui centuriones,

i. e. his creatures, Suet. Tib. 12:

Liber beneficiorum or Beneficium,

the book in which the public lands that were bestowed were designated, Hyg. Limit. Const. p. 193 Goes.; Arcad. ib. p. 260.—So, SERVVS. A. COMMENTARIIS. BENEFICIORVM., Inscr. Grut. 578, 1.—

A privilege, right (post-Aug.):

anulorum,

Dig. 48, 7, 42:

religionis,

ib. 3, 3, 18:

militaris,

ib. 29, 1, 3.—Hence, liberorum, a release from the office of judge, received in consequence of having a certain number of children, Suet. Claud. 15; Dig. 49, 8, 1, § 2.—

Personified, as a god:

duos omnino (deos credere), Poenam et Beneficium,

Plin. 2, 7, 5, § 14.

bĕnĕfĭcĭum (better than bĕnĭfĭcĭ-um), ii, n. [beneficus].

A benefaction, kindness, favor, benefit, service, euergetêma (sunt qui ita distinguunt, quaedam beneficia esse, quaedam officia, quaedam ministeria. Beneficium esse, quod alienus det:

alienus est, qui potuit sine reprehensione cessare: officium esse filii, uxoris et earum personarum, quas necessitudo suscitat et ferre opem jubet: ministerium esse servi, quem condicio sua eo loco posuit, ut nihil eorum, quae praestat, imputet superiori,

Sen. Ben.3, 18, 1);—(in prose freq.; in poetry, for metrical reasons, only in play-writers; most freq. in Ter.).

In gen.:

nullum beneficium esse duco id, quod, quoi facias, non placet,

Plaut. Trin. 3, 2, 12:

beneficium accipere,

Ter. Ad. 2, 3, 1:

pro maleficio beneficium reddere,

id. Phorm. 2, 2, 22:

immemor beneficii,

id. And. 1, 1, 17:

cupio aliquos parere amicos beneficio meo,

id. Eun. 1, 2, 69:

beneficium verbis initum re comprobare,

id. And. 5, 1, 5:

nec enim si tuam ob causam cuiquam commodes, beneficium illud habendum est, sed feneratio,

Cic. Fin. 2, 35, 117; id. Off. 2. 20, 70:

beneficio adligari: beneficio victus esse,

Cic. Planc. 33, 81; cf.:

Jugurtham beneficiis vincere,

Sall. J. 9, 3:

collocare,

Cic. Off. 1, 15, 49 al.; 2, 20, 69:

dare,

id. ib. 1, 15, 48; id. Fam. 13, 8, 3' deferre, id. Off. 1, 15, 49: conferre in aliquem, [p. 232] id. ib. 1, 14, 45: quia magna mihi debebat beneficia, Cael. ap. Cic. Fam. 8, 12, 1:

in republicā multo praestat benefici quam malefici immemorem esse,

Sall. J. 31, 28:

senatus et populus Romanus benefici et injuriae memor esse solet,

id. ib. 104, 5; Petr. 126, 4:

in iis (hominibus) beneficio ac maleficio abstineri aecum censent,

Liv. 5, 3, 8:

immortali memoriā retinere beneficia,

Nep. Att. 11, 5 al. —Of the favor of the people in giving their vote:

quidquid hoc beneficio populi Romani atque hac potestate praetoriā possum,

Cic. Imp. Pomp. 24, 69, and 71.—

Esp.

Beneficio, through favor, by the help, aid, support, mediation:

beneficio tuo salvus,

thanks to you, Cic. Fam. 11, 22, 1; 13, 35, 1:

nostri consulatūs beneficio,

by means of, id. Q. Fr. 1, 1, 1, § 6:

servari beneficio Caesaris,

Vell. 2, 71, 1:

hoc beneficio,

by this means, Ter. Heaut. 2, 4, 14:

sortium beneficio,

by the lucky turn of, Caes. B. G. 1, 53 Herz.:

longissimae aetatis,

Quint. 3, 1, 9:

ingenii,

id. 2, 11, 2; 5, 10, 121:

eloquentiae,

Tac. Or. 8 al.; cf.: fortunae beneficium, Planc. ap. Cic. Fam. 10, 4, 2.—

In gen., by the agency of:

quod beneficio ejus contingit,

Dig. 39, 2, 40, § 1:

beneficio furis,

ib. 47, 2, 46 pr.—

Alicujus beneficii facere (habere, etc.), to make dependent on one ' s bounty or favor (post-Aug.):

commeatus a senatu peti solitos benefici sui fecit,

Suet. Claud. 23:

ut munus imperii beneficii sui faceret,

Just. 13, 4, 9; cf.:

adeo quidem dominis servi beneficia possunt dare, ut ipsos saepe beneficii sui fecerint,

Sen. Ben. 3, 18, 4:

sed nihil habebimus nisi beneficii alieni?

Quint. 10, 4, 6.—

Transf. to political life.

A distinction, support, favor, promotion (esp. freq. after the Aug. per.):

coöptatio collegiorum ad populi beneficium transferebatur,

Cic. Lael. 25, 96; id. Phil. 2, 36, 91:

quibus omnia populi Romani beneficia dormientibus deferuntur,

id. Verr. 2, 5, 70, § 180:

in beneficiis ad aerarium delatus,

among those recommended to favor, id. Arch. 5, 11 Halm. ad loc.; id. Fam. 7, 5, 3:

cum suo magno beneficio esset,

under great obligation to his recommendation, id. Phil. 8, 6 Wernsd.; Flor. 4, 2, 92; cf. Suet. Tit. 8.—So,

Esp. freq. of military promotions (whence beneficiarius, q. v.):

quod scribis de beneficiis, scito a me et tribunos militaris et praefectos... delatos esse,

Cic. Fam. 5, 20, 7:

ut tribuni militum... quae antea dictatorum et consulum ferme fuerant beneficia,

Liv. 9, 30, 3:

beneficia gratuita esse populi Romani,

id. 45, 42, 11; Hirt. B. Afr. 54, 5:

per beneficia Nymphidii,

promoted, advanced through the favor of Nymphidius, Tac. H. 1, 25; 4, 48 Lips.:

beneficii sui centuriones,

i. e. his creatures, Suet. Tib. 12:

Liber beneficiorum or Beneficium,

the book in which the public lands that were bestowed were designated, Hyg. Limit. Const. p. 193 Goes.; Arcad. ib. p. 260.—So, SERVVS. A. COMMENTARIIS. BENEFICIORVM., Inscr. Grut. 578, 1.—

A privilege, right (post-Aug.):

anulorum,

Dig. 48, 7, 42:

religionis,

ib. 3, 3, 18:

militaris,

ib. 29, 1, 3.—Hence, liberorum, a release from the office of judge, received in consequence of having a certain number of children, Suet. Claud. 15; Dig. 49, 8, 1, § 2.—

Personified, as a god:

duos omnino (deos credere), Poenam et Beneficium,

Plin. 2, 7, 5, § 14.