Lewis & Short

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rĕlātĭo, ōnis, f. [refero], a carrying back, bringing back.

  1. * 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.
  2. II. Trop.
    1. 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.
    2. B. In partic.
      1. 1. A returning, repaying: gratiae, Sen. Ben. 5, 11; id. Ep. 74, 13.
      2. 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,
        1. 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. 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. 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.