dē-cerno, crēvi, crētum, 3 (the syncop. forms decreram, etc., decrerim, etc., decresse are freq. in Cicero and Liv., also Plaut. Curc. 5, 3, 25; Ter. Hec. 148; 212, but not in Caes., where is only decreverat, B. G. 4, 17; 5, 5 fin.; 5, 53, 2), v. a. and n.
I (acc. to cerno, no. II. 3.) To decide, determine any thing disputed or doubtful. For syn. cf.: scisco, jubeo, statuo, constituo, dico, sancio, consilium capio, destino, obstino, definio, determino.
A Prop., of a judge, magistrate, etc., to pronounce a decision respecting something; to decide, judge, determine, decree; to vote for any thing (very freq. and class.).—Const. with acc., with acc. et inf. , a relat. clause , with de , or absol. : alias (Verres praetor) revocabat eos, inter quos jam decreverat decretumque mutabat, alias, etc., Cic. Verr. 2, 1, 46: si quod est admissum facinus, si caedes facta, idem (Druides) decernunt, Caes. B. G. 6, 13, 5: consules de consilii sententia decreverunt secundum Buthrotios, Cic. Att. 16, 16, C, § 11: decernere vindicias secundum servitutem, in favor of slavery , i. e. restore the slave to his master , Liv. 3, 47, 5; cf. Caes. B. C. 1, 5, 4: cum senatus triumphum Africano decerneret, Cic. Fin. 4, 9, 22; cf. of a single senator: non decrevi solum, sed etiam ut vos decerneretis laboravi, id. Prov. Cons. 11, 28; so supplicationem decernere, id. Fam. 15, 4, 11; so also: Crassus tres legatos decernit, id. ib. 1, 1, 3: D. Junius silanus supplicium sumendum decreverat, Sall. C. 50, 4: quando id bellum senatus decrevisset, quando id bellum populus R. jussisset? Liv. 41, 7; 42, 36; id. 5, 36; id. 26, 2: id quod senatus me auctore decrevit, Cic. Phil. 6, 1, 1; Caes. B. C. 1, 2, 2: qui ordo decrevit invitus, on compulsion , Cic. Phil. 1, 6, 13: Ligures ambobus consulibus decernuntur, Liv. 42, 10; cf.: provinciam desponsam non decretam habere, Cic. Prov. Cons. 15 (v. the whole passage in connection): provinciae privatis decernuntur, Caes. B. C. 1, 6, 4 et saep.: ex annuo sumptu, qui mihi decretus esset, Cic. Att. 7, 1, 6 et saep.: mea virtute atque diligentia perditorum hominum patefactam esse conjurationem decrevistis, id. Cat. 4, 3: cum pontifices decressent ita; SI, etc., id. Att. 4, 2, 3: senatus decrevit populusque jussit, ut, etc., id. Verr. 2, 2, 67: in jure dicundo, ita decrevit, ut, etc., Suet. Galb. 7; cf. of individuals: Hortensii et mea et Luculli sententia ... tibi decernit, ut regem reducas, etc., Cic. Fam. 1, 1, 3.— Impers. : in parricidas rei publicae decretum esse, Sall. Cat. 51, 25.—Esp. of the emperor, to determine the law by deciding a case: quodcumque imperator cognoscens decrevit, legem esse constat, Dig. 1, 4, 1, § 1; Just. Inst. 1, 2, 6.
2 Transf., beyond the judicial sphere, to decide, determine, judge : qui nequeas nostrorum uter sit Amphitruo decernere, Plaut. fragm. ap. Non. 285, 26: rem dubiam decrevit vox opportune emissa, Liv. 5, 55; cf.: primus clamor atque impetus rem decrevit, id. 25, 41; Plin. 17, 27, 46, § 258: de his Catonis praecepta decernent, id. 17, 22, 35, § 190: duo talenta pro re nostra ego esse decrevi satis, Ter. Heaut. 940; id. Hec. 542: quam decrerim me non posse diutius habere, id. ib. 148: in quo omnia mea posita esse decrevi, Cic. Fam. 2, 6, 3; id. Att. 3, 15, 7: illum decrerunt dignum, suos cui liberos committerent, Ter. Hec. 212: in ejus controversiis quid decernas, non a te peto, Cic. Fam. 13, 59: aliquem decernere hostem, to proclaim one an enemy by a formal decree, id. Phil. 11, 7, 16.— Absol. : nequeo satis decernere, Ter. Ad. 544.
