I. Abstr., a thinking, considering, deliberating; thought, reflection, meditation (in good prose, and very freq.).
1. Absol.: “cogitatio in se ipsā vertitur,” Cic. Off. 1, 44, 156: “cogitatione aliquid complecti,” Quint. 11, 2, 19: “subitam et fortuitam orationem commentatio et cogitatio facile vincit,” Cic. de Or. 1, 33, 150; cf. Quint. 10, 6, 1 sq.: “speciem dei percipere cogitatione, non sensu,” Cic. N. D. 1, 37, 105: “cogitatione aliquid comprehendere,” id. Tusc. 1, 22, 50; 4, 13, 29: “cogitatio enim quamvis regionem potest amplecti,” Auct. Her. 3, 19, 32: “acerrima et attentissima,” Cic. de Or. 3, 5, 17: “tacita,” Quint. 5, 7, 2; cf. id. 6, 1, 44: “provisa et formata,” id. 10, 7, 8: “fortuita,” id. 10, 3, 29: “male cohaerentem,” id. 10, 6, 6: “simplices, magnas,” Tac. G. 22. —
2. With gen.: “timoris praeteriti,” Cic. Sest. 4, 11: “cum officii, tum etiam periculi mei,” id. Fam. 7, 3, 1; Curt. 7, 8, 4: “suscepti muneris,” Quint. 4, prooem. 7: “cogitationem habere argenti, amoenitatum, etc.,” Cic. Par. 1, 2, 10: “illius loci,” id. Att. 1, 11, 3: “rerum,” id. Fam. 5, 13, 5: “petendi consulatūs,” Vell. 2, 17, 2.—
3. With rel.: “quaeris ut suscipiam cogitationem, quidnam istis agendum putem,” Cic. Att. 14, 20, 4: “mihi... occurrit cogitatio, qualis animus in corpore sit, etc.,” id. Tusc. 1, 22, 51: cujus sit filius, Brut. ap. Cic. Ep. ad Brut. 2, 3.—
II. Meton.
A. Concr., a thought, opinion, judgment; a resolution, design. plan, project: “omnes meas curas cogitationesque in rem publicam conferebam,” Cic. Off. 2, 1, 2; cf. id. Lael. 9, 32; Liv. 35, 28, 7: “mandare litteris cogitationes suas,” Cic. Tusc. 1, 3, 6: “versantur in animo meo multae et graves cogitationes, etc.,” id. Agr. 2, 2, 5; cf. Curt. 8, 3, 14: “tacitae,” Quint. 11, 2, 17; cf. id. 3, 8, 41: “posteriores enim cogitationes (ut aiunt) sapientiores solent esse,” Cic. Phil. 12, 2, 5 (transl. of Αἱ δεύτεραί πως φροντίδες σοφώτεραι): “ista cogitatio de triumpho,” id. Att. 7, 3, 2: “redit autem illa cogitatio, quosdam fore qui, etc.,” Quint. 1, 7, 33: de his rebus rogo vos, ut cogitationem suscipiatis, Caes. ap. Cic. Att. 9, 7, C, 1; cf. Cic. Att. 14, 20, 4: “cogitatione rerum novarum abstinere,” Tac. H. 1, 7; cf. id. ib. 1, 23; 2, 74; id. A. 15, 54: “vix a tam praecipiti cogitatione revocatus,” Suet. Calig. 48.—
B. In Cic. several times, thought as an intellectual power, the ability of thinking, power or faculty of thought, the reasoning power (cf.: “vim cogitationis habere,” Cic. Tusc. 1, 27, 66): “(homo) solus particeps rationis et cogitationis,” id. Leg. 1, 7, 22; id. N. D. 3, 9, 21; 2, 7, 18; Cic. Verr. 2, 2, 54, § 134.