auctōrĭtas (not autōr- nor authōr-), ātis, f. [auctor], acc. to the different signiff. of that word,
I In gen., a producing , production , invention , cause (very rare; syn.: auctoramentum, sententia, judicium, consilium, vis, pondus, favor, gratia): quod si exquiratur usque ab stirpe auctoritas (sc. rumoris), originator , inventor , Plaut. Trin. 1, 2, 180: ejus facti qui sint principes et inventores, qui denique auctoritatis ejus et inventionis comprobatores, Cic. Inv. 1, 28, 43: utrum poëtae Stoicos depravārint, an Stoici poëtis dederint auctoritatem, non facile dixerim, id. N. D. 3, 38, 91.—
II Esp.,
A A view , opinion , judgment : errat vehementer, si quis in orationibus nostris auctoritates nostras consignatas se habere arbitratur, Cic. Clu. 50, 139: reliquum est, ut de Q. Catuli auctoritate et sententiā dicendum esse videatur, id. Imp. Pomp. 20; 22: Mihi quidem ex animo eximi non potest, esse deos, id tamen ipsum, quod mihi persuasum est auctoritate majorum, cur ita sit, nihil tu me doces, id. N. D. 3, 3, 7: plus apud me antiquorum auctoritas valet, id. Lael. 4, 13.—
B Counsel , advice , persuasion , encouragement to something (esp. if made with energy and sustained by the authority and influence of the counsellor; cf. auctor, I. C.): auctoritatem defugere, Plaut. Poen. 1, 1, 19: Jubeo, cogo atque impero. Numquam defugiam auctoritatem, Ter. Eun. 390 Ruhnk.: attende jam, Torquate, quam ego defugiam auctoritatem consulatūs mei, how little pleased (ironically) I am that the occurrences of my consulship are ascribed to my exertions , my influence , Cic. Sull. 11, 33: cujus (Reguli) cum valuisset auctoritas, captivi retenti sunt, id. Off. 3, 27, 100: jure, legibus, auctoritate omnium, qui consulebantur, testamentum fecerat, id. Verr. 2, 1, 42: ejus (Sexti) mihi vivit auctoritas, id. Att. 10, 1, 1: his rebus adducti et auctoritate Orgetorigis permoti etc., Caes. B. G. 1, 3: ut per auctoritatem earum civitatium suae preces nuper repudiatae faciliorem aditum ad senatum haberent, i. e. agentibus, intervenientibus, Liv. 38, 3 al.—Also consolatory exhortation , consolation , comfort : his autem litteris animum tuum...amicissimi hominis auctoritate confirmandum etiam atque etiam puto, Cic. Fam. 6, 6, 2.—
C Will , pleasure , decision , bidding , command , precept , decree : si ad verba rem deflectere velimus, consilium autem eorum, qui scripserunt, et rationem et auctoritatem relinquamus? Cic. Caecin. 18, 51: verba servire hominum consiliis et auctoritatibus, id. ib. 18, 52: legio auctoritatem Caesaris persecuta est, id. Phil. 3, 3: nisi legiones ad Caesaris auctoritatem se contulissent, under his command , guidance , id. Fam. 10, 28 fin. —Hence,
2 Esp., in political lang., t. t.
a Senatūs auctoritas,
α The will of the senate : agrum Picenum contra senatūs auctoritatem dividere, Cic. Sen. 4, 11.—More freq.,
β A decree of the senate , = Senatūs consultum: Senatūs vetus auctoritas de Bacchanalibus, Cic. Leg. 2, 15, 37: sine senatūs auctoritate foedus facere, id. Off. 3, 30, 109: Senatūs auctoritas gravissima intercessit, id. Fam. 1, 2 fin. : responditque ita ex auctoritate senatūs consul, Liv. 7, 31: imperio non populi jussu, non ex auctoritate patrum dato, id. 26, 2: Neminem exulum nisi ex Senatūs auctoritate restituit, Suet. Claud. 12: citra senatūs populique auctoritatem, id. Caes. 28 al. —Hence the superscription to the decrees of the Senate: SENATVS. CONSVLTI. AVCTORITAS., abbrev., S. C. A., Cic. Fam. 8, 8.—Sometimes between senatūs auctoritas and senatūs consultum this distinction is to be made, that the former designates a decision of the senate, invalidated by the protestation of the tribune of the people or by the people themselves; the latter, one that is passed without opposition, Cic. Fam. 8, 8; Liv. 4, 57.—
b Auctoritas populi, the popular will or decision : isti principes et sibi et ceteris populi universi auctoritati parendum esse fateantur, Cic. Imp. Pomp. 22; so, publica, Vell. 2, 62, 3; Dig. 1, 2, 2, § 4.—
c Auctoritas collegii (pontificum), Liv. 34, 44; cf. Cic. Leg. 2, 19 and 21.—
D Liberty , ability , power , authority to do according to one's pleasure: qui habet imperium a populo Romano auctoritatem legum dandarum ab senatu, Cic. Verr. 2, 2, 49: Verres tantum sibi auctoritatis in re publicā suscepit, ut, etc., id. ib. 2, 5, 58: Invita in hoc loco versatur oratio; videtur enim auctoritatem adferre peccandi, id. N. D. 3, 35, 85: Senatūs faciem secum attulerat auctoritatemque populi Romani, id. Phil. 8, 8.—