B Milit., to decide by combat; hence (like cernere and certare), in gen., to fight, combat, contend : castra castris conferamus, et Samnis Romanusne imperio Italiam regant, decernamus, Liv. 8, 23, 9; id. 1, 23, 9: in ipso illo gladiatorio vitae certamine, quod ferro decernitur, Cic. de Or. 2, 78, 317: proelium, id. Fam. 10, 10: pugnam, Liv. 28, 14; cf. id. ib. 33: de bello decernere, Auct. B. Hisp. 5 fin. Oud. N. cr. : ne armis decernatur, Cic. Att. 7, 3, 5; cf.: ferro ancipiti decernunt, Verg. A. 7, 525: and armis, ferro, id. ib. 11, 218; 12, 282; 695 (cf. et cernere ferro, id. ib. 709): cursibus et crudo caestu, id. G. 3, 20: cornibus inter se, id. ib. 218: lapidibus et subselliorum fragminibus, Suet. Ner. 26 et saep.: contra magnam vim hostium, artificio magis quam viribus, Auct. B. Afr. 14: acie, Liv. 2, 14; Nep. Milt. 4, 4: proelio cum proditore, Just. 13, 8, 4: classe decreturi, Nep. Hann. 10, 4: integriore exercitu, id. Eum. 9 fin.—Absol. : decernendi potestatem Pompeio fecit, Caes. B. C. 3, 41; cf. Liv. 21, 41.
2 Transf., beyond the milit. sphere: decernite criminibus, mox ferro decreturi, Liv. 40, 8 fin. —So of a judicial contest: uno judicio de fortunis omnibus decernit, Cic. Quint. 2, 6; cf. Quint. 10, 1, 29; and qui judicio decernent, id. 12, 7, 5: de salute reipublicae, Cic. Att. 8, 5, 2: pro mea omni fama fortunisque, id. de Or. 2, 49: utinam meo solum capite decernerem, id. Att. 10, 9; Caes. B. C. 1, 35, 3.
II With reference to one's own acts, to decide, determine on doing something; to determine, resolve on something (freq. in all periods and styles).—Constr., with inf. and with acc. and inf.: si tu fluctus e gurgite tollere decreris, Lucil. ap. Rufin. § 26 (p. 238 ed. Frotsch.): quicquid peperisset decreverunt tollere, Ter. And. 219: Caesar his de causis Rhenum transire decreverat, Caes. B. G. 4, 17 et saep.: eos me decretum est persequi mores patris, Plaut. As. 1, 1, 58; id. Stich. 1, 3, 65; Ter. Heaut. 465; cf.: certum atque decretum est non dare signum, Liv. 2, 45: reliquam aetatem a republica procul habendam decrevi, Sall. C. 4. With ut and subjunct. : hic decernit ut miser sit, Cic. Tusc. 3, 27, 65.—With accus. : quicquam decernere, id. ib.
VII —Hence, dēcrētum , i, n.
A (Acc. to no. I. A.) A decree, decision, ordinance of any political or judicial body (for syn. cf.: scitum, edictum, consilium, jus): senatus Caelium ab rep. removendum censuit. Hoc decreto eum consul senatu prohibuit, Caes. B. C. 3, 21, 3: si qui eorum (sc. Druidum) decreto non stetit, sacrificiis interdicunt, id. B. G. 6, 13, 5; cf. id. ib. § 10: vestra responsa atque decreta evertuntur saepe dicendo, Cic. Mur. 13 fin. ; id. Verr. 2, 2, 48: decurionum, id. Rosc. Am. 9, 25 et saep.: Caesaris, Vulg. Act. 17, 7.—Esp. leg. t. t., a decision of the emperor as judge, a precedent (cf. rescriptum), Gai. 1, 5; Just. Inst. 2, 15, 4.—
B Transf., in philos. lang. as a translation of the Gr. δόγμα, principle, doctrine, precept , Cic. Ac. 2 ( Luc. ), 9, 27; id. ib. § 29; cf. Sen. Ep. 94, 2 sq. and 95, 9 sq. (quis philosophorum) decretis suis paret? Lact. 3, 15, 3.