I. Lit., a little basket: “sportulam cape atque argentum,” Plaut. Men. 1, 4, 1; id. Curc. 2, 3, 10; id. Stich. 2, 1, 17; App. M. 1, p. 113, 39; Ascon. ad Cic. Verr. 1, 8.—In such little baskets it was customary for a great man to distribute presents of food or money to the mass of his clients, Juv. 1, 95; 3, 249; Suet. Ner. 16; Mart. 3, 14, 3; 14, 125, 2; 10, 27, 3.—Hence, the emperor Claudius called the brief games which he gave to the people sportulae, acc. to Suet. Claud. 21.— “Prov.: sportulam furunculus captat,” i. e. snatches at others' little property, Tert. adv. Marc. 3, 16.—
II. Transf., a gift, present, in gen., Plin. Ep. 2, 14, 4; 2, 10, 118; Dig. 30, 1, 117; ib. 50, 2, 6; Cod. Just. 12, 21, 2.
