capesso

căpesso ( căpisso, Pac. ap. Non. p. 227, 1), īvi (Sall. H. 3, 68 Dietsch; Tac. A. 15, 49), or ii (Tac. A. 12, 30: capessi, given by Diom. p. 367 P., and by Charis. ap. Prisc. p. 902 ib., but apparently erroneously; cf. Struve, p. 198, and lacesso), ītum (acc. to Prisc. l. l. part. fut. capessiturus, Tac. A. 6, 48), 3, v. desid. a. [capio].

I.

Lit., to seize, take, or catch at eagerly, to snatch at, lay hold of (capesso = desidero capere, Prisc. l. l.;

rare but class.): alia animalia cibum partim oris hiatu et dentibus ipsis capessunt, partim unguium tenacitate adripiunt,

Cic. N. D. 2, 47, 122:

pastus,

id. ib.:

arma,

Verg. A. 3, 234; Ov. M. 11, 378.—

B.

Of relations of place, to strive to reach a place or limit, to betake one ' s self to, to go to, to repair or resort to; constr. usu. with acc.; ante-class. [p. 283] also capere se in or ad aliquem locum.

(α).

With acc.:

omnes mundi partes undique medium locum capessentes nituntur aequaliter,

Cic. N. D. 2, 45, 115:

superiora capessere,

id. Tusc. 1, 18, 42:

Melitam,

id. Att. 10, 9, 1:

Italiam,

Verg. A. 4, 346:

turris,

id. ib. 11, 466:

montem,

Val. Fl. 4, 316:

aethera,

Sil. 4, 480.—

(β).

Se in or ad aliquem locum:

quam magis te in altum capessis, tam aestus te in portum refert,

Plaut. As. 1, 3, 6:

nunc pergam... me domum capessere,

id. Am. 1, 1, 106; Titin. ap. Serv. ad Verg. A. 4, 346.—

(γ).

With adverb. dat.:

quo nunc capessis te,

Plaut. Bacch. 1, 2, 5; id. Rud. 1, 2, 89; 1, 2, 83.—

II.

Trop.

A.

To take hold of any thing with zeal, to take upon one ' s self, take in hand, to undertake, enter upon, engage in, execute, manage (the most usu. signif.; cf. I. A.): Pac. ap. Non. p. 227, 1:

nunc ad senem cursum capessam,

Plaut. Capt. 4, 1, 9:

viam,

Liv. 44, 2, 8:

alicujus imperia,

Plaut. Trin. 2, 2, 23:

jussa,

to perform, execute, Verg. A. 1, 77; Plaut. Aul. 4, 1, 4; so, capessere rem publicam, to undertake affairs of state, to engage in public affairs, administer (differing, by the idea of zealous co-operation and activity, from accedere ad rem publicam, which designates merely the entering upon a public office or duty), Cic. Sest. 6, 14; id. de Or. 3, 29, 112; id. Att. 1, 17, 10; 16, 7, 7; Sall. C. 52, 5; id. J. 85, 47; Nep. Them. 2, 1; Liv. 3, 69, 5; Tac. A. 1, 24; 12, 41; 16, 26; id. H. 4, 5; 4, 39; Suet. Tib. 25; Quint. 12, 3, 1:

civitatem,

Plin. Pan. 39, 5:

orbem terrae,

Tac. A. 11, 34; 12, 5:

magistratus,

id. Agr. 6:

imperium,

id. A. 13, 4; 14, 26:

vigintiviratum,

id. ib. 3, 29:

provincias,

id. ib. 6, 27:

officia in republică,

id. ib. 6, 14 Halm:

curas imperii,

Plin. Pan. 66, 2:

laborem cum honoribus,

Sall. H. 1, 48, 9 Dietsch:

bellum,

Liv. 26, 25, 5:

pugnam,

to commence, id. 2, 6, 8; 10, 5, 4; Tac. A. 12, 30; id. H. 3, 16; 5, 17:

proelium,

Just. 2, 12:

partem belli,

Liv. 31, 28, 4:

partem pugnae,

id. 26, 5, 15:

fugam,

to take to flight, id. 1, 25, 7:

principium facinoris,

Tac. A. 15, 49:

inimicitias,

id. ib. 5, 11:

noctem in castris tutam et vigilem,

to pass, id. ib. 4, 48:

divorsa,

Sall. H. 3, 68 Dietsch:

tuta et salutaria,

to adopt, Tac. A. 15, 29:

parata,

id. ib. 6, 37:

meliora,

id. ib. 6, 48 et saep.:

libertatem,

Sall. H. 3, 61, 2 Dietsch; Cic. Phil. 10, 9, 19: recta, * Hor. S. 2, 7, 7.—

2.

Esp., to lay hold of with the mind, to comprehend, understand:

in capessendis naturae sensibus,

Gell. 12, 1, 11.—

B.

To betake one ' s self to, enter upon (cf. I. B.):

quam (filius) se ad vitam et quos ad mores praecipitem inscitus capessat,

Plaut. Bacch. 4, 10, 2.—

2.

With the idea of completed action, to attain to, to reach a person or thing: neque (te) posse corde capessere, Enn. ap. Cic. Div. 1, 20, 40 (Ann. v 44 Vahl.).