I.a purchaser of any thing at a public auction, a renter, farmer, contractor, etc. (syn.: redemtor, exactor).
I. Lit.: manceps dicitur, qui quid a populo emit conducitve, quia manu sublata significat se auctorem emptionis esse: qui idem praes dicitur, Paul. ex Fest. p. 151 Müll.: “postremo ne in praedae quidem societate mancipem aut praedem ... reperire potuisti,” Cic. Dom. 18, 48: “si res abiret ab eo mancipe, quem ipse apposuisset,” contractor for building, Cic. Verr. 2, 1, 54, § 141: “hominis studiosissimi nobilitatis manceps fit Chrysogonus,” the purchaser, id. Rosc. Am. 8, 21: “mancipes a civitatibus pro frumento pecuniam exegerunt,” the contractors with the government, farmers, id. Div. in Caecil. 10, 33; id. Dom. 10, 25: “nullius rei neque praes neque manceps,” Nep. Att. 6, 3: “aliquis praevalens annonam flagellet,” i. e. a forestaller, speculator, Plin. 33, 13, 57, § 164: “sutrinae,” a keeper of a stall, id. 10, 43, 60, § 122; Plin. Ep. 3, 19: “operarum,” one who hires laborers to let them out again, Suet. Vesp. 1; “itinera fraude mancipum et incuria magistratuum interrupta,” a farmer of the revenue, farmer-general, Tac. A. 3, 31: “VIAE APPIAE,” Inscr. Orell. 3221.—
II. Transf.
B. One who hires people to applaud: “conducti et redempti mancipes,” Plin. Ep. 2, 14, 4.—*
C. The owner, proprietor, or possessor of a thing: “deus et manceps divinitatis,” Tert. Apol. 11.—
D. A master, chief: carceris, i. e. jailer, Prud. στεφ. 5, 345; Tert. de Spect. 10.
