Lewis & Short

auctōrĭtas (not autōr- nor authōr-), ātis, f. [auctor], acc. to the different signiff. of that word,

  1. I. In gen., a producing, production, invention, cause (very rare; syn.: auctoramentum, sententia, judicium, consilium, vis, pondus, favor, gratia): quod si exquiratur usque ab stirpe auctoritas (sc. rumoris), originator, inventor, Plaut. Trin. 1, 2, 180: ejus facti qui sint principes et inventores, qui denique auctoritatis ejus et inventionis comprobatores, Cic. Inv. 1, 28, 43: utrum poëtae Stoicos depravārint, an Stoici poëtis dederint auctoritatem, non facile dixerim, id. N. D. 3, 38, 91.
  2. II. Esp.,
    1. A. A view, opinion, judgment: errat vehementer, si quis in orationibus nostris auctoritates nostras consignatas se habere arbitratur, Cic. Clu. 50, 139: reliquum est, ut de Q. Catuli auctoritate et sententiā dicendum esse videatur, id. Imp. Pomp. 20; 22: Mihi quidem ex animo eximi non potest, esse deos, id tamen ipsum, quod mihi persuasum est auctoritate majorum, cur ita sit, nihil tu me doces, id. N. D. 3, 3, 7: plus apud me antiquorum auctoritas valet, id. Lael. 4, 13.
    2. B. Counsel, advice, persuasion, encouragement to something (esp. if made with energy and sustained by the authority and influence of the counsellor; cf. auctor, I. C.): auctoritatem defugere, Plaut. Poen. 1, 1, 19: Jubeo, cogo atque impero. Numquam defugiam auctoritatem, Ter. Eun. 2, 3, 99 Ruhnk.: attende jam, Torquate, quam ego defugiam auctoritatem consulatūs mei, how little pleased (ironically) I am that the occurrences of my consulship are ascribed to my exertions, my influence, Cic. Sull. 11, 33: cujus (Reguli) cum valuisset auctoritas, captivi retenti sunt, id. Off. 3, 27, 100: jure, legibus, auctoritate omnium, qui consulebantur, testamentum fecerat, id. Verr. 2, 1, 42: ejus (Sexti) mihi vivit auctoritas, id. Att. 10, 1, 1: his rebus adducti et auctoritate Orgetorigis permoti etc., Caes. B. G. 1, 3: ut per auctoritatem earum civitatium suae preces nuper repudiatae faciliorem aditum ad senatum haberent, i. e. agentibus, intervenientibus, Liv. 38, 3 al.
      Also consolatory exhortation, consolation, comfort: his autem litteris animum tuum … amicissimi hominis auctoritate confirmandum etiam atque etiam puto, Cic. Fam. 6, 6, 2.
    3. C. Will, pleasure, decision, bidding, command, precept, decree: si ad verba rem deflectere velimus, consilium autem eorum, qui scripserunt, et rationem et auctoritatem relinquamus? Cic. Caecin. 18, 51: verba servire hominum consiliis et auctoritatibus, id. ib. 18, 52: legio auctoritatem Caesaris persecuta est, id. Phil. 3, 3: nisi legiones ad Caesaris auctoritatem se contulissent, under his command, guidance, id. Fam. 10, 28 fin.
      Hence,
      1. 2. Esp., in political lang., t. t.
        1. a. Senatūs auctoritas,
          1. (α) The will of the senate: agrum Picenum contra senatūs auctoritatem dividere, Cic. Sen. 4, 11.
            More freq.,
          2. (β) A decree of the senate, = Senatūs consultum: Senatūs vetus auctoritas de Bacchanalibus, Cic. Leg. 2, 15, 37: sine senatūs auctoritate foedus facere, id. Off. 3, 30, 109: Senatūs auctoritas gravissima intercessit, id. Fam. 1, 2 fin.: responditque ita ex auctoritate senatūs consul, Liv. 7, 31: imperio non populi jussu, non ex auctoritate patrum dato, id. 26, 2: Neminem exulum nisi ex Senatūs auctoritate restituit, Suet. Claud. 12: citra senatūs populique auctoritatem, id. Caes. 28 al.
            Hence the superscription to the decrees of the Senate: SENATVS. CONSVLTI. AVCTORITAS., abbrev., S. C. A., Cic. Fam. 8, 8.
            Sometimes between senatūs auctoritas and senatūs consultum this distinction is to be made, that the former designates a decision of the senate, invalidated by the protestation of the tribune of the people or by the people themselves; the latter, one that is passed without opposition, Cic. Fam. 8, 8; Liv. 4, 57.
        2. b. Auctoritas populi, the popular will or decision: isti principes et sibi et ceteris populi universi auctoritati parendum esse fateantur, Cic. Imp. Pomp. 22; so, publica, Vell. 2, 62, 3; Dig. 1, 2, 2, § 4.
        3. c. Auctoritas collegii (pontificum), Liv. 34, 44; cf. Cic. Leg. 2, 19 and 21.
    4. D. Liberty, ability, power, authority to do according to one’s pleasure: qui habet imperium a populo Romano auctoritatem legum dandarum ab senatu, Cic. Verr. 2, 2, 49: Verres tantum sibi auctoritatis in re publicā suscepit, ut, etc., id. ib. 2, 5, 58: Invita in hoc loco versatur oratio; videtur enim auctoritatem adferre peccandi, id. N. D. 3, 35, 85: Senatūs faciem secum attulerat auctoritatemque populi Romani, id. Phil. 8, 8.
