I.gen. plur. part. tractantum, Ov. P. 3, 3, 20), 1, v. freq. a. traho.
I. To draw violently, to drag, tug, haul, etc. (so, very rare): qui te (Hectorem) sic tractavere? Enn. ap. Macr. S. 6, 2 (Trag. v. 96 Vahl.): “tractatus per aequora campi,” id. Ann. v. 140 Vahl.: “tractata comis antistita Phoebi,” Ov. M. 13, 410: “malis morsuque ferarum Tractari,” to be torn, rent, lacerated, Lucr. 3, 889.—
II. To touch, take in hand, handle, manage, wield; to exercise, practise, transact, perform, etc. (freq. and class.; cf.: tango, ago, perago).
A. Lit.: “ut ea, quae gustemus, olfaciamus, tractemus, audiamus, etc.,” Cic. Tusc. 5, 38, 111: “numquam temere tinnit tintinnabulum, nisi qui illud tractat,” Plaut. Trin. 4, 2, 163: “aliquid manibus,” id. Poen. 1, 2, 103: “tractavisti hospitam ante aedes meas,” id. Mil. 2, 6, 30: “mateilionem Corinthium cupidissime tractans,” Cic. Par. 5, 2, 38: “volucra, quae non possum tractare sine magno gemitu,” id. Att. 12, 22, 1: “aret Pellis et ad tactum tractanti dura resistit,” Verg. G. 3, 502: “puer unctis Tractavit calicem manibus,” Hor. S. 2, 4, 79: “vitulos consuescere manu tractari,” Col. 6, 2, 1: “tractat inauratae consona fila lyrae,” i. e. strikes, plays upon, Ov. Am. 1, 8, 60: necdum res igni scibant tractare, to prepare, i. e. to cook, dress, Lucr. 5, 953: “solum terrae aere,” id. 5, 1289; cf.: “lutosum agrum,” i. e. to till, Col. 2, 4, 5: “tractari tuerique vites,” Cic. Fin. 5, 14, 39: “ceram pollice,” Ov. M. 10, 285; cf. id. ib. 8, 196: “lanam,” Just. 1, 3: “lanuginem,” Suet. Ner. 34: “gubernacula,” to manage, Cic. Sest. 9, 20: “tela,” to wield, Liv. 7, 32, 11; cf.: “speciosius arma,” Hor. Ep. 1, 18, 53: “servus, qui meam bibliothecen multorum nummorum tractavit,” has taken care of, had charge of, Cic. Fam. 13, 77, 3; cf.: eras tu quaestor; “pecuniam publicam tu tractabas,” id. Div. in Caecil. 10, 32: “rationem Prusensium,” Plin. Ep. 10, 28, 5.—
B. Trop., to handle, manage, practise, conduct, lead, etc.
1. In gen.: ut ne res temere tractent turbidas, Enn. ap. Cic. de Or. 1, 45, 199 (Trag. v. 189 Vahl.): “suam rem minus caute et cogitate,” Plaut. Trin. 2, 2, 46: “causas amicorum tractare atque agere,” Cic. de Or. 1, 37, 170: “causam difficiliorem,” id. Fam. 3, 12, 3: “condiciones,” Caes. B. C. 3, 28: “bellum,” to conduct, carry on, Liv. 23, 28, 4; Tac. A. 1, 59; Just. 9, 8, 12; 22, 5, 4: “proelia,” Sil. 15, 466; cf.: “vitam vulgivago more ferarum,” to lead, pass, spend, Lucr. 5, 930; so, “vitam,” Auct. Her. 4, 24, 33 (al. transactam): “imperium,” Just. 1, 2, 1: “regna,” id. 2, 4, 20: “pauca admodum vi tractata, quo ceteris quies esset,” Tac. A. 1, 9 fin.: “artem,” to practise, Ter. Phorm. prol. 17; Cic. Ac. 2, 7, 22: “verba vetera,” to employ, Quint. 11, 1, 6: “personam in scenā,” to perform, act, represent, id. Rosc. Com. 7, 20; so, “partes secundas (mimus),” Hor. Ep. 1, 18, 14: “animos,” Cic. Or. 28, 97; cf. Quint. 11, 1, 85.—Reflex.: “quo in munere ita se tractavit, ut, etc.,” has so conducted himself, Cic. Fam. 13, 12, 1; so, “ita me in re publicā tractabo, ut meminerim, etc.,” id. Cat. 3, 12, 29.—
