I. Lit., to promise a thing in return for something else; to offer or present in return. So, only in a few examples, the phrase par pari (dat.) respondere, to return like for like: par pari respondes dicto, you return tit for tat with your tongue (syn. refero), Plaut. Pers. 2, 2, 41; cf.: istuc serva; et verbum verbo par pari ut respondeas, Ter Phorm. 1, 4, 35; and: “paria paribus respondimus,” Cic. Att. 6, 1, 23.— Pass.: provide, si cui quid debetur, ut sit, unde par pari respondeatur, i. e. that there be wherewithal to meet the demand, Atticus ap. Cic. Att. 16, 7, 6; cf. also under II. A. 1, the lusus verbb. with spondeo; and II. B. init.—
II. In a more general signification.
A. To answer, reply, respond (either to a question, or to any statement or remark, and either in a friendly or hostile signif.); constr. aliquid alicui, ad, adversus, contra aliquem (aliquid).
1. In gen.
a. Lit.: Th. Aliud te rogo. Tr. Aliud ergo nunc tibi respondeo, Plaut. Most. 5, 1, 70; cf. id. Merc. 1, 2, 73.—Absol.: “prius respondes, quam rogo,” Plaut. Merc. 2, 3, 119: “eā legatione Papirius auditā ... respondit,” Liv. 9, 14, 2; 27, 40, 8; 33, 38, 7; Nep. Milt. 1, 4: “ille appellatus respondit,” Caes. B. G. 5, 36; 5, 41; Cic. Leg. 3, 13, 30; Cic. Verr. 2, 4, 62, § 138; id. Fam. 3, 6, 2; 5, 2, 8; 7, 24, 2; “9, 14, 2. — So usu. of an oral answer: tibi non rescribam, sed respondeam,” Sen. Ep. 67, 2; “but also of writing: epistulae,” Cic. Att. 9, 9, 1 et saep.; v. infra: “ab his sermo oritur, respondet Laelius,” Cic. Lael. 1, 5; Plaut. Men. 5, 5, 28: olli respondit rex Albaï Longaï, Enn. ap. Fortun. p. 2691 P. (Ann. v. 34 Vahl.): “cui orationi Caepionis ore respondit Aelius,” Cic. Brut. 46, 169: “criminibus,” id. Planc. 2, 4: “supremae tuae paginae,” id. Att. 6, 2, 1: “cui opinioni,” Quint. 4, 4, 1: “tam aequae postulationi,” id. 7, 1, 47 al.: “summā constantiā ad ea, quae quaesita erant, respondebat,” Cic. Phil. 1, 1, 2; cf.: “arbitrabar me satis respondisse ad id quod quaesierat Laelius,” id. Rep. 2, 39, 65: “nec absurde adversus utrosque respondisse visus est,” Liv. 35, 50; 8, 32: “adversus haec imperator respondit,” id. 30, 31; 33, 35 fin.— With acc. of neutr. pron.: “illud respondere cogam,” to make answer to that, Cic. Cael. 28, 67; cf. id. Vatin. 7, 18; 17, 41: “multa contra patronos venuste testis saepe respondet,” Quint. 5, 7, 31; 5, 7, 24; cf.: “accipe, quid contra juvenis responderit,” Hor. S. 2, 3, 233.— With object-clause: “respondent, bello se et suos tutari posse,” Plaut. Am. 1, 1, 59; id. Curc. 2, 3, 54; id. Mil. 2, 2, 23; id. Merc. 5, 2. 102 al. —Introducing a direct answer: “cum dixisset, Quid agis, Grani? respondit, Immo vero tu, Druse, quid agis!” Cic. Planc. 14, 33; id. Att. 5, 21, 12; id. Inv. 1, 31, 51; id. Tusc. 5, 19, 56.— In impers. perf.: “postquam mihi responsum est, abeo, etc.,” Plaut. Curc. 2, 3, 57; cf. id. Mil. 4, 2, 93: quid nunc renunciem abs te responsum? Ter. Heaut. 4, 8, 18: “sic existimet: Responsum non dictum esse, quia laesit prior,” id. Eun. prol. 6.— In plur.: “multa ejus et in senatu et in foro vel provisa prudenter vel acta constanter vel responsa acute ferebantur,” Cic. Lael. 2, 6.— In the sup.: “(haec) quam brevia responsu,” Cic. Clu. 59 fin.— In a lusus verbb. with spondeo: Er. Sponden' tu istud? He. Spondeo. Er. At ego, tuum tibi advenisse filium, respondeo, and in return I promise you, i. e. assure you, Plaut. Capt. 4, 2, 119; cf.: “fideiussores, qui salvam rempublicam fore responderunt, etc.,” promised, gave assurance, Dig. 50, 1, 17 fin.—
b. Trop., to answer, respond, reply to, re-echo, resound, etc.: “saxa et solitudines voci respondent,” Cic. Arch. 8, 19; “respondent flebile ripae,” Ov. M. 11, 53; and: “respondentia tympana,” Stat. Achill. 2, 175: urbes coloniarum respondebunt Catilinae tumulis silvestribus, will give an answer to, i. e. will prove a match for, Cic. Cat. 2, 11, 24.—
