I. Lit., to say aye, to affirm (mostly of questionable assertions, Ellis ad Cat. 44, 2; opp. nego, to say nay); hence, to assert, aver, say, name (chiefly anteclass.; esp. freq. in Plaut.; syn.: dico, affirmo, confirmo; “used only once by Ter. and Hor., and never by Cic., Lucr., or Verg.): Ipsus sese ut neget esse eum qui siet, Meque ut esse autumet qui ipsus est,” Plaut. Ps. 4, 1, 21: factum id esse hic non negat... et deinde facturum autumat, * Ter. Heaut. prol. 19: flexa non falsa autumare dictio Delphis solet, Pac. ap. Non. p. 237, 3; “so Lucil. ib.: aut hic est aut hic affore actutum autumo,” id. ib.: “quas (res) si autumem omnis, nimis longus sermost,” Plaut. Men. 5, 2, 8; id. Am. 1, 1, 150; 1, 1, 260; id. Capt. 4, 2, 105; 4, 2, 117; 5, 2, 2; 5, 2, 8; id. Ep. 5, 1, 37; id. Bacch. 4, 7, 24; id. Men. prol. 8; id. Merc. 5, 2, 103; id. Pers. 1, 3, 71; 2, 2, 32; id. Ps. 4, 2, 28; id. Rud. 3, 3, 42; id. Trin. 2, 2, 48; 3, 2, 77; 3, 3, 15: te esse Tiburtem autumant, * Cat. 44, 2; Hor. S. 2, 3, 45: “ab Elissā Tyriā, quam quidam Dido autumant, Carthago conditur,” Vell. 1, 6, 4 Halm.—In pass.: “quasi salsa muriatica esse autumantur,” Plaut. Poen. 1, 2, 32.—
II. Meton., effect for cause, to think, believe: bene quam meritam esse autumas, Dicis male mereri, auct. ap. Cic. Or. 49, 166; id. Top. 13, 55 (Trag. Rel. p. 265 Rib.).
