senate (subs.) Copy link Outline 1. sĕnātus, ūs, m. (lit. the council of the elders)2. patres (pl. used collectively)3. meton. • senate (subs.): 1. sĕnātus, ūs, m. (lit. the council of the elders): unless these qualities (wisdom, reason, determination) had been in old men, our ancestors would not have given their supreme council the name of s., quae (consilium, ratio, sententia) nisi essent in senibus, non summum concilium majores nostri appellassent s., Cic. de Sen. 6, 19: to summon a s., senatum vocare, Liv. 3, 38; s. convocare, Cic. Sull. 23, 65: a decree of the s., senatus consultum (S. C.), Cic. Fam. 8, 8, 3: to hold a meeting of the s., senatum habere, Cic. Fam. 1, 4, ad init.: to dismiss the s., s. dimittere, ib. 1, 42: to grant an audience of the s. to any one, senatum dare alicui, id. Q. Fr. 2, 12: a full meeting of the s., frequens s., id. de Or. 3, 25: the s. of the Aedui, Aeduorum s., Caes. B. G. 1, 31. 2. patres (pl. used collectively): the decrees of the s., patrum consulta, Hor. Ep. 1, 16, 41. 3. meton.: cūria (strictly, the building, the senate house): in a crowded meeting of the s., frequenti curia, Liv. 2, 23: Suet.: to be present at a meeting of the s., curiae interesse, Suet. Aug. 38.