I. To be a witness, speak as witness, to bear witness, give evidence, depose, testify, attest any thing.
A. Lit. (very rare, and not in Cic.; cf. “testificor): confiteor: testere licet: signate Quirites,” thou canst attest it, Ov. P. 4, 15, 11: “quasi inclamaret aut testaretur locutus est,” Quint. 11, 3, 172.—
B. Transf., in gen., to make known, show, prove, demonstrate; to give to understand, to declare, aver, assert, bear witness to, etc. (class and very freq.): “ego quod facio, me pacis, otii, etc. ... causā facere, clamo atque testor,” Cic. Mur. 37, 78: “auctoritatem hujus indicii monumentis publicis,” id. Sull. 14, 41: “nunc illa testabor, non me sortilegos ... agnoscere,” id. Div. 1, 58, 132: “testatur isto audiente, se pro communi necessitudine id primum petere,” id. Quint. 21, 66: “clarissimā voce se nomen Oppianici ... delaturum esse testatur,” id. Clu. 8, 23: “ea quae accidere testatus antea,” Sall. H. 4, 61, 10 Dietsch: “testatus, quae praestitisset civibus eorum, etc.,” Liv. 25, 10, 8: “vectigal testandi causā publicum agrum esse imponere,” id. 31, 13, 7: “assiduoque suos gemitu testata dolores,” Ov. M. 2, 486: “quod Cicero pluribus et libris et epistulis testatur,” Quint. 12, 2, 6: “utraeque (venae et arteriae) vim quandam incredibilem artificiosi operis divinique testantur,” Cic. N. D. 2, 55, 138: “sunt Agamemnonias testantia litora curas,” Prop. 3, 7 (4, 6), 21: “ut pura testantur sidera caelo,” Tib. 4, 1, 10: “verba nos testantia gratos,” Ov. M. 14, 307: “carmina raros testantia mores,” id. P. 1, 9, 43: “campus sepulcris proelia testatur,” Hor. C. 2, 1, 31: “numerus autem (saepe enim hoc testandum est) est non modo non poëtice junctus, verum etiam, etc.,” Cic. Or. 68, 227; Quint. prooem. § 26; 11, 1, 5.—
2. In partic., to publish one's last will or testament, to make a will, provide by will for any thing, Cic. Inv. 2, 21, 62: “cum ignorans nurum ventrem ferre, immemor in testando nepotis decessisset,” Liv. 1, 34, 3: “quis dubitaret, quin ea voluntas fuisset testantis, ut is non nato filio heres esset,” Quint. 7, 6, 10: “si exheredatum a se filium pater testatus fuerit elogio,” id. 7, 4, 20: “primipilari seni jam testato,” id. 6, 3, 92: “intestati appellantur, qui cum possent testamentum facere, testati non sunt,” Dig. 38, 16, 1; 29, 1, 19 pr.; “49, 14, 45 pr.: nomen testatas intulit in tabulas,” i. e. into his will, Cat. 68, 122.—
II. To call upon or invoke a person or thing as witness (likewise class.): “Venus Cyrenensis, testem te testor mihi,” Plaut. Rud. 5, 2, 51: “vos, di patrii ac penates, testor, me defendere, etc.,” Cic. Sull. 31, 86: “C. Marii et ceterorum virorum mentis testor, me pro illorum famā propugnandum putare, etc.,” id. Rab. Perd. 10, 30: omnes deos, with an obj.-clause, id. Q. Fr. 1, 3, 2: “ego omnes homines deosque testor,” id. Caecin. 29, 83: “deos immortales,” id. Clu. 68, 194: “me potissimum testatus est, se aemulum mearum laudum exstitisse,” id. Phil. 2, 12, 28 stuprata per vim Lucretia a regis filio, testata cives, se ipsa interemit, id. Fin. 2, 20, 66: “implorarem sensus vestros, uniuscujusque indulgentiam in suos testarer, etc.,” id. Sull. 23, 64: “consulibus deos hominesque testantibus,” Liv. 4, 53, 5: “Jovem et laesi foederis aras,” Verg. A. 12, 496: “vos, aeterni ignes, et non violabile vestrum testor numen,” id. ib. 2, 155: “Theseus infernis, superis testatur Achilles, Hic Ixioniden, ille Menoetiaden,” Prop. 2, 1, 37: “volnera testor,” Ov. F. 4, 885: “id testor deos, Ter Hec. 3, 5, 26: hoc vos, judices, testor,” Cic. Sull. 12, 35.
1. Act. collat. form testo , āre, acc. to Prisc. p. 797 P.—
2. Pass. (acc. to I. B.), Cic. Fl. 11, 26: “cum aliorum monumentis tum Catonis oratione testatum est,” shown, proved, attested, Quint. 2, 15, 8; 2, 17, 2; 8, prooem. § 20.—Hence, P. a. in pass. force: testātus , a, um, public, manifest, published (class.): “ut res quam maxime clara ac testata esse posset,” Cic. Verr. 2, 2, 76, § 187; 2. 2, 42, § 104; “1, 16, 48: haec testata sunt atque inlustria,” id. Fam. 11, 27, 6: “ut testatum esse velim, de pace quid senserim,” id. Att. 8, 9, 1: “nihil religione testatum,” id. Fl. 11, 26.—Comp.: “ut res multorum oculis esset testatior,” Cic. Cael. 27, 64: quo notior testatiorque virtus ejus esset, Hirt. B. G. 8, 42: “quo testatior esset poena improborum,” id. ib. 8, 44; Nep. Alcib. 4, 5.—Sup.: “testatissima miracula,” Aug. Conf. 8, 6.—Hence, adv.: testātō , before witnesses: “jussum accipiendum est, sive testato quis, sive verbis, aut per nuntium, jusserit,” Dig. 15, 4, 1; cf. ib. 18, 6, 1; 45, 1, 122; App. Mag. p. 324, 11.—
2. As is well known or evident, Plin. 8, 36, 54, § 130.—
3. After making a will, testate: “sive testato, sive intestato, decesserint,” Dig. 49, 14, 45.