obpeto

oppĕto ( obp- ), īvi and ii, ītum, 3, v. a. [ob-peto], to go to meet, to encounter (an evil, esp. death; class.; syn.: obeo, occumbo, intereo): malam pestem, Enn. ap. Cic. Tusc. 2, 16, 38 (Trag. v. 15 Vahl.); so,

pestem,

Plaut. As. 1, 1, 7 —Esp.: mortem, to encounter death, for to perish, die (only of a violent or unnatural death), Enn. ap. Non. 507, 19 (Trag. v. 235 Vahl.):

cum milites pro salute populi Romani mortem oppetiverint,

Cic. Phil. 14, 14, 38; cf.:

clarae mortes pro patriā oppetitae,

id. Tusc. 1, 49, 116:

poenas superbiae,

to suffer for one's pride, Phaedr. 3, 16, 2.—

II.

In partic., pregn. for oppetere mortem, to perish, die ( poet. and in post-Aug. prose):

quīs ante ora patrum Trojae sub moenibus altis Contigit oppetere,

Verg. A. 1, 96; 11, 268; 12, 543:

eodem mari,

Tac. A. 2, 24:

non senio, sed fame,

Plin. 10, 3, 4, § 15: gloriosā morte, to die a glorious death, Prud. steph. 10, 65.