E Might , power , authority , reputation , dignity , influence , weight (very freq.): ut vostra auctoritas Meae auctoritati fautrix adjutrixque sit, Ter. Hec. 47: aequitate causae et auctoritate suā aliquem commovere, Cic. Verr. 2, 1, 48: id maximā auctoritate philosophi adfirmant, id. Off. 3, 29, 105: Digna est memoriā Q. Catuli cum auctoritas tum verecundia, Vell. 2, 32: optimatium auctoritatem deminuere, Suet. Caes. 11; so, auctoritatem habere, Cic. Phil. 11, 10 fin. ; id. Sen. 17, 60: adripere, id. ib. 18, 62; id. N. D. 3, 35, 85: facere, to procure , obtain , id. Imp. Pomp. 15: Grandis auctoritatis es et bene regis regnum Israël, * Vulg. 3 Reg. 21, 7: imminuere, Cic. de Or. 2, 37 fin. : levare, id. Ac. 2 ( Luc. ), 22, 69: fructus capere auctoritatis, id. Sen. 18, 62: Quae sunt voluptates corporis cum auctoritatis praemiis comparandae? id. ib. 18, 64 et saep. —Transf. to things, importance , significance , weight , power , worth , value , estimation : bos in pecuariā maximā debet esse auctoritate, Varr. R. R. 2, 5: sunt certa legum verba... quo plus auctoritatis habeant, paulo antiquiora, more weight , force , Cic. Leg. 2, 7, 18: totius hujusce rei quae sit vis, quae auctoritas, quod pondus, ignorant, id. Fl. 4: utilitatis species falsa ab honestatis auctoritate superata est, id. Off. 3, 30, 109: cum antea per aetatem nondum hujus auctoritatem loci attingere auderem, of this honorable place , i. e. the rostra , id. Imp. Pomp 1: bibliothecas omnium philosophorum mihi videtur XII. tabularum libellus auctoritatis pondere superare, id. de Or. 1, 44, 195; id. Fam. 1, 7; Dolab. ap. Cic. ib. 9, 9 fin. : auctoritas praecipua lupo (pisci), Plin. 9, 17, 28, § 61: Post eum (Maecenatum) interiit auctoritas sapori (pullorum asinorum), id. 8, 43, 68, § 170 Jan: unguentorum, id. 13, 1, 2, § 4: auctoritas dignitasque formae, Suet. Claud. 30.—Also of feigned , assumed authority : nec cognovi quemquam, qui majore auctoritate nihil diceret, that said nothing with a greater air of authority , Cic. Div. 2, 67, 139.—
F An example , pattern , model : omnium superiorum auctoritatem repudiare, Cic. Verr. 2, 3, 19: memoriā digna juventuti rei publicae capessendae auctoritas disciplinaque, id. Sest. 6, 14: valuit auctoritas, id. Tusc. 2, 22, 53; so id. Verr. 2, 3, 93; 2, 5, 32: tu is es qui in disputando non tuum judicium sequare, sed auctoritati aliorum pareas, id. Leg. 1, 13, 36; id. Rosc. Am. 6, 16 al.—
G A warrant , security for establishing a fact , assertion , etc., credibility : cum ea (justitia) sine prudentiā satis habeat auctoritatis, Cic. Off. 2, 9, 34: desinant putare, auctoritatem esse in eo testimonio, cujus auctor inventus est nemo, id. Fl. 22, 53: Quid vero habet auctoritatis furor iste, quem divinum vocatis? id. Div. 2, 54, 110: tollitur omnis auctoritas somniorum, id. ib. 2, 59, 123: cum ad vanitatem accessit auctoritas, id. Lael. 25, 94.—
2 Meton., the things which serve for the verification or establishment of a fact.
a A record , document : videt legationes, cum publicis auctoritatibus convenisse, Cic. Verr. 1, 3, 7: nihil putas valere in judiciis civitatum auctoritates ac litteras, id. ib. 2, 3, 62, § 146.—
b The name of a person who is security for something , authority : cum auctoritates principum conjurationis colligeret, Cic. Sull. 13, 37: sed tu auctoritates contemnis, ratione pugnas, id. N. D. 3, 4, 9.—Hence for the names of persons present at the drawing up of a decree of the senate: quod in auctoritatibus praescriptis exstat, Cic. de Or. 3, 2, 5: Senatūs consultum, quod tibi misi, factum est auctoritatesque perscriptae, Cael. ap. Cic. Fam. 8, 8.—
H Right of possession (cf. auctor, II. F. 1.): lex usum et auctoritatem fundi jubet esse biennium, Cic. Caecin. 19, 54: usūs auctoritas fundi biennium est, id. Top. 4, 23; so id. Caecin. 26, 74; id. Har. Resp. 7; Lex Atin. ap. Gell. 17, 6; cf. Hugo, Rechtsgesch. p. 217 sq.—So in the laws of the XII. Tables: ADVERSVS. HOSTEM. AETERNA. AVCTORITAS., against a stranger the right of possession is perpetual (i. e. a stranger cannot , by prescription , obtain the right of possession to the property of a Roman ), ap. Cic. Off. 1, 12, 37.—
J In jurid. lang., a guaranty , security , Paul. Sent. 2, 17.