I. To bring together, form, frame, construct (Lucretian): “dum perspicis omnem Naturam rerum quā constet compta figurā,” Lucr. 1, 950 Munro ad loc.: “nunc ea quo pacto inter sese mixta quibusque compta modis vigeant,” id. 3, 259: “quibus e rebus cum corpore compta vigeret (animi natura), Quove modo distracta rediret in ordia prima,” id. 4, 27.—
II. To care for, take care of.
A. Prop., in the class. per. usu. of the care of the hair, to comb, arrange, braid, dress; absol.: “amica dum comit dumque se exornat,” Plaut. Stich. 5, 4, 19: “capillos,” Cic. Pis. 11, 25; Verg. A. 10, 832: “nitidum caput,” Tib. 1, 8, 16: “caput in gradus atque anulos,” Quint. 12, 10, 47: “comas acu,” id. 2, 5, 12: “comas hasta recurva,” Ov. F. 2, 560: “capillos dente secto,” Mart. 12, 83.—Transf. to the person: “sacerdos Fronde super galeam et felici comptus olivā,” wreathed, Verg. A. 7, 751: “Tisiphone serpentibus undique compta,” id. Cul. 218: “pueri praecincti et compti,” Hor. S. 2, 8, 70: “longas compta puella comas,” Ov. Am. 1, 1, 20.—
B. In partic., to adorn, deck, ornament: “corpora si quis vulsa atque fucata muliebriter comat,” Quint. 8, prooem. § 19: “ colla genasque,” Stat. S. 1, 2, 110: “vultus,” Claud. in Eutr. 2, 337: “vestes et cingula manu,” id. VI. Cons. Hon. 525.—
2. Transf. of things: “vittā comptos praetendere ramos,” Verg. A. 8, 128: colus compta, i. e. furnished or adorned with wool, Plin. 8, 48, 74, § 194.—
II. Trop., to deck, adorn: “Cleopatra simulatum compta dolorem,” Luc. 10, 83.—Esp. freq. of rhet. ornament: “non quia comi expolirique non debeat (oratio),” Quint. 8, 3, 42; cf.: “linguae orationisque comendae gratiā,” Gell. 1, 9, 10.—Hence, comptus (-mtus ), a, um, P. a., adorned, ornamented, decked: “juvenes ut femina compti,” Ov. H. 4, 75: “anima mundissima atque comptissima,” Aug. Quant. Anim. 33.—But usu. of discourse, embellished, elegant: “compta et mitis oratio,” Cic. Sen. 9, 28 (al. composita): “comptior sermo,” Tac. H. 1, 19: “(Vinicius) comptae facundiae,” id. A. 6, 15.—Transf. to the person: “Isocrates in diverso genere dicendi nitidus et comptus,” Quint. 10, 1, 79. —Adv.: comptē (comt- ), with ornament, elegantly, only trop.: “compte disserere,” Sen. Ep. 75, 6: “agere rem,” Gell. 7, 3, 52.—* Comp.: “comptius dicere,” Gell. 7, 3, 53.—Sup., Plaut. Mil. 3, 3, 66, acc. to Ritschl (al. comissime).
