I.the office or functions of a minister, attendance, service, ministry, in a good or bad sense; an office, occupation, work, labor, employment, administration, etc. (not in Cic. or Cæs.; cf.: munus, officium).
I. Lit.: sunt qui ita distinguant: “quaedam beneficia esse, quaedam officia, quaedam ministeria: beneficium esse, quod alienus det: officium esse filii, uxoris, etc.: ministerium esse servi, quem conditio sua eo loco posuit, ut nihil eorum, quae praestat, imputet superiori,” Sen. Ben. 3, 18, 1: “servorum,” Just. 2, 13, 10. ubi ego omnibus parvis magnisque ministeriis praefulcior, Plaut. Ps. 3, 1, 6: facere uxoribus, to wait or attend upon, id. 32, 3, 16: “praestare alicui,” Dig. 13, 5, 15: “exhibere,” ib. 50, 1, 17: “assuetos ministeriis talium facinorum,” Liv. 42, 15: “magis necessarium quam speciosi ministerii procurationem intueri,” id. 4, 8, 6: “praebere,” Dig. 47, 2. 51: “ministerium consilii sui afferre,” Just. 31, 5, 8: “fabrilia,” Plin. 16, 43, 84, § 230: “dura,” Ov. M. 11, 625: “diurna,” id. ib. 4, 216: “navis,” Petr. 108: “triste,” Verg. A. 6, 223; cf. “foeda,” id. ib. 7, 619; Sedul. 4, 130: “Quirinus acribus ministeriis consulatum adeptus,” Tac. A. 3, 48: “ministeria belli,” military service, id. ib. 2, 78: “ministerio Catonis ... facta provincia Cyprus est,” agency, Vell. 2, 38, 6: “caedis,” Curt. 10, 1, 2: ministeris functi esse, Mos. et Rom. Leg. Coll. 13, 3, 2.—Esp., the Christian ministry, the office of a preacher of Christ or of religion: “verbi,” Vulg. Act. 6, 4: “reconciliationis,” id. 2 Cor. 6, 18: “melius,” id. Heb. 8, 6.—
II. Transf., concr.
A. A suite of attendants: “quindecim convivarum, ac ministerii capax triclinium,” Plin. 12, 1, 5, § 10: “ministeria magistratibus conscribere, i. e. lictores, viatores, etc.,” Tac. A. 13, 27: “aulicum,” court-servants, Lampr. Alex. Sev. 41: “atratum coquinae ministerium,” the kitchen-servants, Amm. 14, 6, 17: “varia arenae ministeria,” managers of the games, Suet. Ner. 12.—
B. A service of dishes, table-service (post-class.): ducentarum librarum argenti pondus ministerium, Lampr Alex. Sev. 34; Paul. Sent. 3, 6, 86.