2. In partic.
a. Of lawyers, priests, oracles, etc., to give an opinion, advice, decision, response: “quaeris, num juris consultus (sit)? quasi quisquam sit, qui sibi hunc falsum de jure respondisse dicat,” Cic. Planc. 25, 62; so, “de jure,” id. Brut. 30, 113; cf.: “de jure consulentibus respondere,” id. Mur. 4, 9; “in a like signif., also simply jus,” id. Leg. 1, 4, 12: “facultas respondendi juris,” id. ib. 2, 12, 29; id. de Or. 1, 45, 198; Plin. Ep. 6, 15, 3 al.; cf.: “civica jura,” Hor. Ep. 1, 3, 24; and: “quae consuluntur, minimo periculo respondentur, etc.,” Cic. Mur. 13, 28; id. Brut. 89, 306. —Absol., Dig. 2, 14, 7; and so very freq. of the jurists in the Digests; “v. responsum: pater Roscii ad haruspices retulit: qui responderunt, nihil illo puero clarius fore,” Cic. Div. 1, 36, 79: “cum ex prodigiis haruspices respondissent,” Sall. C. 47, 2; Liv. 27, 37; 31, 5; 5, 54; Vell. 2, 24, 3: “responsum est,” Suet. Aug. 94, 97: “deliberantibus Pythia respondit, ut moenibus ligneis se munirent,” gave advice, Nep. Them. 2, 6; cf. Just. 11, 11, § 11: “possumus seniores amici quiete respondere,” to give advice, Tac. A. 14, 54 fin.—
b. Of the answering of a person summoned when his name is called; hence, meton., to appear: citatus neque respondit neque excusatus est, Varr. ap. Gell. 11, 1, 4; cf.: “cives, qui ad nomina non respondissent,” Liv. 7, 4: “quia Romae non respondebant,” id. 39, 18; Val. Max. 6, 3, 4; Suet. Tib. 38; id. Ner. 44; Hor. S. 1, 9, 36 (vadato, dat., i.e. ei qui eum vadatus erat; v. vador); Dig. 3, 3, 35; 41, 1, 14 et saep.—
(β).
Esp., to appear before a tribunal, to answer an accusation, meet a charge, etc.: “perfectus in exsilium Tubulus est nec respondere ausus,” Cic. Fin. 2, 16, 54: “Verrem alterā actione responsurum non esse,” Cic. Verr. 2, 1, 1, § 1: “nemo Epaminondam responsurum putabat,” Nep. Epam. 8, 1.—
(γ).
Transf., in gen., to appear, be present: “ipsi (sc. paeon et herous) se offerent et respondebunt non vocati,” Cic. de Or. 3, 49, 191: “verba (with res se ostendent),” Quint. 10, 3, 9: “ut ii, qui debent, non respondeant ad tempus,” Cic. Att. 16, 2, 2; cf.: “podagra ad tempus (with venit ad horam),” Sen. Q. N. 3, 16, 1: “sanguis per menstrua,” Cels. 4, 4, 5.—
B. To answer to; to meet, agree, accord, or correspond with a thing; constr. usually with dat. or absol.: “ut omnia omnibus paribus paria respondeant,” Cic. N. D. 1, 19, 50: “ut horum auctoritatibus illorum orationi, qui dissentiunt, respondere posse videamur,” id. Imp. Pomp. 23, 68: “ut verba verbis quasi demensa et paria respondeant,” id. Or. 12, 38; and: “respondent extrema primis, media utrisque, omnia omnibus,” id. Fin. 5, 28, 83: (Aristoteles dicit) illam artem (sc. rhetoricam) quasi ex alterā parte respondere dialecticae, that it corresponds to, i. e. forms the counterpart of, id. Or. 32, 114: “aedificare alteram porticum quae Palatio responderet,” id. Har. Resp. 23, 49; cf. “of a locality: contra elata mari respondet Gnosia tellus,” i. e. lies opposite, Verg. A. 6, 23: “Pachyni pulsata Ionio respondent saxa profundo,” Sil. 14, 73: “est mihi magnae curae, ut ita erudiatur (Lucullus), ut et patri et Caepioni nostro et tibi tam propinquo respondeat,” Cic. Fin. 3, 2, 8: satis Graecorum gloriae responderunt, id. Tusc. 1, 2, 3: “tua virtus opinioni hominum,” id. Fam. 2, 5, 2; id. Lael. 16, 56: “fortuna meis optatis,” id. Fam. 2, 1, 2; cf.: “seges votis,” Verg. G. 1, 47: “arma Caesaris non responsura lacertis,” Hor. Ep. 2, 2, 48: “favor meritis,” id. ib. 2, 1, 9: “ne prior officio quisquam respondeat,” id. S. 2, 6, 24: “par fama labori,” id. ib. 2, 8, 66: “fructus labori,” Ov. F. 4, 641: “non mihi respondent veteres in carmine vires,” id. H. 15, 197 al.: “familiam nemo speciosiorem producet, sed hominibus non respondet,” he does not pay his debts, Sen. Ep. 87, 6: “amori amore respondere,” i. e. to return it, repay it, Cic. Fam. 15, 21, 4; cf.: “Quinti fratris liberalitati subsidiis amicorum,” id. Att. 4, 3, 6: “qui ex vico ortus est, eam patriam intellegitur habere, cui reipublicae vicus ille respondet,” to which it belongs, Dig. 50, 1, 30.