largītĭo, ōnis, f. [largior], a giving freely, a granting, bestowing, dispensing, distributing, imparting.
I Lit.
A In gen. (class.): largitio, quae fit ex re familiari, fontem ipsum benignitatis exhaurit, Cic. Off. 2, 15, 52: largitione redemit militum voluntates, Caes. B. C. 1, 39 fin. : his pauca ad spem largitionis addidit, id. ib. 2, 28: maximas largitiones fecit, id. ib. 3, 31: largitio et communicatio civitatis, a granting , Cic. Balb. 13, 31: aequitatis, a distributing, dispensing , id. Mur. 20, 41.—Prov.: largitio fundum non habet, there is no end of giving , Cic. Off. 2, 15, 55; v. fundus.—
B In partic., in a bad sense.
1 Bribery, corruption , esp. to obtain a public office: liberalitatem ac benignitatem ab ambitu atque largitione sejungere, Cic. de Or. 2, 25, 55: tribum turpi largitione corrumpere, id. Planc. 15, 37: tribus largitione devinctas habere, id. ib.: perniciosa, id. Mur. 37, 80: profusissima, Suet. Caes. 13: nullum largitionis genus omisit, id. ib. 26.—*
2 Profusion, prodigality : nullius rei, minime beneficiorum, honesta largitio est, Sen. Ben. 1, 2, 1.—
II Meton., concr., largitiones, the imperial treasury, public chest , or imperial fund for presents and distributions, Eutr. 8, 13; Cod. Just. 7, 62, 21; both sacrae (for public or state purposes) and privatae (for personal outlay), id. 10, 23, 2; Cod. Th. 12, 6, 13.