I.act. [auceps], to go bird-catching or fowling.
I. Lit.: “Alio loco ut seras ac colas silvam caeduam, alio ubi aucupare,” Varr. R. R. 1, 23, 5; Dig. 41, 1, 3.—Also of taking bees: “spes aucupandi examina,” Col. 3, 8, 8.—
II. Trop., to chase, give chase to, strive for, be on the look-out for, lie in wait for; watch for, etc. (a favorite figure in prose and poetry; in Cic. perh. twenty times; “syn.: insidior, sequor): Viden scelestus ut aucupatur?” how he gives chase? Plaut. Rud. 4, 4, 49: “nos longis navibus tranquillitates aucupaturi eramus,” Cic. Att. 6, 8, 4: “tempus,” id. Rosc Am. 8, 22: “alicujus imbecillitatem,” id. Fl. 37, 92: “ut omni ex genere orationem aucuper, et omnis undique flosculos carpam atque delibem,” id. Sest. 56, 119; Cic. Verr. 1, 3, 9; id. Or. 2, 7 fin.; 14, 59; 63, 256; 19, 63; id. Fin. 2, 22, 71: “L. Cassio omnes ramusculos popularis aurae aucupante,” id. Leg. 3, 16, 35; id. Fam. 5, 12, 6 al.: occasionem, Auct. B. Afr. 3 fin.: obtrectatione alienae scientiae famam sibi, Plin. H. N. praef. § 30; “33, 2, 8, § 32: studium populi ac favorem,” Flor. 3, 13, 1: “reconditas voces,” Suet. Aug. 86: “absentiam alicujus,” Just. 29, 4: “somnos,” Ov. H. 13, 107.!*?
a. Act. form aucŭpo , āre, to watch for, etc.: fructus verborum aures aucupant, Enn. ap. Non. p. 467, 14: “prospectum aucupo, Pac. ib.: in consilio id reges Argivom aucupant, Att. ib.: id ego aucupavi, Titinn. ib.: Paulisper mane: Aucupemus ex insidiis clanculum quam rem gerant,” Plaut. As. 5, 2, 31: “num quis est, Sermonem nostrum qui aucupet,” id. Most. 2, 2, 42; so Sen. Herc. Oet. 483: “ex insidiis aucupa,” Plaut. Men. 4, 1, 12: “qui aucupet me quid agam,” id. Mil. 4, 2, 5: “Lepide, mecastor, aucupavi,” id. Truc. 5, 72.—*
