I.perf. legassit for legaverit, Fragm. XII. Tab. ap. Cic. Inv. 2, 50, 148), 1, v. a. lex; and therefore qs. lege creare, a publicist's and jurid. t. t.
I. A publicist's t. t.
A. To send with a commission or charge, to send on an embassy, send as ambassador; to depute, despatch: “ne hoc quidem senatui relinquebas, ut legati ex ejus ordinis auctoritate legarentur,” Cic. Vatin. 15, 35: “hominem honestum ac nobilem legarunt ad Apronium,” Cic. Verr. 2, 3, 48, § 114: eos privatae rei causa legari, id. Fam. 3, 8, 4: “juste pieque legatus venio,” Liv. 1, 32: “tres adulescentes in Africam legantur, qui reges adeant, etc.,” Sall. J. 21, 4: “quos Athenienses Romam ad senatum legaverant impetratum, etc.,” Gell. 7, 14, 8.—
2. Transf. to the commission itself (ante- and post-class.): “quae verba legaverint Rhodii ad hostium ducem,” what they told him through their deputies, Gell. 15, 31 in lemm.—
b. Beyond the official sphere: “quin potius, quod legatum est tibi negotium, Id curas?” committed, intrusted, Plaut. Cas. 1, 12.—
B. To appoint or choose as deputy (as the official assistant, lieutenant, of a general or governor): “eum (Messium) Caesari legarat Appius,” Cic. Att. 4, 15, 9: “ego me a Pompeio legari ita sum passus, ut, etc.,” id. ib. 4, 2, 6: “istum legatum iri non arbitror,” id. ib. 10, 1, 4: “ne legaretur Gabinius Pompeio expetenti,” id. de Imp. Pomp. 19, 57: “Dolabella me sibi legavit,” chose me for his lieutenant, id. Att. 15, 11, 4: “Calpurnius parato exercitu legat sibi homines nobiles, etc.,” Sall. J. 28.—
II. A jurid. t. t.: aliquid, to appoint by a last will or testament, to leave or bequeath as a legacy (class.): “Numitori, qui stirpis maximus erat, regnum vetustum Silviae gentis legat,” Liv. 1, 3: legavit quidam uxori mundum omne penumque, Lucil. ap. Gell. 4, 1, 3: “usumfructum omnium bonorum Caesenniae legat,” Cic. Caecin. 4, 11: “Fabiae pecunia legata est a viro,” id. Top. 3, 14: “cui argentum omne legatum est,” Quint. 5, 10, 62: “in argento legato,” id. 7, 2, 11.—
B. Aliquid alicui ab aliquo, to leave one a legacy to be paid by the principal heir: “uxori testamento legat grandem pecuniam a filio, si qui natus esset: ab secundo herede nihil legat,” Cic. Clu. 12, 33: “si paterfamilias uxori ancillarum usum fructum legavit a filio, neque a secundo herede legavit,” id. Top. 4, 21; Quint. 7, 9, 5.—Hence,
1. lēgātus , i, m.
A. (Acc. to lego, I. A.) An ambassador, legate, Cic. Vatin. 15, 35: “legatos mittere,” id. de Imp. Pomp. 12, 35: “ad senatum legatos de aliqua re mittere,” id. de Or. 2, 37, 155; cf.: “missi magnis de rebus uterque Legati,” Hor. S. 1, 5, 29: “legatos mittere ad indicendum bellum,” Liv. 31, 8; Ov. M. 14, 527.—
B. (Acc. to lego, I. B.).
a. An official assistant given to a general or the governor of a province, a deputy, lieutenant, lieutenant-general: “quos legatos tute tibi legasti?” Cic. Pis. 14, 33: “qui M. Aemilio legati fuerunt,” id. Clu. 36, 99: “Quintus frater meus legatus est Caesaris,” id. Fam. 1, 9, 21; id. Off. 3, 20, 79; cf.: “Murena summo imperatori legatus L. Lucullo fuit, qua in legatione duxit exercitum, etc.,” id. Mur. 9, 20; 14, 32: “neque se ei legatum defuturum,” id. Phil. 11, 7, 17; Val. Max. 5, 5, 1: “hiberna cum legato praefectoque tradidisses,” Cic. Pis. 35, 86: “(Calvisius) duos legatos Uticae reliquerat,” id. Phil. 3, 10 fin.: “quaestorius,” Cic. Verr. 2, 1, 21, § 56; Caes. B. G. 2, 5 fin.: “L. Caesar, cujus pater Caesaris erat legatus,” id. B. C. 1, 8, 2: “magnitudo et splendor legati,” Liv. 38, 58, 9: “in magna legatum quaere popina,” Juv. 8, 172.—
b. Under the emperors, a governor sent to a province by the emperor, Tac. A. 12, 40; id. Agr. 33; Suet. Vesp. 4; Spart. Hadr. 3 et saep.; cf. legatio, I. B. 2., and Orell. ad Tac. Agr. 9.—
(β).
Legati legionum, commanders, Suet. Tib. 19; id. Vesp. 4; cf.: “Caesar singulis legionibus singulos legatos et quaestorem praefecit,” Caes. B. G. 1, 52; Tac. A. 2, 36; id. H. 1, 7.—Also called; “legatus praetorius,” Tac. Agr. 7.—
2. lēgātum , i, n. (acc. to lego, II.), a bequest, legacy: “legatum est delibatio hereditatis, qua testator ex eo, quod universum heredis foret, alicui quid collatum velit,” Dig. 30, 116: “Hortensii legata cognovi,” Cic. Att. 7, 3, 9: “reliqua legata varie dedit,” Suet. Aug. 101; id. Tib. 48: “legatum peto ex testamento,” Quint. 4, 2, 6: “jus capiendi legata alicui adimere,” Suet. Dom. 8: “cymbala pulsantis legatum amici,” Juv. 9, 62: “legatorum genera sunt quattuor,” Gai. Inst. 2, 192; cf. sqq.