actĭo, ōnis, f. [ago], a doing, performing, acting, action, act.
I 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, 17: 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. Off. 1, 35, 127; ib. 1, 43, 153: actio ullius rei, id. Ac. 2 ( Luc. ), 33, 108; and so plur.: periculosae rerum actiones sunt, id. Off. 1, 24, 83; hence: actio gratiarum, the giving of thanks , id. Fam. 10, 19 (cf.: gratias agere).—
II Esp.
A Public functions , civil acts , proceedings , or duties.
1 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, 3; Caes. B. C. 1, 5.—Hence negotiation , deliberation : discessu consulum actio de pace sublata est, Cic. Att. 9. 9.—Esp.
2 Of judicial proceedings.
a 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.—
b 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,
c 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.—
d Permission for a suit : dare alicui actionem (which was the right or duty of the praetor or judge), Cic. Verr. 2, 2, 27.—
e The judicial management of a suit , the trial , the day of trial : prima, altera, tertia, Cic. Verr. 1, 30; 2, 2, 6.—
B Gesticulation connected with oral delivery.
1 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. id. ib. 2, 17 al.—Hence, also —
2 Of an actor, action : in quo tanta commoveri actio non posset, id. de Or. 3, 26.—
C 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.