rĕlātĭo, ōnis, f. [refero], a carrying back, bringing back. *
I Lit.: membranae ut juvant aciem, ita crebrā relatione, quoad intinguntur calami, morantur manum, through the frequent carrying of the hand back to the inkstand , i.e. by often stopping to dip the pen in the ink , Quint. 10, 3, 31.—
II Trop.
A In law t. t., a throwing back , retorting : relatio criminis, est cum ideo jure factum dicitur, quod aliquis ante injuriā lacessierit, Cic. Inv. 1, 11, 15; so Dig. 48, 1, 5: jurisjurandi, ib. 12, 2, 34 fin. —
B In partic.
1 A returning , repaying : gratiae, Sen. Ben. 5, 11; id. Ep. 74, 13.—
2 In publicists’ lang., a report; a proposition , motion : ecquis audivit non modo actionem aliquam aut relationem, sed vocem omnino aut querellam tuam? Cic. Pis. 13, 29: relatio illa salutaris, id. ib. 7, 14; Liv. 3, 39: relationem approbare, id. 32, 22: incipere, Tac. A. 5, 4; 13, 26: mutare, id. ib. 14, 49: egredi, id. ib. 2, 38: postulare in aliquid, id. ib. 13, 49: relationi intercedere, id. ib. 1, 13 al.: jus quartae relationis, the right accorded to the emperor , without being consul , of making communications in the Senate (this right was simply jus relationis; tertiae, quartae, etc., denote the number of subjects he might introduce at each meeting, which varied at different periods), Capitol. Pert. 5; Vop. Prob. 12 fin. — Hence,
b Transf., in gen., a report , narration , relation (only post-Aug.): dictorum, Quint. 2, 7, 4; cf. id. 9, 2, 59: causarum, id. 6, 3, 77: meritorum, id. 4, 1, 13: rerum ab Scythis gestarum, Just. 2, 1, 1: gentium, Plin. 7, 1, 1, § 6.— Of military reports to the general-in-chief or emperor: addens quaedam relationibus supervacua, quas subinde dimittebat ad principem, Amm. 14, 7, 10; 20, 4, 7; 28, 1, 10. —
3 A rhetorical figure mentioned by Cicero, of the nature of which Quintilian was ignorant, Cic. de Or. 3, 54, 207; Quint. 9, 3, 97: epanaphora est relatio; quotiens per singula membra eadem pars orationis repetitur, hoc modo: Verres calumniatores apponebat, Verres de causā cognoscebat; Verres pronunciabat? i. e. the repetition of a word for rhetorical effect , Mart. Cap. 5, § 534 init. ; cf. Quint. 9, 1, 33. —
4 In philos. and gram. lang., reference , regard , respect , relation : illud quoque est ex relatione ad aliquid, Quint. 8, 4, 21: relatione factā non ad id, Dig. 1, 1, 11.