I.imitation (class.; cf. aemulatio).
I. In gen.: “imitatio virtutis aemulatio dicitur,” Cic. Tusc. 4, 8, 17; cf. Quint. 1, 2, 26: “excellentium civium virtus imitatione digna,” Cic. Phil. 14, 6, 17: “imitatione tantam ingenii praestantiam consequi,” id. Off. 3, 1, 1: “ut ad imitationem sui vocet alios,” id. Rep. 2, 42: “periculosa exempli,” id. Fl. 11, 24: “antiquitatis,” Quint. 11, 3, 10: “nostrorum dictorum factorumque,” id. 9, 2, 59: “fori consiliorumque,” id. 2, 4, 41 al.: “in omni re vincit imitationem veritas,” Cic. de Or. 3, 57, 215: “nihil ostentationis aut imitationis afferre,” id. 3, 12, 45: “longe difficillima est imitationis imitatio,” the copying of a copy, Plin. Ep. 4, 28, 3: “certatim haec omnis imitatio lacessivit, ut, etc.,” Macr. S. 7, 13, 11.—
B. The faculty of imitation: “ingenii signum in parvis praecipuum memoria est: ... proximum imitatio,” Quint. 1, 3, 1.—
II. In rhet. lang.
A. Imitation of an orator: “imitatio est, in qua impellimur cum diligenti ratione, ut aliquorum similes in dicendo velimus esse,” Auct. Her. 1, 2, 3; cf. Cic. de Or. 2, 22 sq.; Quint. 10, 2.—
B. Imitation of a natural sound, onomatopœia, Auct. Her. 4, 31, 42.
