tractātus, ūs, m. [tracto], a touching, handling, working.
I Lit. (rare; not in Cic.): nucum, Plin. 15, 22, 24, § 87: plantae tractatu mansuescunt ut ferae, id. 17, 10, 12, § 66: tofacea aspera tractatu, id. 17, 7, 4, § 44.—
II Trop., a handling , management , treatment (class.; esp. freq. in Quint.): artium (corresp. to the preced. tractantur), * Cic. de Or. 3, 23, 86: asperiorum tractatu rerum atteruntur (ingenia), Quint. 8, prooem. § 2; so, artis hujusce, id. ib. § 5: communis locorum, id. 12, 8, 2: temporis, id. 5, 10, 42: troporum, id. 1, 8, 16: aequi bonique, id. 12, 1, 8; 12, 2, 3: judicialis officii, Gell. 14, 2, 20; Vell. 2, 94, 4.—In plur.: tractatus omnes, Quint. 7, 6, 12: legales, id. 3, 8, 4.—
2 Esp., of mental handling. reflection , consideration : de copiis expensisque, Veg. Mil. 3, 3; Dig. 19, 5, 5: si cognitio prolixiorem tractatum habeat, ib. 36, 1, 3: in tractatu habere, Lact. Mort. Pers. 48, 2. —
3 A consultation , discussion : cum tractatu habito societas coïta est, Dig. 17, 2, 32: diu multumque tractatu inter nos habito, Cypr. Ep. 3, 3. —
B Transf., in concr.
1 A treatise , tractate , tract : separatim toto tractatu sententia ejus judicanda est, Plin. 14, 4, 5, § 45.—
2 In eccl. Lat., a sermon , homily : tractatus populares, quos Graece homilias vocant, Aug. Haeres. 4 praef.