I.inf. pass. circumirier, Plaut. Curc. 3, 81), v. n. and a.
I. Prop., to go around, travel or march around, etc. (class.): sparsis Medea capillis Bacchantum ritu flagrantes circuit aras, Ov. M. 7, 258: “per hortum circuit,” makes a circuit, Plaut. As. 3, 3, 152; cf. Nep. Eum. 9, 2: “si rectum limitem rupti torrentibus pontes inciderint, circumire cogemur,” Quint. 2, 13, 16: an quasi mare omnes circumimus insulas? i. e. from one to another (cf. circum, II. C.), Plaut. Men. 2, 1, 6: “alvearia,” Col. 9, 9: “fines equis,” id. 1, 3: “praedia,” Cic. Caecin. 32, 94: “haec una opera circuit per familias,” Plaut. Truc. 2, 4, 53: “qui imperavit ei, ut omnes fores aedificii circumiret,” Nep. Hann. 12, 4: “urbem,” Liv. 23, 25, 2: “Marcio et Atilio Epirus, Aetolia et Thessalia circumeundae assignantur... Lentuli circumeuntes Peloponnesi oppida, etc.,” id. 42, 37, 3 and 7: “haud ignarus erat circuitam ab Romanis eam (Hispaniam) legatis,” id. 21, 22, 1: “Civilis avia Belgarum circumibat,” Tac. H. 4, 70: “manibus nexis trunci modum,” to surround, Ov. M. 8, 748: “non potuere uno anno circumirier,” Plaut. Curc. 3, 81: “proximis insulis circuitis,” Suet. Aug. 98: “equites circumitis hostium castris Crasso renuntiaverunt,” Caes. B. G. 3, 25: “circuitis templis,” Suet. Ner. 19 al.: “at pater omnipotens ingentia moenia caeli Circuit,” Ov. M. 2, 402: “circueunt unum Phineus et mille secuti Phinea,” surround, id. ib. 5, 157 (cf. circum, II. E.): Leucada continuam veteres habuere coloni; “nunc freta circumeunt,” flow around it, id. ib. 15, 290: “more lupi oves,” id. P. 1, 2, 20: “metam ferventi rotā,” avoids, id. A. A. 3, 396.—
B. Esp.
1. To surround, encircle, enclose, encompass.
(α).
Esp. in milit. lang.: “totam urbem muro turribusque circumiri posse,” Caes. B. C. 2, 16: “aciem, sinistrum cornu,” id. ib. 3, 93 sq.: “multitudine circumiri,” Nep. Them. 3, 2; id. Dat. 7, 3; Liv. 41, 26, 4; Gall. ap. Cic. Fam. 10, 30, 4: “ab iisdem acies Pompeiana a sinistrā parte erat circumita,” Caes. B. C. 3, 94.—
(β).
In gen., absol.: “quae circumibit linea, ejusdem spatii erit, cujus ea quae centum continet,” Quint. 1, 10, 44.—With acc.: “extremas oleis pacalibus oras (Pallas),” Ov. M. 6, 101: “cujus non hederae circumiere caput,” Prop. 2 (3), 5, 26.—
2. To go from one to another, soliciting, canvassing, admonishing, etc., qs. to go the rounds (stronger than ambire, which signif. to go to this one and that; most freq. after the Aug. per.; “in Cic. perh. only once, in his epistt.): itaque prenso amicos, supplico, ambio domos stationesque circumeo,” Plin. Ep. 2, 9, 5: “(Antonium) circumire veteranos, ut acta Caesaris sancirent,” Cic. Att. 14, 21, 2; Cael. ap. Cic. Fam. 8, 11, 2: “Quinctilius circumire aciem Curionis atque obsecrare milites coepit,” Caes. B. C. 2, 28: “sed ipse Romulus circumibat docebatque,” Liv. 1, 9, 14; 1, 47, 7; 3, 47, 2: “ille Persarum tabernacula circumire, hortari,” Curt. 5, 9, 17; Tac. A. 2, 29; Plin. Pan. 69, 2; Suet. Aug. 56; id. Tib. 11: “rex agmen circuibat pedes,” Curt. 7, 3, 17; cf.: “cui orbem terrarum circumire non erit longum meā causā,” Plin. Ep. 7, 16, 4; 2, 9, 5.—
II. Trop.
A. To surround, enclose: “totius belli fluctibus circumiri,” Cic. Phil. 18, 9, 20: “ne superante numero et peritiā locorum circumiretur,” Tac. Agr. 25 fin.; Stat. S. 4, 4, 26.—
B. Like our circumvent, to deceive, impose upon, cheat, Plaut. Ps. 3, 2, 109: “facinus indignum, Sic circumiri,” Ter. Phorm. 4, 3, 9: “puerum arte dolosā,” Mart. 8, 59, 14.—
C. Of discourse, to express by circumlocution (postAug.): “res plurimae carent appellationibus, ut eas necesse sit transferre aut circumire,” Quint. 12, 10, 34; 8, prooem. § 24 Spald.; “8, 2, 17: Vespasiani nomen suspensi et vitabundi circumibant,” went around, avoided mentioning it, Tac. H. 3, 37.