I. In gen., the occupation of an artifex, a profession, trade, an employment, a handicraft, an art: “Jam de artificiis et quaestibus, qui liberales habendi, qui sordidi sint, etc.,” Cic. Off. 1, 42, 150: “ne opifices quidem tueri sua artificia possent, nisi, etc.,” id. Fin. 3, 2, 4: “in artificio perquam tenui et levi (sc. scaenico),” id. de Or. 1, 28, 129: “sordidum ancillareque,” id. Tusc. 5, 20, 58; so Tac. Or. 32; Sen. Ben. 6, 17: de hoc artificio est nobis acquisitio, * Vulg. Act. 19, 25: “non tu in isto artificio accusatorio callidior es quam hic in suo,” Cic. Rosc. Am. 17, 49 al.—
II. Esp.
A. Skill, knowledge, ingenuity in any thing: “simulacrum Dianae singulari opere artificioque perfectum,” Cic. Verr. 2, 4, 33; so id. ib. 2, 4, 21: quae certis signis artificii notata sunt, Auct. ad Her. 4, 4.—
B. Theory, system (cf. ars, I. C. 1.): “non esse eloquentiam ex artificio, sed artificium ex eloquentiā natum,” Cic. de Or. 1, 32, 146: “existimant artificium esse hoc quoddam non dissimile ceterorum, cujusmodi de ipso jure civili Crassus componi posse dicebat,” id. ib. 2, 19, 83: scientia cujusdam artificii non numquam dicitur prudentia, Auct. ad Her. 3, 2: “artificium memoriae,” mnemonics, id. ib. 4, 16.—
C. Skill serviceable in the attainment of any object, ingenuity, art, dexterity; and in a bad sense, craft, cunning, artifice (cf. ars, II.): “id ipsum, quod contra me locutus es, artificio quodam es consecutus,” Cic. de Or. 1, 17, 74: “opus est non solum ingenio, verum etiam artificio quodam singulari,” Cic. Verr. 2, 4, 40 fin.: “vicinitas non assueta mendaciis, non fucosa, non fallax, non erudita artificio simulationis,” id. Planc. 9: “non virtute, neque in acie vicisse Romanos, sed artificio quodam et scientiā oppugnationis,” Caes. B. G. 7, 29: quorum artificiis effectum est, ut res publica in hunc statum perveniret, id. ap. Cic. Att. 9, 8, C. fin.
