I.to call forth, call out.
I. Lit.
A. In gen. (very rare): “aliquem,” Plaut. Ps. 2, 2, 43: “ut ubi illaec prodeat, me provoces,” id. Mil. 4, 3, 28; id. Bacch. 3, 3, 40: “mandant, ut ad se provocet Simonidem,” Phaedr. 4, 23, 25: “dum rota Luciferi provocet orta diem,” lead up, call forth, Tib. 1, 9, 62: “Memnonis mater roseo provocet ore diem,” Ov. P. 1, 4, 58; cf. id. F. 1, 456: “provocare et elicere novas radiculas,” Col. 3, 15, 5.—
B. In partic.
1. To call out, challenge, invite one to any thing (as to play, sing, drink, fight, etc.): “provocat me in aleam,” challenged me to a game, Plaut. Curc. 2, 3, 75: “pedibus,” to a race, id. Ep. 5, 1, 58: “aliquem tesseris,” Macr. S. 1, 10: “aliquem cantatum,” Ter. Eun. 3, 1, 53: “aliquem ad pugnam,” Cic. Tusc. 4, 22, 49; cf. Liv. 8, 7, and Flor. 2, 17, 11 Duker: duces nec prohibere paucos temere provocantis volebant, nec, etc., Liv. 23, 16, 4: “et oleo et mero viros provocant,” Sen. Ep. 95, 21: “aliquem ad bibendum,” Vop. Firm. 4.—
2. In jurid. lang., to take a cause before a higher court, to appeal, make an appeal; in this signif. usually neutr., ad aliquem; act. only post-class., with the judge to whom the appeal is made as object (cf. appello).
(α).
Neutr.: “ut de majestate damnati ad populum provocent,” Cic. Phil. 1, 9, 21; cf.: quam id rectum sit, tu judicabis; “ne ad Catonem quidem provocabo,” id. Att. 6, 1, 7: “provoco ad populum,” Liv. 8, 33: “arreptus a viatore, Provoco, inquit,” I appeal, id. 3, 56: “si a duumviris provocarit, provocatione certato,” id. 1, 26, 6; 3, 56: “ab omni judicio poenāque provocari licere,” Cic. Rep. 2, 31, 54.—
(β).
Act., to appeal to a judge (post-class.): “si judicem provocent,” Dig. 8, 28, 6: “si praefectus urbi judicem dederit, ipse erit provocandus, qui eum judicem dederit,” ib. 49, 3, 1.—Also: “provocare judicium ad populum,” to bring the decision before the people by appeal, Val. Max. 8, 1, 1; “rarely, aliquem ad judicem,” to cite, summon before, App. Flor. p. 360, 24.—
II. Trop.
A. To challenge to a contest, to contend with, emulate, rival, vie with (post-Aug.): “aliquem virtute,” to vie with him in virtue, Plin. Ep. 2, 7, 4: “elegia Graecos provocamus,” Quint. 10, 1, 93; cf.: “ea pictura naturam ipsam provocavit,” Plin. 35, 10, 36, § 94.—Of things, Plin. 16, 8, 12, § 32: “immensum latus Circi templorum pulchritudinem provocat,” id. Pan. 51, 3.—
B. To challenge, incite, provoke to any thing: “felicitas temporum, quae bonam conscientiam civium tuorum ad usum indulgentiae tuae provocat,” Plin. Ep. 10, 12 (7) fin.: “omni comitate ad hilaritatem et jocum provocare,” Suet. Calig. 27; id. Claud. 21: “tacentes ad communionem sermonis,” id. Aug. 74.—
C. To excite, stimulate, exasperate, stir up, rouse with any thing (class.; “syn.: irrito, lacesso): qui non solum a me provocatus sed etiam suā sponte solet, etc.,” Cic. Fam. 1, 7, 3: “aliquem beneficio,” id. Off. 1, 15, 48: “sermonibus,” Caes. B. C. 1, 74: “minis et verbis,” Tac. H. 3, 24: “bello,” id. ib. 4, 17: “injuriā,” id. A. 14, 49 et saep.: “ad iracundiam,” Vulg. Isa. 63, 10; id. Deut. 4, 25. —
D. To call forth, occasion, produce, cause: “officia comitate,” Tac. H. 5, 1: “mortem tot modis,” Plin. 19, praef. 1, § “5: bellum,” Tac. G. 35; Plin. Pan. 16.—