    5. E. Might, power, authority, reputation, dignity, influence, weight (very freq.): ut vostra auctoritas Meae auctoritati fautrix adjutrixque sit, Ter. Hec. prol. alt. 40: aequitate causae et auctoritate suā aliquem commovere, Cic. Verr. 2, 1, 48: id maximā auctoritate philosophi adfirmant, id. Off. 3, 29, 105: Digna est memoriā Q. Catuli cum auctoritas tum verecundia, Vell. 2, 32: optimatium auctoritatem deminuere, Suet. Caes. 11; so, auctoritatem habere, Cic. Phil. 11, 10 fin.; id. Sen. 17, 60: adripere, id. ib. 18, 62; id. N. D. 3, 35, 85: facere, to procure, obtain, id. Imp. Pomp. 15: Grandis auctoritatis es et bene regis regnum Israël, * Vulg. 3 Reg. 21, 7: imminuere, Cic. de Or. 2, 37 fin.: levare, id. Ac. 2, 22, 69: fructus capere auctoritatis, id. Sen. 18, 62: Quae sunt voluptates corporis cum auctoritatis praemiis comparandae? id. ib. 18, 64 et saep.
      Transf. to things, importance, significance, weight, power, worth, value, estimation: bos in pecuariā maximā debet esse auctoritate, Varr. R. R. 2, 5: sunt certa legum verba … quo plus auctoritatis habeant, paulo antiquiora, more weight, force, Cic. Leg. 2, 7, 18: totius hujusce rei quae sit vis, quae auctoritas, quod pondus, ignorant, id. Fl. 4: utilitatis species falsa ab honestatis auctoritate superata est, id. Off. 3, 30, 109: cum antea per aetatem nondum hujus auctoritatem loci attingere auderem, of this honorable place, i. e. the rostra, id. Imp. Pomp 1: bibliothecas omnium philosophorum mihi videtur XII. tabularum libellus auctoritatis pondere superare, id. de Or. 1, 44, 195; id. Fam. 1, 7; Dolab. ap. Cic. ib. 9, 9 fin.: auctoritas praecipua lupo (pisci), Plin. 9, 17, 28, § 61: Post eum (Maecenatum) interiit auctoritas sapori (pullorum asinorum), id. 8, 43, 68, § 170 Jan: unguentorum, id. 13, 1, 2, § 4: auctoritas dignitasque formae, Suet. Claud. 30.
      Also of feigned, assumed authority: nec cognovi quemquam, qui majore auctoritate nihil diceret, that said nothing with a greater air of authority, Cic. Div. 2, 67, 139.
  3. F. An example, pattern, model: omnium superiorum auctoritatem repudiare, Cic. Verr. 2, 3, 19: memoriā digna juventuti rei publicae capessendae auctoritas disciplinaque, id. Sest. 6, 14: valuit auctoritas, id. Tusc. 2, 22, 53; so id. Verr. 2, 3, 93; 2, 5, 32: tu is es qui in disputando non tuum judicium sequare, sed auctoritati aliorum pareas, id. Leg. 1, 13, 36; id. Rosc. Am. 6, 16 al.
  4. G. A warrant, security for establishing a fact, assertion, etc., credibility: cum ea (justitia) sine prudentiā satis habeat auctoritatis, Cic. Off. 2, 9, 34: desinant putare, auctoritatem esse in eo testimonio, cujus auctor inventus est nemo, id. Fl. 22, 53: Quid vero habet auctoritatis furor iste, quem divinum vocatis? id. Div. 2, 54, 110: tollitur omnis auctoritas somniorum, id. ib. 2, 59, 123: cum ad vanitatem accessit auctoritas, id. Lael. 25, 94.
      1. 2. Meton., the things which serve for the verification or establishment of a fact.
        1. a. A record, document: videt legationes, cum publicis auctoritatibus convenisse, Cic. Verr. 1, 3, 7: nihil putas valere in judiciis civitatum auctoritates ac litteras, id. ib. 2, 3, 62, § 146.
        2. b. The name of a person who is security for something, authority: cum auctoritates principum conjurationis colligeret, Cic. Sull. 13, 37: sed tu auctoritates contemnis, ratione pugnas, id. N. D. 3, 4, 9.
          Hence for the names of persons present at the drawing up of a decree of the senate: quod in auctoritatibus praescriptis exstat, Cic. de Or. 3, 2, 5: Senatūs consultum, quod tibi misi, factum est auctoritatesque perscriptae, Cael. ap. Cic. Fam. 8, 8.
  5. H. Right of possession (cf. auctor, II. F. 1.): lex usum et auctoritatem fundi jubet esse biennium, Cic. Caecin. 19, 54: usūs auctoritas fundi biennium est, id. Top. 4, 23; so id. Caecin. 26, 74; id. Har. Resp. 7; Lex Atin. ap. Gell. 17, 6; cf. Hugo, Rechtsgesch. p. 217 sq.
    So in the laws of the XII. Tables: ADVERSVS. HOSTEM. AETERNA. AVCTORITAS., against a stranger the right of possession is perpetual (i. e. a stranger cannot, by prescription, obtain the right of possession to the property of a Roman), ap. Cic. Off. 1, 12, 37.
  6. J. In jurid. lang., a guaranty, security, Paul. Sent. 2, 17.