— “In mal. part.: mulieribus,” Plaut. Mil. 4, 1, 17.—With ad: “respondere ad parentum speciem,” resemble, Varr. R. R. 2, 5, 9: “deformentur directiones, ut longitudines ad regulam et lineam, altitudines ad perpendiculum, anguli ad normam respondentes exigantur,” Vitr. 7, 3; cf.: “structuram ad perpendiculum respondere oportet,” Plin. 36, 22, 51, § 172: “quia non tota ad animum responderat (villa),” Suet. Caes. 48: “ad spem eventus respondit,” Liv. 28, 6.—With dat.: “Papirio quoque brevi ad spem eventus respondit,” Liv. 9, 15.— With ex: “quicquid non ex voluntate respondet, iram provocat,” Sen. Ep. 47, 19: “speculum quocumque obvertimus oris, Res sibi respondent simili formā atque colore,” i. e. correspond, are reflected, Lucr. 4, 167.— Absol.: “sidera respondent in aquā,” Lucr. 4, 213: “quia raro verba belle respondeant,” Quint. 6, 3, 48: medicus aliquid oportet inveniat, quod non ubique fortasse, sed saepius tamen etiam respondeat, may answer, be suitable, Cels. praef.—
C. To return, make a return, yield: “frumenta quando cum quarto responderint (sc. colono),” have returned, yielded, Col. 3, 3, 4; cf. with abl. and dat.: “humus cum est repetita cultu, magno fenore colono respondet,” id. 2, 1, 3: “vitis, nisi praepingui solo, non respondet,” id. 3, 2, 11; cf.: “metalla plenius responsura fodienti,” Sen. Ep. 23, 5.—Hence, rēspon-sum , i, n., an answer, reply, response (equally freq. in sing. and plur.).
1. In gen.: “suis postulatis responsa exspectare,” Caes. B. C. 1, 5 fin.: “haec paucis diebus ex illius ad nostra responsa responsis intellegentur, quorsum evasura sint,” Cic. Att. 7, 17, 4: “responsum senatūs,” Liv. 7, 31: “sine responso legatos dimisit,” id. 9, 38: “nullo ab nostris dato responso,” Caes. B. G. 5, 58: “responsum dedisti tantis de rebus,” Cic. Verr. 2, 5, 16, § 40; 2, 4, 39, § 85; so, “dare responsum,” Liv. 5, 32, 8; Val. Max. 9, 5, ext. 3; Curt. 3, 12, 9; Liv. 3, 50, 12: “reddere alicui,” Cic. Planc. 14, 34; cf.: “triste redditum,” Liv. 9, 16: “ferre (ab aliquo),” to receive, Cic. Cat. 1, 8, 19; Caes. B. G. 6, 4 fin.: “referre (ab aliquo),” to deliver, Cic. Att. 7, 17, 2; Hirt. B. G. 8, 23; Liv. 37, 6: “elicere,” Quint. 5, 7, 20: “petere,” Hor. C. S. 55: “responsum accipere,” Liv. 5, 36, 4; Just. 12, 2, 8: “responsum non fuit in eis,” Vulg. Jer. 5, 13.—
2. In partic. (acc. to II. A. 2.), an answer, reply of a lawyer, priest, oracle, etc.; an opinion, response, oracle: “cum responsumque ab eo (Crasso) verum magis, quam ad suam rem accommodatum abstulisset, etc.,” Cic. de Or. 1, 56, 239: “res judicatae, decreta, responsa,” id. ib. 2, 27, 116; id. Mur. 13, 29.— “The responsa prudentium, or authoritative opinions of leading lawyers, were an important source of the Roman law,” Just. Inst. 1, 2, 8 Sandars ad loc.: “haruspicum responsa,” Cic. Cat. 3, 4, 9; cf. Quint. 5, 10, 30; Ov. M. 3, 340; 527: “legatus a Delphis Romam rediit, responsumque ex scripto recitavit,” Liv. 23, 11; cf. id. 1, 56; Quint. 3, 7, 11; 5, 7, 35; Tac. H. 1, 10; 4, 65 al.; Plaut. Ps. 1, 5, 65; Ter. And. 4, 2, 15; Verg. A. 7, 86 et saep.— “In eccl. Lat.: responsum Dei, ab angelo, etc.,” Vulg. Mich. 3, 7; id. Luc. 2, 26; id. Act. 10, 22.
