_publicum consilium_ (Phil. 7.7. 19)—the council of the nation; the
senate.
_in senatum legere,_[1] _eligere_—to elect to the senate.
_senatum vocare, convocare_—to call a meeting of the senate.
_senatum cogere_ (Liv. 3. 39)—to assemble the senate.
_edicere,_[2] _ut senatus frequens adsit_ (Fam. 11. 6. 2)—to issue a
proclamation calling on the senators to assemble in full force.
_senatum habere_—to hold a sitting of the senate.
_ad senatum referre_[4] (Cic. Dom. 53. 136)—to bring a question before
the senate (of the presiding magistrate).
_patres (senatum) consulere de aliqua re_ (Sall. Iug. 28)—to consult
the senators on a matter.
_sententiam rogare, interrogare_—to ask the opinion of...
_sententiam dicere_—to give an opinion (also used of a judge, cf.
sect. VI. 4).
_senatus sententia inclīnat ad..._ (De Sen. 6. 16)—the senate inclines
to the opinion, decides for...
_sententia vincit_ (Liv. 2. 4. 3)—the majority were of the opinion...
_maior pars_—the majority.
_quid censes? quid tibi videtur?_—what is your opinion?
_quid de ea re fieri placet?_—what is your opinion?
_discessionem facere_ (Sest. 34. 74)—to take the vote (by division).
_discedere (pedibus), ire in alicuius sententiam_[5] (Liv. 23. 10)—to
vote for some one's motion.
_senatus decrevit (populusque iussit) ut_—the senate decreed (and the
people ratified the decree) that...
_senatus consultum fit_ (Att. 2. 24. 3)—a resolution of the senate
(not opposed by a tribunicial veto) was made.
_senatus auctoritas_—the opinion of the senate in general.
_senatum alicui dare_ (Q. Fr. 2. 11. 2)—to give a man audience before
the senate.
_a senatu res ad populum reicitur_—a matter is referred (for decision)
from the senate to the people.
_dicendi mora diem extrahere, eximere, tollere_—to pass the whole day
in discussion.
_dimittere senatum_[5]—to dismiss the senate.
_nox senatum dirimit_—night breaks up the sitting.
[1] Distinct from _senatum legere_ = to read over and revise the list
of senators (used of the censors). The head of the list was called
_princeps senatus_.
[2] _edicere, edictum_, technical terms; _edicere_ is used of the
praetor deciding how a case is to be tried, cf. Verr. 2. 1. 41; Flacc.
28. 67. Then more generally of an order, declaration, proclamation.
The senate was convened by the _praeco_ or by means of a notice posted
in some public place (_edictum_).
[3] A meeting of the senate opened by a declaration of the agenda by
the presiding magistrate, a consul, praetor, or tribune. This was
called _referre ad senatum_.
[4] After the _rogatio sententiarum_ came the voting, usually by
division (_per discessionem, pedibus ire in sententiam_), but in cases
of doubt each member was asked his opinion (_per singulorum sententias
exquisitas_). The presiding officer then dismissed the meeting with
the words _nihil vos moramur, patres conscripti_, "I need not detain
you any longer." From this formula probably came the colloquial
uses—(1) "I do not care for...," "I have no interest in..." (with the
Acc.); (2) "I have nothing against...," "you have my consent to..."
(with the Acc. and Inf. or _quominus_).
[5] id.