2. In partic.
a. To treat, use, or conduct one's self towards a person in any manner: “ego te, ut merita es de me, tractare exsequar,” Plaut. As. 1, 3, 8: haec arte tractabat virum, ut, etc., Ter. Heaut. 2, 3, 125: “omnibus rebus eum ita tractes, ut, etc.,” Cic. Fam. 1, 3: “non tractabo ut consulem,” id. Phil. 2, 5, 10: “aliquem liberaliter,” Cic. Verr. 1, 8, 23: “nec liberalius nec honorificentius potuisse tractari,” id. Fam. 13, 27, 2: “pater parum pie tractatus a filio,” id. Cael. 2, 3: “mercatores ac navicularii injuriosius tractati,” id. Imp. Pomp. 5, 11: “pauloque benignius ipsum Te tractare voles,” Hor. Ep. 1, 17, 12. —
b. To handle, treat, investigate, discuss any thing, mentally, orally, or in writing (cf.: dissero, disputo, ago). ( α ) With acc.: “quem ad modum quamque causam tractare conveniat,” Auct. Her. 2, 2, 2: “oratori omnia quaesita, audita, lecta, disputata, tractata, agitata esse debent,” Cic. de Or. 3, 14, 54: “habeat omnes philosophiae notos et tractatos locos,” id. Or. 33, 118: “causas amicorum,” id. de Or. 1, 37, 170: “tractata res,” id. Rep. 3, 3, 4: “definitiones fortitudinis,” id. Tusc. 4, 24, 53: “partem philosophiae,” id. Ac. 1, 8, 30: “constantiam,” id. Lael. 18, 65; cf. id. ib. 22, 82: “ibi consilia decem legatorum tractabantur,” Liv. 33, 31, 7: “fama fuit ... tractatas inter Eumenen et Persea condiciones amicitiae,” id. 44, 13, 9: “scrupulosius tractabo ventos,” Plin. 2, 46, 45, § 118: prima elementa, Quint. prooem. 21; “1, 1, 23: locus, qui copississime a Cicerone tractatur,” id. 1, 4, 24; 7, 2, 43: “aliquid memori pectore,” to ponder, reflect upon, Juv. 11, 28; cf.: “tractare proeliorum vias,” Tac. A. 2, 5: ut quaestio diligentius tractaretur, Aug. Civ. Dei, 2, 21, 1.—
(β).
With de and abl. (mostly postAug.): “de officii parte,” Sen. Contr. 2, 1 (9), 20 (dub.; “Madv. and Kiessl. partem): quoniam de religionibus tractabatur,” Tac. A. 3, 71: “ubi de figuris orationis tractandum erit,” Quint. 1, 5, 5; 2, 13, 14; 2, 20, 10: “de negotiis,” to discuss, Suet. Aug. 35 fin.—
(γ).
With interrog.-clause: “quo tractatur amicus an inimicus,” Quint. 5, 10, 29; 7, 2, 56: “utra sit antiquior (lex),” id. 7, 7, 8: “cum tractaret, quinam adipisci principem locum abnuerent, etc.,” Tac. A. 1, 13.—
c. To negotiate, treat: “dum de condicionibus tractat,” Nep. Eum. 5, 7; Suet. Claud. 26: “de Asiā,” Just. 37, 3, 4: “de redimendo filio,” id. 31, 7, 7.
