Illustrated Companion to the Latin Dictionary/Antestor

This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Rich, Anthony (1849). The illustrated companion to the Latin dictionary, and Greek lexicon. p. vi. OCLC 894670115. https://archive.org/details/illustratedcompa00rich. 

ANTES'TOR. To summon a person, or ask him to become witness that a defendant refuses to come into court. On such occasions the plaintiff asked any of the bystanders to bear witness of the defendant's contempt, by the words licet antestari; upon receiving his assent, he touched the ear of his witness, then seized upon the person of his opponent, and dragged him forcibly into the court. Plaut. Pers. iv. 9. 10. Hor. Sat. i. 9. 78. Plin. H. N. xi. 103.