I.to look at attentively, to get sight of, to descry, perceive, observe (class. in prose and poetry).
I. Lit.
A. In gen.
(α).
Absol.: “inter eas regiones, quā oculi conspiciant,” Varr. L. L. 7, § 9 Müll.: “in tabernam,” Petr. 140, 14.—
(β).
With acc.: “me interrogas, Qui ipsus equidem nunc primum istanc tecum conspicio semul,” Plaut. Am. 2, 2, 122: “quae aedes ... quas quotiensquomque conspicio, fleo,” id. Capt. 1, 1, 29: “si queat usquam Conspicere amissum fetum,” Lucr. 2, 358: quandoque te in jure conspicio, Leg. Act. ap. Cic. Caecin. 19, 54, and id. Mur. 12, 26: “ut procul novum vehiculum Argonautarum e monte conspexit,” Cic. N. D. 2, 35, 89: “quisque ... quae prima signa conspexit, ad haec constitit,” Caes. B. G. 2, 21: “quos cum apud se in castris Ariovistus conspexisset,” id. ib. 1, 47: “ubi primum nostros equites conspexerunt,” id. ib. 4, 12; “2, 26: sidus in regione caeli, etc.,” Plin. 2, 25, 23, § 94: “qui lucus ex insulā conspiciebatur,” Nep. Milt. 7, 3: “conspici inter se,” to be visible to one another, Liv. 37, 41, 4: “cum inter se conspecti essent,” id. 33, 6, 4: “hunc simulac cupido conspexit lumine virgo,” Cat. 64, 86: “conspectis luminibus crebris,” Liv. 31, 24, 7: “locum insidiis conspeximus ipsi,” Verg. A. 9, 237: “quae mihi tunc primum, tunc est conspecta supremum,” Ov. M. 12, 526: “super tabernaculum ... unde ab omnibus conspici posset, imago Solis fulgebat,” Curt. 3, 3, 8: “conspecto delatore ejus,” Suet. Dom. 11: “rugas in speculo,” Ov. M. 15, 232: “cornua in undā,” id. ib. 1, 640: “arcem,” id. ib. 2, 794: “scopulum,” id. ib. 4, 731.—Of an inanimate subject: “si illud signum (Jovis) solis ortum et forum curiamque conspiceret,” Cic. Cat. 3, 8, 20.—With two accus., when an action, condition, etc., is the object: “quam (matrem) paucis ante diebus laureatam in suā gratulatione conspexit, eandem, etc. ... eundem (filium) spoliatum omni dignitate conspiciat,” Cic. Mur. 41, 88: “strata volgi pedibus detrita viarum Saxea,” Lucr. 1, 315: “superiora loca multitudine armatorum completa,” Caes. B. G. 3, 3: “quos laborantes,” id. ib. 4, 26: “aliquos ex nave egredientes,” id. ib.: “aliquem conspiciens ad se ferentem,” Nep. Dat. 4, 5: “naves suas oppletas serpentibus,” id. Hann. 11, 6: “(Hannibalem) humi jacentem,” Liv. 21, 4, 7: “adrasum quendam,” Hor. Ep. 1, 7, 49; cf., pass.: “quamvis non alius flectere equum sciens Aeque conspicitur,” id. C. 3, 7, 26: “cum interim Metellus, monte degrediens cum exercitu, conspicitur,” Sall. J. 49, 5 dub.; “v. conspicor: terribilior niger conspicitur (canis),” Col. 7, 12, 4.—
(γ).
With acc. and inf.: “corpus ut exanimum siquod procul ipse jacere Conspicias hominis,” Lucr. 6, 706: “qui nostros victores flumen transisse conspexerant,” Caes. B. G. 2, 24: “centum procurrere currus,” Cato, 64, 389; Plin. 2, 9, 6, § 45.—
B. Pregn., to look at with admiration or close attention, to gaze upon, observe, contemplate.
(α).
Act.: “quid nunc supina sursum in caelum conspicis?” Plaut. Cist. 2, 3, 78: “orabat, ne se, quem paulo ante cum egregiā stirpe conspexissent, orbum liberis facerent,” Liv. 1, 26, 9: “Demetrium ut pacis auctorem cum ingenti favore conspiciebant,” id. 39, 53, 2: “quem cum omnes conspicerent propter novitatem ornatūs ignotamque formam,” Nep. Dat. 3, 3: “cum bene notum Porticus Agrippae te conspexerit,” Hor. Ep. 1, 6, 26.—
(β).
