offĭcĭum, ii, n. [for opificium, opus and facio], qs. that which one does for another, a service, whether of free will or of (external or moral) necessity (class.; cf.: studium, beneficium, meritum, munus).
I A voluntary service , a kindness , favor , courtesy , rendered to one whose claim to it is recognized; while beneficium is a service rendered where there is no claim: officium esse filii, uxoris, earum personarum, quas necessitudo suscitat et ferre opem jubet, Sen. Ben. 3, 18, 1.
A In gen.: altera sententia est, quae definit amicitiam paribus officiis ac voluntatibus, Cic. Lael. 16, 58: odiosum sane genus hominum officia exprobrantium, id. ib. 20, 71: nihil est vicissitudine studiorum officiorumque jucundius, id. ib. 14, 49: filicem cum officio vicini decidere, so as to do him a service , Col. 2, 14, 6: summo officio praeditus homo, exceedingly obliging , Cic. Verr. 2, 1, 51, § 135. —
B In partic.
1 A ceremonial observance , ceremony , attendance (on a festive or solemn occasion; mostly post-Aug.): officio togae virilis interfui, Plin. Ep. 1, 9, 2: sine solenni officio, Suet. Claud. 2: per sollenne nuptiarum celeberrimo officio deductum ad se, id. Ner. 28; cf. id. Claud. 26: ad officium venire, id. Calig. 25: relicto statim novorum consulum officio, id. Caes. 50: in officio salutationis, id. Aug. 27: vitans praeter navigantium officia, id. Tib. 12: officia prosequentium, id. Caes. 71: quod supremis in matrem officiis defuisset, at the payment of the last offices , at the funeral , Tac. A. 5, 2: officium cras Primo sole mihi peragendum in valle Quirini, a ceremonial visit , Juv. 2, 133 sq.; 3, 239.—
2 In mal. part., compliance , favor , Prop. 3, 15, 24; Ov. Am. 1, 10, 46; 3, 7, 24; cf. virile, Theod. Prisc. 2, 11: puerile, Plaut. Cist. 4, 1, 5; Petr. 140.—
II In gen., an obligatory service , an obligation , duty , function , part , office (so most freq. in prose and poetry of all periods): nulla vitae pars neque publicis neque privatis neque forensibus neque domesticis in rebus, neque si tecum agas quid, neque, si cum altero contrahas, vacare oflicio potest: in eoque et colendo sita vitae est honestas omnis et in neglegendo turpitudo, etc., Cic. Off. 1, 2, 4 sq.: perfectum officium rectum opinor vocemus, quod Graeci κατόρθωμα: hoc autem commune καθῆκον vocant, id. ib. 1, 3, 8; an id doles, quia illi suum officium non colunt, quom tu tuum facis? Plaut. Stich. 1, 1, 34; id. ib. 1, 1, 39; id. Pers. 4, 4, 66: meminisse officium suum, to remember one's duty , id. Trin. 3, 2, 71.—Also, subject., a sense of duty : si quis aegre ferat nihil in se esse virtutis, nihil officii, etc., Cic. Tusc. 4, 28, 61: quicquid in eum judicii officiique contuleris, id. Fam. 10, 1 fin. : intellegere, utrum apud eos pudor atque officium an timor valeret, Caes. B. G. 1, 40, 14: suum facere, to do one's duty , Ter. Ad. 69: omnibus officiis amicitiae servatis, observe all the obligations of friendship , Cic. Fam. 5, 17, 3: exsequi, id. Att. 3, 15, 4: fungi officio, id. Fam. 3, 8, 3: satisfacere officio, to perform , id. Div. in Caecil. 14, 47: officium suum deserere, to disregard one's duty , not perform it , id. Off. 1, 9, 28: discedere ab officio, id. ib. 1, 10, 32: deesse officio suo, id. Fam. 7, 3, 1: officii duxit, considered it his duty , Suet. Tib. 11.—Of animals: canes funguntur officiis luporum, act the part of , Auct. Her. 4, 34, 46.—Of things: neque pes neque mens satis suum officium facit, Ter. Eun. 729: officium corporis, the function or property of a body , Lucr. 1, 336 and 362.—
B In partic.
1 Lit., an official duty , a service , employment , business (class.): toti officio maritimo M. Bibulus praepositus cuncta administrabat, naval service , Caes. B. C. 3, 5 fin. ; 3, 8: celeriter equitatus ad cotidianum itineris officium revertitur, id. ib. 1, 80: confecto legationis officio, id. ib. 3, 103: destringor officio, Plin. Ep. 7, 15, 1: officium (scribae), Nep. Eum. 1, 5.—
2 Transf., an office , appointment (post-Aug.).
a Laboriosissimum et maximum, office , Plin. Pan. 91: nova officia excogitavit, Suet. Aug. 37; cf.: novum officium instituit a voluptatibus, id. Tib. 42: obligationes, quae non propriis viribus consistunt, neque officio judicis, neque praetoris imperio neque legis potestate confirmantur, Dig. 44, 7, 27: qui ex officio pro aliis interveniunt, by virtue of their office , ib. 21, 1, 31, § 14: ministerii, Vulg. Exod. 28, 35: sacerdotum, id. Num. 7, 8.—
b Transf., in concr.
α The officials or attendants on a magistrate = officialium corpus (post-class.): sub praetextu adventus officiorum vel militum, Dig. 1, 18, 6; 21, 2, 74: deponere aliquid apud officium, ib. 2, 4. 17: officia palatina, officers at the imperial court , Treb. Poll. Gall. 17, 8.—
β An office or court of a magistrate: ipse me Regulus convenit in praetoris officio, Plin. Ep. 1, 5, 11.