I.to call upon, invoke (cf. imploro), esp. as a witness or for aid.
I. Lit.
A. With living beings as objects: alium invocat, cum alio cantat, Naev. ap. Isid. Orig. 1, 26: “invoco vos, Lares viales,” Plaut. Merc. 5, 2, 23: “sibi deos,” id. Am. 5, 1, 9; cf.: “in pariendo Junonem Lucmam,” Cic. N. D. 2, 27, 68: “deos in auxilium,” Quint. 4 prooem. § 5:“ deos precibus,” Tac. A. 16, 31: “Deos testes,” Liv. 45, 31; Curt. 4, 10, 33; 5, 12, 3.—With a foll. subj.: “justae preces invocantium, ad ultionem accingerentur,” Tac. H. 4, 79.—
B. With things as objects, to invoke, appeal to, implore: “leges,” Tac. A. 2, 71: “auxilia libertati,” id. ib. 15, 56: “arma alicujus adversus alium,” id. ib. 2, 46: “fidem suorum militum,” id. H. 2, 9; Suet. Caes. 33: “nomen Domini,” Vulg. Deut. 32, 3 saep. —
II. Transf., in gen., to call by name, to name: aspice hoc sublimen candens, quem invocant omnes Jovem, Enn. ap. Cic. N. D. 2, 2, 4 (Trag. v. 402 Vahl.): “aliquem dominum, regem,” Curt. 10, 5, 9: “reginas dominasque veris quondam, tunc alienis nominibus invocantes,” id. 3, 11, 25.
