I. A benefaction, kindness, favor, benefit, service, εὐεργέτημα (sunt qui ita distinguunt, quaedam beneficia esse, quaedam officia, quaedam ministeria. Beneficium esse, quod alienus det: “alienus est, qui potuit sine reprehensione cessare: officium esse filii, uxoris et earum personarum, quas necessitudo suscitat et ferre opem jubet: ministerium esse servi, quem condicio sua eo loco posuit, ut nihil eorum, quae praestat, imputet superiori,” Sen. Ben.3, 18, 1);—(in prose freq.; in poetry, for metrical reasons, only in play-writers; most freq. in Ter.).
A. In gen.: “nullum beneficium esse duco id, quod, quoi facias, non placet,” Plaut. Trin. 3, 2, 12: “beneficium accipere,” Ter. Ad. 2, 3, 1: “pro maleficio beneficium reddere,” id. Phorm. 2, 2, 22: “immemor beneficii,” id. And. 1, 1, 17: “cupio aliquos parere amicos beneficio meo,” id. Eun. 1, 2, 69: “beneficium verbis initum re comprobare,” id. And. 5, 1, 5: “nec enim si tuam ob causam cuiquam commodes, beneficium illud habendum est, sed feneratio,” Cic. Fin. 2, 35, 117; id. Off. 2. 20, 70: “beneficio adligari: beneficio victus esse,” Cic. Planc. 33, 81; cf.: “Jugurtham beneficiis vincere,” Sall. J. 9, 3: “collocare,” Cic. Off. 1, 15, 49 al.; 2, 20, 69: “dare,” id. ib. 1, 15, 48; id. Fam. 13, 8, 3' deferre, id. Off. 1, 15, 49: conferre in aliquem, id. ib. 1, 14, 45: quia magna mihi debebat beneficia, Cael. ap. Cic. Fam. 8, 12, 1: “in republicā multo praestat benefici quam malefici immemorem esse,” Sall. J. 31, 28: “senatus et populus Romanus benefici et injuriae memor esse solet,” id. ib. 104, 5; Petr. 126, 4: “in iis (hominibus) beneficio ac maleficio abstineri aecum censent,” Liv. 5, 3, 8: “immortali memoriā retinere beneficia,” Nep. Att. 11, 5 al.—Of the favor of the people in giving their vote: “quidquid hoc beneficio populi Romani atque hac potestate praetoriā possum,” Cic. Imp. Pomp. 24, 69, and 71.—
B. Esp.
1. Beneficio, through favor, by the help, aid, support, mediation: “beneficio tuo salvus,” thanks to you, Cic. Fam. 11, 22, 1; 13, 35, 1: “nostri consulatūs beneficio,” by means of, id. Q. Fr. 1, 1, 1, § 6: “servari beneficio Caesaris,” Vell. 2, 71, 1: “hoc beneficio,” by this means, Ter. Heaut. 2, 4, 14: “sortium beneficio,” by the lucky turn of, Caes. B. G. 1, 53 Herz.: “longissimae aetatis,” Quint. 3, 1, 9: “ingenii,” id. 2, 11, 2; 5, 10, 121: “eloquentiae,” Tac. Or. 8 al.; cf.: fortunae beneficium, Planc. ap. Cic. Fam. 10, 4, 2.—
(β).
In gen., by the agency of: “quod beneficio ejus contingit,” Dig. 39, 2, 40, § 1: “beneficio furis,” ib. 47, 2, 46 pr.—
2. Alicujus beneficii facere (habere, etc.), to make dependent on one's bounty or favor (post-Aug.): “commeatus a senatu peti solitos benefici sui fecit,” Suet. Claud. 23: “ut munus imperii beneficii sui faceret,” Just. 13, 4, 9; cf.: “adeo quidem dominis servi beneficia possunt dare, ut ipsos saepe beneficii sui fecerint,” Sen. Ben. 3, 18, 4: “sed nihil habebimus nisi beneficii alieni?” Quint. 10, 4, 6.—
II. Transf. to political life.
A. A distinction, support, favor, promotion (esp. freq. after the Aug. per.): “coöptatio collegiorum ad populi beneficium transferebatur,” Cic. Lael. 25, 96; id. Phil. 2, 36, 91: “quibus omnia populi Romani beneficia dormientibus deferuntur,” Cic. Verr. 2, 5, 70, § 180: “in beneficiis ad aerarium delatus,” among those recommended to favor, id. Arch. 5, 11 Halm. ad loc.; id. Fam. 7, 5, 3: “cum suo magno beneficio esset,” under great obligation to his recommendation, id. Phil. 8, 6 Wernsd.; Flor. 4, 2, 92; cf. Suet. Tit. 8.—So,
2. Esp. freq. of military promotions (whence beneficiarius, q. v.): “quod scribis de beneficiis, scito a me et tribunos militaris et praefectos... delatos esse,” Cic. Fam. 5, 20, 7: “ut tribuni militum... quae antea dictatorum et consulum ferme fuerant beneficia,” Liv. 9, 30, 3: “beneficia gratuita esse populi Romani,” id. 45, 42, 11; Hirt. B. Afr. 54, 5: “per beneficia Nymphidii,” promoted, advanced through the favor of Nymphidius, Tac. H. 1, 25; 4, 48 Lips.: “beneficii sui centuriones,” i. e. his creatures, Suet. Tib. 12: “Liber beneficiorum or Beneficium,” the book in which the public lands that were bestowed were designated, Hyg. Limit. Const. p. 193 Goes.; Arcad. ib. p. 260.—So, SERVVS. A. COMMENTARIIS. BENEFICIORVM., Inscr. Grut. 578, 1.—
B. A privilege, right (post-Aug.): “anulorum,” Dig. 48, 7, 42: “religionis,” ib. 3, 3, 18: “militaris,” ib. 29, 1, 3.—Hence, liberorum, a release from the office of judge, received in consequence of having a certain number of children, Suet. Claud. 15; Dig. 49, 8, 1, § 2.—
C. Personified, as a god: “duos omnino (deos credere), Poenam et Beneficium,” Plin. 2, 7, 5, § 14.
