I.v. the letter K), ātus, 1, v. dep. act. [calumnia].
I. Jurid. t. t.
A. To accuse falsely, bring false information against a person.
1. Absol.: “calumniari est falsa crimina intendere,” Dig. 48, 16, 1, § 1; cf. “ib. prooem.: ut hic quoque Apronio... ex miseris aratoribus calumniandi quaestus accederet,” Cic. Verr. 2, 3, 15, § 38: “cum aliquid habeat quod possit criminose ac suspitiose dicere, aperte ludificari et calumniari sciens non videatur,” id. Rosc. Am. 20, 55: “cum (defensor) accusatorem calumniari criminatur,” Auct. Her. 2, 6, 9: “nondum Romam accusator Eumenes venerat, qui calumniando omnia detorquendoque suspecta et invisa efficeret,” Liv. 42, 42, 5: “tabulae veterum aerari debitorum, vel praecipua calumniandi materia,” Suet. Aug. 32: “magna calumniantium poena,” id. Dom. 9: “minus objectus calumniantibus foret,” Quint. 6, 3, 5: “calumniatur accusator actione sacrilegii, cum privata fuerit (pecunia sublata) non sacra,” id. 4, 2, 8: “an petitorem calumniari, an reum infitiatorem esse,” id. 7, 2, 50.—
2. With acc.: “si tamen alio crimine postuletur ab eodem, qui in alio crimine eum calumniatus est, puto non facile admittendum eum qui semel calumniatus est,” Dig. 48, 2, 7, § 3: “sed non utique qui non probat quod intendit calumniari videtur,” ib. 48, 16, 1, § 3.—
B. To practise chicanery, trickery, or subterfuge: “jacet res in controversiis isto calumniante biennium,” Cic. Quint. 21, 67: “meque, etiam si diutius calumniarentur. redire jussistis,” id. Red. in Sen. 11, 27.—
II. In gen., to depreciate, misrepresent, calumniate, to blame unjustly.
A. With personal object: “nam, quod antea te calumniatus sum, indicabo malitiam meam,” Cic. Fam. 9, 7, 1; cf.: “nisi calumniari naturam rerum homines quam sibi prodesse mallent,” Plin. 18, 28, 68, § 272: “aliis tamen eum verbis calumniatur,” Gell. 6 (7), 3, 23.—With dat. (late Lat.): “non solum filio sed etiam patri,” Ambros. Inc. Dom. Sacr. 8, 83.—
2. Esp., with se, to depreciate one's self, be unduly anxious or careful: “quibusdam tamen nullus est finis calumniandi se, et... qui etiam, cum optima sunt reperta, quaerunt aliquid, quod sit magis antiquum, remotum, inopinatum,” Quint. 8 prooem. § 8: “neque eos... ad infelicem calumniandi se poenam alligandos puto,” id. 10, 3, 10.—
B. Absol.: sed calumniabar ipse; “putabam, qui obviam mihi venisset, suspicaturum,” i. e. indulged unreasonable fears, Cic. Fam. 9, 2, 3; cf. A. 2. supra.—
C. With things as objects, to misrepresent, interpret injuriously, set in a false light: non calumniatur verba nec voltus; “quicquid accidit, benigne interpretando levat,” Sen. Ep. 81, 25: “suspitionibus inquietantur medicisque jam sani manum porrigunt et omnem calorem corporis sui calumniantur,” id. Tranq. 2, 1: “festinationem alicujus,” Quint. 2, 1, 12: “id unum,” Tac. H. 3, 75: “jus civile,” Dig. 10, 4, 19.
