authority Copy link Outline I. Lawful power1. auctōrĭtas2. pŏtestas (the most general term for a lawfully constituted a.)3. dĭtĭo (usu of a. founded on conquest4. impĕrĭum (when used in connection with or contrast to other words, it usu. denotes military a.)5. jūs, jūris, n. (rightful a.)II. The influence of character, &c.III. Warrant, permissionIV. Those or that on whose credit or testimony belief is founded1. auctor2. auctōrĭtasV. Those who exercise the powers of government1. impĕrĭa, orum (esp. of military a.)2. pŏtestas3. măgistrātus; qui magistratui praeest, qui magistratum habet • authority: I. Lawful power: 1. auctōrĭtas: he has a. for making laws from the senate, habet a. legum dandarum a senatu, Cic.: the a. of the Roman people, a. populi Romani, Cic. 2. pŏtestas (the most general term for a lawfully constituted a.): to have civil and military a. in the state, in republica cum p. imperioque versari, Cic.: praetorian a., praetoria a., Cic.: to give any one a. (to do something)., potestatem alicui facere ut aliquid faciat, Cic.: v. power. 3. dĭtĭo (usu of a. founded on conquest: only in the sing. and without nom.): he has brought many cities under the empire and a. of the Roman people, urbes multas sub imperium populi R. ditionemque subjunxit, Cic. 4. impĕrĭum (when used in connection with or contrast to other words, it usu. denotes military a.): without a. military affairs cannot be managed, sine imperio res militaris administrari non potest, Cic.: he was in a., in imperio fuit, Suet.: domestic a., i. domesticum, Cic.: Jove has a. over kings themselves, reges in ipsos imperium est Jovis, Hor.: the a. of the laws is greater than that of persons, imperia legum potentiora sunt quam hominum, Liv. 5. jūs, jūris, n. (rightful a.): the a. of a father, jus patrium, Liv.: a. over women, jus ad mulieres, Pl.: v. power, right. II. The influence of character, &c.: auctōrĭtas: their a. with the common people is very great, eorum a. apud plebem plurimum valet, Caes.: old age has very great a., senectus maximam habet a., Cic.: the a. of Peducaeus has great weight with me, Peducaei a. multum apud me valet, Cic.: a mere note-book has not the same force and a. as a ledger, eandem vim a.que non habent adversaria quam tabulae, Cic.: to weaken a., a. imminuere, Cic. Phr.: they had very great a. in the state, in republica plurimum pollebant, Caes.: they knew not what a. virtue possessed, ignari erant quid virtus valeret, Cic.: v. influence. III. Warrant, permission: auctōrĭtas: he had made a treaty without the a. of the senate, sine senatus a. foedus fecerat, Cic.: the discourse seems to adduce a. for sinning, oratio videtur a. afferre peccandi, Cic.: be assured that I write to you with his concurrence and a., sic habeto, me de illius ad te sententia atque auctoritate scribere, Cic. Phr.: you will get a. from Caesar to absent yourself, impetrabis a Caesare ut tibi abesse liceat, Cic.: laugh at and despise all those persons on my a., omnes istos, me auctore, deridete atque contemnite, Cic. IV. Those or that on whose credit or testimony belief is founded: 1. auctor: Polybius a good a., Polybius bonus a., Cic.: he ascertained this on sure a., haec certis auctoribus comperit, Caes. 2. auctōrĭtas: you despise a.s and contend by reasoning, auctoritates contemnis, ratione pugnas, Cic.: a. prevailed without reasoning, sine ratione valebat a., Cic. neglecting a.s, we may search out the truth by fact and argument, omissis a. ipsa re et ratione exquirere possumus veritatem, Cic. V. Those who exercise the powers of government: esp. in pl. the authorities: 1. impĕrĭa, orum (esp. of military a.): the military and civil a.s must go out of the city, imperia, potestates ex urbe exeunto, Cic.: Caes. 2. pŏtestas: summoned by a magistrate or by some lawful a., a magistratu aut ab aliqua p. legitima evocatus, Cic. 3. măgistrātus; qui magistratui praeest, qui magistratum habet: v. magistrate.