ambio

amb-ĭo, īvi, and ii, ītum, 4, v.n. and a. (although from the root eo, it is regularly conjugated throughout; hence part. perf. ambītus; but ambitio and 2. ambĭtus follow the quantity of the simple verb, eo, ĭtum; in the imperf. ambiebat;

also ambibat,

Ov. M. 5, 361; cf. Prisc. p. 910 P.; Zumpt, Gram. § 215).

I.

Lit.: aliquid, to go round or about a thing (syn. circumeo):

ut terram lunae cursus proxime ambiret,

Cic. Tim. 9:

ambibat Siculae cautus fundamina terrae,

Ov. M. 5, 361:

jubet urbem ambiri,

Luc. 1, 592.—

II.

Transf.

A.

To surround, encircle, encompass (syn.:

circumdo, cingo): insula, quam amnis Euphrates ambiebat,

Vell. 2, 101:

ambitae litora terrae,

Ov. M. 1, 37:

Thracam nec purior ambiat Hebrus,

Hor. Ep. 1, 16, 13; Verg. A. 6, 550 (cf. Sen. Ben. 4, 5: flumina campos cingentia;

v. ambitus, I.): funiculus ambiebat gyrum ejus,

Vulg. 2 Par. 4, 2:

muros praealtum mare ambiebat,

Curt. 4, 2; so Tac. A. 1, 68; 15, 43; Suet. Aug. 95:

(clipei) oras ambiit auro,

Verg. A. 10, 243:

ambiente (gemmam) circulo coloris aurei,

Plin. 37, 10, 60, § 166:

Judam suo ambiebat exercitu,

Vulg. 2 Par. 13, 13.—

B.

T. t. to designate the manner in which candidates for office sought to procure votes (v. ambitio), to go round after, to solicit, canvass for votes (syn. peto):

virtute ambire oportet, non fautoribus,

Plaut. Am. prol. 18:

quod si comitia placet in senatu habere, petamus, ambiamus,

Cic. Phil. 11, 8:

ambiuntur, rogantur,

id. Rep. 1, 31; id. Planc. 4:

singulos ex senatu ambiundo nitebantur, ne etc.,

Sall. J. 13, 8.—With acc. of the office:

magistratum sibi,

Plaut. Am. prol. 74.—

C.

In gen., to solicit one for something, for his favor, friendship, etc., to strive for, seek to gain (syn.:

peto, sector): qui ambīssent palmam histrionibus,

Plaut. Am. prol. 69: nisi senis amicos oras, ambis, * Ter. And. 2, 2, 36:

reginam ambire affatu,

Verg. A. 4, 284:

conubiis ambire Latinum,

id. ib. 7, 333:

te pauper ambit sollicitā prece Ruris colonus,

Hor. C. 1, 35, 5:

ambiebat Jason summum sacerdotium,

Vulg. 2 Macc. 4, 7.—With ut or ne:

ambienti, ut legibus solveretur,

Suet. Caes. 18:

ambirent multi, ne filias in sortem darent,

id. Aug. 31.—With inf.:

donec ultro ambiretur consulatum accipere,

Tac. A. 2, 43:

pauci, qui ob nobilitatem plurimis nuptiis ambiuntur,

Tac. G. 18.