lēgātĭo, ōnis, f. [1. lego], the sending of an ambassador; hence, the office of an ambassador, an embassy, legation.
I Lit.
A In gen.: cum legatione in provinciam esset profectus, Cic. Verr. 2, 4, 5, § 9: legationem obire, id. Ac. 2 ( Luc. ), 2, 5: is sibi legationem ad civitates suscepit, Caes. B. G. 1, 3: legationis officium conficere, id. B. C. 3, 103: in legationem proficisci, Liv. 21, 63: in legatione esse, Quint. 7, 1, 50: legatio male gesta, id. 4, 4, 5: munus legationis recusare, Caes. B. C. 1, 33: legationem renuntiare, to make a report or give an account of one's embassy , Cic. Phil. 9, 1, 1; Liv. 9, 4; 23, 6; 35, 32; 36, 35; 39, 33; Plin. Ep. 4, 9, 20 al.; v. renuntio, I. B.: legationem ementiri, Cic. Opt. Gen. Or. 7: a Treveris Germanos crebris legationibus sollicitari, Caes. B. G. 6, 2: per legationes petere foedus, Tac. A. 2, 45.—
B In partic.
1 Libera legatio, a free legation , i. e. permission granted to a senator to visit one or more provinces on his private affairs in the character of an ambassador, but without performing the duties of one (such an embassy was called free , because while it lasted the holder of it was at liberty to come to the city of Rome and leave it again without resigning his office): negotiorum suorum causa legatus est in Africam legatione libera, Cic. Fam. 12, 21: habent opinor liberae legationes definitum tempus lege Julia, id. Att. 15, 11; called simply legatio, id. Leg. 3, 8, 18; id. Fl. 34: qui libera legatione abest, non videtur rei publicae causa abesse: hic enim non publici causa, sed sui abest, Dig. 50, 7, 14.—
2 Legatio votiva, a free embassy assumed for the purpose (often a mere pretext) of paying a vow in a province , Cic. Att. 4, 2 fin. ; 15, 8; 15, 11.—
3 The charge of a legatus Augusti (v. legatus, B. 2.), Tac. Agr. 9; v. Orell. ad h. l.—
II Transf., the persons attached to an embassy, an embassy, legation : communem legationem ad Crassum mittunt, Caes. B. G. 3, 8: cujus legationis Divico princeps fuit, id. ib. 1, 13: quas legationes Caesar ad se reverti jussit, id. ib. 2, 35: ab Eumene legatio de victoria gratulatum venit, Liv. 45, 13.