I. In gen., compliance, yieldingness, complaisance, indulgence (class.; syn.: indulgentia, obsequentia): prosequium a prosequendo, obsequium ab obsequendo dicuntur, Paul. ex Fest. p. 226 Müll.: “obsequium amicos, veritas odium parit,” Ter. And. 1, 1, 41: “obsequium atque patientia,” Cic. Pis. 2, 5: “obsequium et comitas,” id. Att. 6, 6: “alicui tribuere,” Ov. Tr. 5, 6, 30: “ventris,” i. e. gluttony, Hor. S. 2, 7, 104: “animo sumere,” to follow the bent of one's inclinations, Plaut. Bacch. 4, 10, 7: “in obsequio uxoris,” in the service of his wife, Vulg. 4 Reg. 5, 2.—Of inanim. things: “flectitur obsequio curvatus ab arbore ramus,” by yielding, by its pliancy, Ov. A. A. 2, 179.—In plur.: omnia ei obsequia polliceor, Planc. ap. Cic. Fam. 10, 11, 3.—
II. In partic.
B. Obedience, allegiance: “in populum Romanum,” Liv. 29, 15, 3: “principum,” i. e. towards them, Just. 3, 2, 9: “ad obsequium redigere,” to subjugate, Suet. Aug. 21: “nulla colonia vestra erit, quae nos obsequio erga vos fideque superet,” Liv. 7, 30, 19: “obsequium in regem retinere,” Tac. A. 6, 37 (43) fin.; 13, 3; Just. 20, 4, 9: jurare in obsequium alicujus, to swear obedience or allegiance to one, Just. 13, 2: “obsequium erga aliquem exuere,” to throw off, Tac. A. 3, 12.