I.v. depon., to feed down, feed off.
I. Lit.
A. Of the shepherd: “si d. saepius voles, etc.,” Col. 2, 10, 31: “glandem immisso pecore depasco,” Dig. 10, 4, 9: “saltus,” Ov. F. 5, 283: “luxuriem segetum,” Verg. G. 1, 112.—
B. Of the cattle, to feed upon, eat up, consume.
(α).
Form depasco: “si haedi roscidas herbas depaverint,” Col. 7, 5, 21; Verg. G. 4, 539.—In the part. perf.: “saepes Hyblaeis apibus florem depasta salicti,” id. E. 1, 55; “segetes,” Plin. 18, 17, 45, § 161: altaria, poet. for that which is upon it, Verg. A. 5, 93.—
(β).
Form depascor: “papilio ceras depascitur,” Plin. 11, 19, 21, § 65: “miseros morsu depascitur artus (serpens),” Verg. A. 2, 215; Vulg. Exod. 22, 5.—In the part. perf., Claud. VI. Cons. Honor. 239; cf.: depastis juvencis, Auct. Laud. Herc. 77.—
II. Trop.
A. Depon.
1. To cull, select: “omnia nos itidem depascimur aurea dicta,” Lucr. 3, 12.—
2. To prune away, remove: “in summa ubertate (orationis) inest luxuries quaedam, quae stilo depascenda est,” Cic. de Or. 2, 23, 96.—
3. To destroy, waste: “veterem possessionem Academiae,” id. Leg. 1, 21, 55; “so of disease: artus depascitur arida febris,” Verg. G. 3, 458; imitated by Claud. in Rufin. 1, 302; id. Idyll. 3, 11.—
B. Rarely in the act. form: “et potuit Latium longo depascere bello?” Sil. 16, 681: in inferno positi sunt; “mors depascet eos,” Vulg. Psa. 48, 14 (cf. carpo, no. II. B. 2: decerpo, no. II. B. 2 al.).—The part. perf. in a pass. signif.: “ipsaque diris Frons depasta modis,” Sil. 6, 51: “depasti flammis scopuli,” id. 12, 153.
