I.to offer again and again for sale, to try to sell (class., esp. in the trop. sense).
I. Lit.: “Tusculanum venditat,” Cic. Att. 1, 14, 7: “mercem,” Auct. Her. 4, 6, 9: “agellum (opp. emere),” Plin. Ep. 1, 24, 1: “piscinas grandi aere,” Col. 8, 16, 5: “olus,” Plin. 22, 22, 38, § 80: “mutationes stativorum,” Tac. H. 1, 66: “hordeum colonis,” App. M. 7, p. 194, 36: non ego possum, quae ipsa sese venditat, tutarier, i. e. prostitutes herself, Plaut. Mil. 2, 3, 41; cf. id. Curc. 4, 1, 21.—
II. Trop., to cry up, praise, commend, recommend, blazon: “istius omnia decreta, imperia, litteras peritissime et callidissime venditabat,” Cic. Verr. 2, 2, 54, § 135; cf. id. ib. 2, 4, 59, § “133: pacem pretio,” Liv. 38, 42, 11: “munera principis et adipiscendorum honorum jus,” Tac. A. 1, 49 med.: “suam operam,” Liv. 44, 25, 5; Quint. 12, 7, 6: “ingenii venditandi aut memoriae ostentandae causā,” Auct. Her. 2, 30, 47: “obsequium amatori,” Liv. 39, 43, 9: “valde te venditavi,” i. e. have praised you, Cic. Att. 1, 16, 16.—
B. Esp.: se alicui, pay court to, conciliate, etc.: “quo modo se venditant Caesari?” i. e. do they ingratiate themselves with him, Cic. Att. 8, 16, 1: “existimationi hominum,” Cic. Verr. 2, 3, 58, § 132: “quod non florentibus se venditavit,” Nep. Att. 11, 3: “se plebi,” Liv. 3, 35, 5: “se senatui litteris,” Vell. 2, 63, 3.—
C. To betray: “qui perduellionis venditat patriam,” Auct. Her. 4, 10, 15.
