I.pass. pătēfīet, id. 6, 1001), v. a. pateo-facio, to make or lay open, to open, throw open (freq. and class.; syn.: pando, recludo, aperio).
I. Lit.: “iter,” Cic. N. D. 2, 56, 141: “patefacere et munire alicui aditum ad aliquid,” id. Fam. 13, 78, 2: “aures assentatoribus,” id. Off. 1, 26, 91: “portas,” Liv. 2, 15: “ordines, aciem,” id. 28, 14: “sulcum aratro,” Ov. M. 3, 104: “oculos,” Plin. 11, 37, 55, § 150: patefacta triumphis Janua. Prop. 1, 16, 1: “iter per Alpes patefieri volebat,” Caes. B. G. 3, 1; cf. Inscr. Marin. Fratr. Arv. p. 27.—Poet.: “postera lux radiis latum patefecerat orbem,” i. e. had exposed to view, made visible, Ov. M. 9, 794.—Esp. (= άνοίγειν), to open the way, as a discoverer or pioneer; to be the first to find: “vias,” Caes. B G 7, 8: “tellus in longas est patefacta vias,” Tib. 1, 3, 36, cf.: “patefactumque nostris legionibus Pontum,” Cic. Imp. Pomp. 8, 21: “loca,” Nep. Hann. 3, 4.—
II. Trop., to disclose, expose, detect, bring to light: si hoc celatur, in metu; “sin patefit, in probro sum,” Ter. Phorm. 5, 4, 6: “odium suum in aliquem,” Cic. Att. 11, 13, 2: “patefacere verum et illustrare,” id. Lael. 26, 97: “rem,” id. Q. Fr. 2, 6, 5: “patefacere et proferre aliquid,” id. Mil. 37, 103: “veritas patefacta,” id. Sull. 16, 45; id. Ac. 2, 39, 122: “Lentulus patefactus indiciis,” convicted, id. Cat 3, 6, 15: “qui ea proferenda et patefacienda curavit,” id. Fl. 2, 5: “se aliquid patefacturam,” id. Ac. 2, 14, 44.
