I.gen. rituis, Varr. ap. Non. 494, 30; abl. rite nefasto, Stat. Th. 11, 285; v. rite), m. etym. unknown, orig. belonging to relig. lang.
I. Lit., the form and manner of religious observances; a religious usage or ceremony, a rite (cf. caerimonia): “Graeco ritu sacra non Romano facere,” Varr. L. L. 7, § 88 Müll.: “sacra diis aliis Albano ritu, Graeco Herculi facit,” Liv. 1, 7: “quo haec privatim et publice modo rituque flant, discunto ignari a publicis sacerdotibus,” Cic. Leg. 2, 8, 20; cf.: “morem ritusque sacrorum Adiciam,” Verg. A. 12, 836: “de more rituque priscae religionis,” Suet. Tit. 5: “ex patriis ritibus optuma colunto,” Cic. Leg. 2, 9, 21; 2, 16, 40: “tempestates, quae populi Romani ritibus consecratae sunt,” id. N. D. 3, 20, 51: “regina dei (sc. Bacchi) Ritibus instruitur,” Ov. M. 6, 591: “sacrificos docuit ritus,” id. ib. 15, 483: “profanos ritus exuere,” Tac. A. 2, 85 fin.: “lustrari magico ritu,” Ov. M. 10, 398.—
II. Transf., in gen., a custom, usage, manner, mode, way: “ritus, mos vel consuetudo,” Fest. p. 273 Müll.; cf. id. p. 289 ib.
a. Usually in abl. sing. and with a foll. gen., after the usage, wont, manner, or fashion of any thing.
(α).
With gen.: “more ferarum Quadrupedumque ritu,” Lucr. 4, 1265: “qui pecudum ritu ad voluptatem omnia referunt,” Cic. Lael. 9, 32: “pecudum, ferarumque,” Liv. 3, 47; 5, 44; Quint. 8, 3, 81; Ov. M. 6, 717; 15, 222: “latronum vivere,” Cic. Phil. 2, 25, 62: “juvenum,” Hor. A. P. 62: “Lucili,” id. S. 2, 1, 29: “Herculis (petiisse laurum),” id. C. 3, 14, 1; cf. “Dianae (cincta, etc.),” Ov. M. 1, 695; 9, 89; 10, 536: “fluminis,” Hor. C. 3, 29, 34: “tempestatis,” id. S. 2, 3, 268: “non hominis sed accipitris,” Just. 27, 2, 8: “volucri ritu flammarum,” Lucr. 1, 1102.—
(β).
With adj.: “haec mulier cantherino ritu astans somniat,” Plaut. Men. 2, 3, 46: “ritu barbarico esse,” id. Cas. 3, 6, 19: “res quaeque suo ritu procedit,” Lucr. 5, 923: “novo Sublime moliar atrium,” Hor. C. 3, 1, 46: “aleatorio,” Gell. 18, 13, 6; cf.: “rancida quo perolent projecta cadavera ritu,” in the way that, such as, Lucr. 6, 1157.—
b. In other cases (mostly poet. and post-Aug.), habit, custom, usage: “cognosse Sabinae Gentis ritus,” Ov. M. 15, 5: “referre Cyclopum,” id. ib. 15, 93: “humanos,” id. ib. 9, 500: “in alienos ritus mores legesque verti,” Liv. 24, 3, 12: “ritus dissimiles habuere duo examina apium,” Plin. 11, 10, 10, § 23: “moresque tractamus innumeros,” id. 7, 1, 1, § 6: “externas caerimonias, Aegyptios Judiacosque ritus compescuit,” Suet. Tib. 36; Sil. 15, 40: “de ritu nuptiarum,” Dig. 23, tit. 23.
