I.an attentive considering, a viewing, surveying, contemplation (in good prose).
I. Physical.
A. In gen.: “caeli,” Cic. Div. 1, 42, 93: “injecit contemplationem super umeros,” cast a look over, Petr. 12, 4.—
B. In partic., an aiming with a weapon, a taking aim: “sagittis praecipuā contemplatione utantur,” Plin. 6, 30, 35, § 194; cf. contemplabilis.—
II. Mental.
A. In gen., a contemplation, survey: “est animorum ingeniorumque naturale quoddam quasi pabulum consideratio contemplatioque naturae,” Cic. Ac. 2, 41, 127: “rerum naturae,” Cels. 1 praef.: “ipsius naturae,” Quint. 3, 6, 86; in plur.: “naturae,” Gell. 20, 5, 3: “recti pravique,” Quint. 2, 4, 20: “veri,” id. 6, 2, 5: “iniqui,” id. 12, 1, 35: “rerum, scripti,” id. 3, 6, 89: “sui,” id. 2, 18, 4: “virtutum,” Tac. Agr. 46: “publicae felicitatis,” Curt. 10, 9, 7: “summa vis infinitatis et magnā ac diligenti contemplatione dignissima est,” Cic. N. D. 1, 19, 50; so absol., id. ib. 1, 12, 18; Plin. Ep. 2, 1, 12.—Hence,
