I.v. dep. n. and a. [sors].
I. Neutr., to cast or draw lots: “coniciam sortes in sitellam et sortiar Tibi et Chalino,” Plaut. Cas. 2, 5, 34: “cum praetores designati sortirentur et M. Metello obtigisset, ut is de pecuniis repetundis quaereret,” drew lots for the judges, appointed the judges by lot, Cic. Verr. 1, 8, 21; Quint. 3, 10, 1: consules comparare inter se aut sortiri jussi, to draw lots for the provinces, Liv. 38, 35, 9: “sortiti nocte singuli per ordinem intrārunt,” Quint. 4, 2, 72: “dum legiones de ordine agminis sortiuntur,” Tac. H. 2, 41: “de altero consulatu,” Suet. Claud. 7.—Hence, Sor-tĭentes , The Lot-drawers (a transl. of the Gr. Κληρούμενοι), the name of a comedy by Diphilus, Plaut. Cas. prol. 32.—
II. Act., to draw or cast lots for, to fix, assign, or appoint by lot, to allot; also esp. in the perfect tenses, to obtain or receive by lot (freq. and class.).
(α).
With acc.: “tribus,” Cic. Agr. 2, 8, 21: “provinciam,” id. Fam. 1, 9, 25: “provincias,” id. Att. 1, 13, 5: “duas Gallias,” id. ib. 1, 19, 2: “ut consules inter se provincias compararent sortirenturve,” Liv. 42, 31: “judices,” Cic. Verr. 2, 2, 17, § 42; 2, 2, 18, § 44: “judices per praetorem urbanum,” id. Q. Fr. 2, 1, 2: “aliquos ad ignominiam,” id. Clu. 46, 129: “dicas,” Cic. Verr. 2, 2, 17, § 42 fin.: “nec regna vini sortiere talis,” Hor. C. 1, 4, 18: aequā lege Necessitas Sortitur insignes et imos, decides the fate of, etc., id. ib. 3, 1, 15: “peregrinam (provinciam) sortitus est,” Liv. 39, 45: “ex praeturā ulteriorem sortitus Hispaniam,” Suet. Caes. 18; Plin. Ep. 6, 22 fin.—
(β).
With rel.-clause: “ut P. Furius et Cn. Servilius inter se sortirentur, uter citeriorem Hispaniam obtineret,” Liv. 42, 4, 2: “consules sortiti, uter dedicaret,” id. 2, 8, 6; 24, 10, 2: “uter patriā decederet,” Vell. 1, 1, 4: “sortiri, quid loquare,” Cic. N. D. 1, 35, 98: “num sortiuntur inter se, quae declinet, quae non?” id. Fat. 20, 46.—
B. Transf. (mostly poet. and not ante-Aug.).
1. To share, divide, distribute: “pariter laborem Sortiti,” shared the labor, Verg. A. 8, 445: “vices,” id. ib. 3, 634: “periculum,” id. ib. 9, 174.—
2. To choose, select: “subolem armento sortire quot annis,” Verg. G. 3, 71: “fortunam (i.e. locum) oculis,” id. A. 12, 920: “matrimonium,” Just. 26, 3, 8.—
3. In gen., to obtain, receive a thing (mostly in the tempp. perff.; not ante-Aug.): “Tectosagi mediterranea Asiae sortiti sunt,” Liv. 38, 16: “si emancipatus uxore ducta filium fuerit sortitus,” Dig. 37, 4, 3, § 5: “gens Claudia regnum in plebem sortita,” Liv. 3, 58: “amicum,” Hor. S. 1, 6, 53; 2, 6, 94; id. A. P. 92: “si Maeonium vatem sortita fuisses,” Ov. Tr. 1, 6, 21; id. M. 2, 241; 3, 124; 11, 758; Suet. Aug. 99 al.: “quidam sortiti metuentem sabbata patrem,” Juv. 14, 96: “venerabile ingenium,” id. 15, 144: “fata tam tristia,” Sen. Phoen. 245: “reliqua rerum tuarum post te alium atque alium dominum sortientur,” Plin. Ep. 1, 3, 4 Döring ad loc.—Pass. part. sortitus, v. sortio fin.— Adv.: sortītō , by lot: “sacerdotem sortito capere,” Cic. Verr. 2, 2, 51, § 126; S. C. ap. Cic. Fam. 8, 8, 8; Suet. Aug. 30; 47.— Transf., by fate, by destiny (= sorte, or lege naturae): “tibi sortito id obtigit,” Plaut. Merc. 1, 2, 25; Hor. Epod. 4, 1.