I.inf. perf. despexe, Plaut. Mil. 2, 6, 72), v. n. and a.
I. To look down upon any thing (for syn. cf.: contemno, sperno, aspernor).
A. Lit. (mestly poet.).
(α).
Neutr.: ad te per impluvium tuum, Plaut. Mil. 2, 6, 72; 2, 3, 16: “de vertice montis in valles,” Ov. M. 11, 504: “a summo caelo in aequora,” id. A. A. 2, 87: “medios in agros,” id. M. 1, 601: “in vias,” Hor. Od. 3, 7, 30 al.—Absol.: “vultus suspicientis et despicientis,” Plin. 35, 8, 34, § 56.—Pass. impers.: “colles, qua despici poterat,” Caes. B. G. 7, 36, 2; Liv. 44, 6; Amm. 19, 5.—
(β).
Act.: “si quis Pacuviano invehens curru multas et varias gentis et urbis despicere et oculis conlustrare possit,” Cic. Rep. 3, 9, 14: “Juppiter aethere summo Despiciens mare velivolum terrasque jacentis, etc.,” Verg. A. 1, 224 (v. Conington ad loc.); cf. Ov. M. 2, 178; id. F. 4, 569: “e tumulis subjectam urbem,” Sil. 12, 488: “culmine cuncta,” Luc. 5, 251: “cavā montis convalle,” Verg. G. 2, 187 (Forb. ad loc.): “quos (populos) despicit Arctos,” Luc. 1, 458.—(Acc. to Lachm. ad Lucr. vol. 2, p. 236, despicio with acc. always has the trop. force, to despise; and in all these passages should be read dispicere; and so Rib. in Verg., Munro ad Lucr. 4, 418; cf. dispicio.)—
B. Trop. as v. act., to look down upon, to despise, disdain (class. and very freq. —syn.: “contemnere, spernere): ut omnes despiciat, ut hominem prae se neminem putet,” Cic. Rosc. Am. 46 fin.; cf. id. Fin. 3, 18 fin.; id. Rep. 1, 17: “divitias (with contemnere honores),” id. Lael. 23: “suos,” Caes. B. C. 3, 59, 3; “ipsos,” id. B. G. 1, 13, 5: “legionem propter paucitatem,” id. ib. 3, 2, 3; cf. “copias,” id. B. C. 3, 23; 87: “paucitatem militum,” id. ib. 3, 111; id. B. G. 6, 39 fin.: “ullum laborem aut munus,” to disdain, decline, shun, id. B. C. 3, 8 fin. et saep.: “dum despicis omnes,” Verg. E. 8, 32; Ov. M. 9, 438 et saep.—In part. perf.: “homines despecti et contempti,” Cic. Sest. 40, 87; cf.: “huic despecto saluti fuit,” Nep. Thras. 2, 2 (corresp. with contemptus and contemnentibus).—Partic. with the gen.: “despiciens sui,” Cic. de Or. 2, 89 extr.; and poet.: “despectus taedae,” Sil. 8, 54.—*
II. To look away, not to regard, not to attend: “simul atque ille despexerit,” Cic. Rosc. Am. 8, 22.— Hence, P. a., dēspectus , a, um, contemptible, despicable: “natura ejus,” Tac. A. 13, 47: Euphrates, ingens modo, inde tenuis rivus, despectus emoritur, Mela, 3, 8, 5.—Comp.: improbos despectiores facere, Boëth. Cons. Phil. 3, pros. 4, p. 47 Obbar.