causa (caussa) ae, f 1 CAV-, a cause, reason, motive, inducement, occasion, opportunity: te causae inpellebant leves, T.: obscura: accedit illa quoque causa: causa, quam ob rem, etc., T.: satis esse causa, quā re, etc., Cs.: si causa nulla est, cur, etc.: causa quod, etc.: ea est causa, ut cloacae subeant, etc., L.: quid causae est quin: nulla causa est quin: causa quo minus, S.: is, qui causa mortis fuit: morbi, V.: nos causa belli sumus, L.: rerum cognoscere causas, V.: Vera obiurgandi causa, T.

—Poet.: Bacchus et ad culpam causas dedit (i. e. culparum causa fuit), V.: consurgere in arma, V.: quae rebus sit causa novandis, V.: meo subscribi causa sepulchro, i. e. of my death, O.

— In phrases: cum causā, with good reason: sine causā, without good reason: sine ullā apertā causā: his de causis, Cs.: quā de causā: quā ex causa: eā causā, S.: ob eam causam, Cs.: ob eam ipsam causam: quam ob causam, N.: propter eam quam dixi causam: in causā haec sunt, are responsible: vim morbi in causā esse, quo, etc., L.: non paucitatem ... causae fuisse cogitabant, to have been the cause, Cs.

—Esp., abl. with gen. or possess. adj., on account of, for the sake of: alqm honoris causā nominare, with due respect: omnium nostrum causā: vitandae suspitionis causā: meā causā, T.: meāpte causā, T.: vestrā reique p. causā: vestrarum sedum templorumque causā

— cf. quod illi semper sui causā fecerant: additur illius hoc iam causā, quicum agitur.

—Meton., an apology, excuse: non causam dico quin ferat, etc., T.: causas nequiquam nectis inanīs, V.

—Poet.: Et geminas, causam lacrimis, sacraverat aras, i. e. a place to weep, V.

—A feigned cause, pretext, pretence: fingit causas ne det, T.: morae causas facere, reasons for the delay, S.: causas innecte morandi, V.: inferre causam, Cs.: bellandi, N.: per causam exercendorum remigum, under the pretext, Cs.: per causam renovati belli, L.: gratiam per hanc causam conciliare.

—In law, a cause, judicial process, lawsuit: causam agere: publicam dicere: proferre: perdere: tenere, O.: causae actor accessi: causam dicere, to defend (oneself or as advocate): linguam causis acuere, for pleading, H.: extra causam esse, not to the point: plura extra causam dixisse: atque peracta est causa prior, i. e. the hearing before the decision, O.

—A side, party, faction, cause: condemnare causam illam: et causam et hominem probare, Cs.: publica, the common weal, O.

—A relation of friendship, connection: omnes causae et necessitudines veteres: quae mihi sit causa cum Caesare.

—A condition, state, situation, relation, position: num enim aliā in causā M. Cato fuit, aliā ceteri, etc.: in eādem causā fuerunt, Cs.: in meliore causā.

— A commission, business undertaken, employment: cui senatus dederat publice causam, ut mihi gratias ageret: super tali causā eodem missi, N.

—In rhet., a concrete question, case for discussion.