Esp. pass.: conspici, to attract attention, to be conspicuous, noticed, observed, distinguished, admired: “inania sunt ista ... delectamenta paene puerorum, captare plausus, vehi per urbem, conspici velle,” Cic. Pis. 25, 60: in gestu nec venustatem conspiciendam, nec turpitudinem esse, Auct. Her. 3, 15, 26: “sic quisque hostem ferire, murum adscendere, conspici dum tale facinus faceret, properabat,” Sall. C. 7, 6: “supellex modica, non multa, ut in neutram partem conspici posset,” Nep. Att. 13, 5: “quid te ut regium juvenem conspici sinis?” Liv. 1, 47, 5: “maxime conspectus ipse est, curru equis albis juncto urbem invectus,” id. 5, 23, 5: “vestitus nihil inter aequales excellens, arma atque equi conspiciebantur,” id. 21, 4, 8; 5, 52, 3; 39, 6, 9: “quorum Conspicitur nitidis fundata pecunia villis,” Hor. Ep. 1, 15, 46: “tu formosissimus alto Conspiceris caelo ( = inter deos versaris),” Ov. M. 4, 19: “prima bonis animi conspicerere tui,” id. Tr. 1, 6, 34; Vell. 2, 91, 4; Quint. 11, 3, 137.—Less freq. in an unfavorable sense, to be notorious, to be gazed at with dislike or contempt: “carere me adspectu civium quam infestis oculis omnium conspici mallem,” Cic. Cat. 1, 7, 17: ne quid faciat, quod conspici et derideri posset, Aug. ap. Suet. Claud. 4.—
II. Trop., to perceive mentally, to understand, comprehend: “satis in rem quae sint meam ego conspicio mihi,” Plaut. Trin. 3, 2, 10: “quantum ego nunc corde conspicio meo,” id. Ps. 3, 1, 3; cf.: “ut conspiciatis eum mentibus, quoniam oculis non potestis,” Cic. Balb. 20, 47: “nullus error talis in L. Aemilio Paulo conspectus est,” Val. Max. 7, 5, 3.—Hence,
A. conspĭcĭens , entis, P. a. (acc. to II. B.), having understanding, intelligent: “ad quas (contumelias) despiciendas non sapiente opus est viro, sed tantum conspiciente,” Sen. Const. 16, 3 Haase (al. consipiente). —
B. conspectus , a, um, P. a.
1. (Acc. to I. A. 1.) Visible: “tumulus hosti conspectus,” Liv. 22, 24, 5; cf. id. 10, 40, 8; 32, 5, 13: “agmina inter se satis conspecta,” id. 22, 4, 6. —
2. (Acc. to I. B.) Striking, distinguished, remarkable, gazed at, = conspicuus (perh. not ante-Aug.): “Pallas chlamyde et pictis conspectus in armis,” Verg. A. 8, 588 (conspicuus, conspicabilis, Serv.); so, “victor Tyrio in ostro,” id. G. 3, 17; cf. Hor. A. P. 228: “juventus,” Ov. M. 12, 553: “patris avique fama conspectum eum faciebat,” Liv. 45, 7, 3: “conspectus elatusque supra modum hominis privati,” id. 4, 13, 3.—Comp., Ov. M. 4, 796; Liv. 2, 5, 5; Tac. H. 4, 11; Just. 11, 5; Juv. 8, 140 al.—Sup. and adv. apparently not in use.—
C. conspĭcĭendus , a, um, P. a. (acc. to I. B.), worth seeing, worthy of attention, distinguished (perh. not ante-Aug.): “insideat celeri conspiciendus equo,” Tib. 1, 2, 70: “Nemesis donis meis,” id. 2, 3, 52: “Hyas formā,” Ov. F. 5, 170: “mater formosa Inter Dictaeos greges,” id. ib. 5, 118: “eques,” id. Tr. 2, 114: “opus vel in hac magnificentiā urbis,” Liv. 6, 4, 11; Val. Fl. 1, 261; Mart. 9, 50, 10.
