I. Lit.
A. To set or fasten down; hence, to set slips, propagate by slips, Cato, R. R. 52, 1: “castanea melius ex vicino pertica declinata propagatur,” Col. 4, 33, 3: “vitem, ficum, oleam, Punicam, malorum genera omnia, laurum, prunos,” Plin. 17, 13, 21, § 96: “abrotonum cacumine suo se propagat,” id. 21, 10, 34, § 60.—Hence,
B. In gen., to propagate, generate, continue by procreation: “stirpem,” Cic. Phil. 1, 6, 13: “cum ipse sui generis initium ac nominis ab se gigni et propagari vellet,” Cic. Verr. 2, 5, 70, § 180: “prolem,” Lucr. 2, 996.—
II. Transf.
A. In gen., to extend, enlarge, increase: “fines imperii,” Cic. Rep. 3, 12, 21: “finis imperii propagavit,” Nep. Ham. 2, 5: “eo bello terminos populi Romani propagari,” Liv. 36, 1, 3: “terminos Urbis,” Tac. A. 12, 23: “augere et propagare imperium,” Suet. Ner. 18: “propagatae civitates,” Vell. 1, 14, 1: “sumptus cenarum,” Gell. 2, 24, 15: “notitiam Britanniae,” Plin. 4, 16, 30, § 102: fidem Christianam propagare, Greg. M. in Job, 27, 37.—
B. In time, to prolong, continue, extend, preserve (syn.: “prorogo, produco): victu fero vitam propagare,” Cic. Inv. 1, 2, 2: “haec posteritati propagantur,” are transferred to posterity, id. Sest. 48, 102: “meus consulatus multa saecula propagarit rei publicae,” has preserved the State for many centuries, id. Cat. 2, 5, 11: “vitam aucupio,” to prolong, preserve, id. Fin. 5, 11, 32: “memoriam aeternam alicui,” Plin. 15, 14, 15, § 49: imperium consuli in annum, to prolong, = prorogare, Liv. 23, 25, 11: “hereditarium bellum, sic facta hominis vita est temporaria, sed longa, quae in mille annos propagaretur,” Lact. 2, 12, 21.—