rogō

Rogare, interrogare, and quærere, denote a simple questioning; rogare (ὀργᾶν, ὀρέγεσθαι), as willing to know; interrogare, as wishing to know; whereas percontari and sciscitari denote urgently asking; percontari (from γνῶναι) always from a desire of knowledge, with seriousness and calmness; sciscitari (redupl. of scitari) often from curiosity, with inquisitiveness, eagerness, or also with cunning, like pumping or ferreting out. (v. 125.)

1. Petere and rogare are the most general expressions for asking any thing, whether as a request or as a demand, and stand therefore in the middle between poscere and orare, yet somewhat nearer to a request; petere (from ποθεῖν) generally refers to the object which is wished for; whereas rogare to the person who is applied to; hence we say, petere aliquid ab aliquo, but rogare aliquem aliquid. Cic. Verr. * * Iste petit a rege, et cum pluribus verbis rogat, uti ad se mittat. Planc. 10, 25. Phil. ii. 30. Fam. ix. 8. and ii. 6. Ne id quod petat, exigere magis quam rogare videatur. Pseudoquintil. Decl. 286. Curt. iv. 1, 8. 2. Postulare and exigere denote simply a demand, without any enhancing accessory notion, as a quiet utterance of the will; postulare (diminutive of πόθος) more as a wish and will; exigere, more as a just claim; whereas poscere and flagitare, as an energetic demand; poscere (from πόθος) with decision, with a feeling of right or power; flagitare, with importunity, in consequence of a passionate and impatient eagerness. Tac. Hist. ii. 39. Othone per literas flagitante ut maturarent, militibus ut imperator pugnæ adesset poscentibus; plerique copias trans Padum agentes acciri postulabant. Cic. Verr. iii. 34. Incipiunt postulare, poscere, minari. Planc. 19. Poscere atque etiam flagitare crimen. Legg. i. 5. Postulatur a te jamdiu vel flagitatur potius historia. (v. 230.)

1. Rogare and orare denote simply a request as the quiet utterance of a wish; but the rogans (ὀργᾶν, ὀρέγεσθαι) feels himself al pari, on a par with the person whom he asks, and asks only a courtesy, like αἰτεῖν; the orans acknowledges the superiority of the other, and asks a benefit, like δεῖσθαι; whereas obsecrare and obtestari denote a passionate asking, as to conjure; but the obsecrans asks urgently, like λιπαρεῖν; the obtestans (from θέσσασθαι) in a suppliant manner. Cic. Att. xvi. 10. Igitur, mi Plance, rogo te atque etiam oro. Pseudocic. p. Red. 16. Pro mea vos salute non rogavit solum, verum etiam obsecravit. 2. Precari denotes the calm act of prayer, in which one raises one’s hand to heaven, like εύχεσθαι; but supplicare denotes the passionate act of supplication, in which one throws one’s self on one’s knees, or on the ground, and wrings one’s hands, like ἱκετεύειν. By hyperbole, however, precor denotes any urgent request; supplicare, any humble request, addressed to a human being. Cic. Parad. v. 3. Noctu venire domum ad eum, precari, denique supplicare. (v. 232.)