I. (With the notion of the ex predominating.) To take or draw out.
A. Lit. (rarely): aliquem e mari, to draw out, fish out, Cic. Fragm. ap. Non. 293, 26 (Rep. 4, 8, 8 Baiter): “vidulum (e mari),” Plaut. Rud. 4, 4, 140 sq.: “dens manu, forcipe,” Cels. 7, 12, 1: “telum (e vulnere),” id. 7, 5, 1: “clipeum cristasque rubentes Excipiam sorti,” to withdraw, exempt, Verg. A. 9, 271.—
B. Trop.
1. In gen.: servitute exceptus, withdrawn, i. e. rescued from slavery, Liv. 33, 23, 2: “nihil jam cupiditati, nihil libidini exceptum,” exempt, Tac. Agr. 15.—
2. In partic.
a. To except, make an exception of (freq. and class.): “hosce ego homines excipio et secerno libenter,” Cic. Cat. 4, 7, 15: “qui (Democritus) ita sit ausus ordiri: Haec loquor de universis. Nihil excipit, de quo non profiteatur,” id. Ac. 2, 23, 73; cf. id. ib. 2, 9, 28: “Lacedaemonii ipsi, cum omnia concedunt in amore juvenum praeter stuprum, tenui sane muro dissaepiunt id, quod excipiunt,” id. Rep. 4, 4: “senex talos elidi jussit conservis meis: sed me excepit,” Plaut. Mil. 2, 2, 13.—With ne: “Licinia lex, quae non modo eum, qui, etc.... sed etiam collegas ejus, cognatos, affines excipit, ne eis ea potestas curatiove mandetur,” Cic. Agr. 2, 8, 21; “so in legal limitations,” id. ib. 2, 9, 24; id. Balb. 14, 32; see also exceptio.—With ut, Cic. Q. Fr. 1, 1, 9, 26: “excepi de antiquis praeter Xenophanem neminem,” id. Div. 1, 39, 87: “ut in summis tuis laudibus excipiant unam iracundiam,” id. Q. Fr. 1, 1, 13, 37: “dolia, in horreis defossa, si non sint nominatim in venditione excepta, etc.,” Dig. 18, 1, 76; so ib. 77.—In the abl. absol.: “omnium mihi videor, exceptis, Crasse, vobis duobus, eloquentissimos audisse Ti. et C. Sempronios,” you two excepted, Cic. de Or. 1, 9, 38; cf.: “vos hortor, ut ita virtutem locetis, ut eā exceptā nihil amicitia praestabilius esse putetis,” id. Lael. 27 fin.: “exceptā sapientiā,” id. ib. 6, 20. —Neutr. absol.: “excepto, quod non simul esses, cetera laetus,” Hor. Ep. 1, 10, 50: “excepto, si obscena nudis nominibus enuntientur,” Quint. 8, 3, 38; Pers. 5, 90; Aug. Serm. 17, 3; 46, 2.—Hence,
(β).
Jurid. t. t., said of the defendant, to except, to make a legal exception to the plaintiff's statement: “verum est, quod qui excipit, probare debeat, quod excipitur,” Dig. 22, 3, 9; so ib. 18: “adversus aliquem,” ib. 16, 1, 17 et saep.; cf. exceptio and the authorities there cited.—
b. In an oration, a law, etc., to express by name, to make particular mention of, to state expressly (rare, and perh. not anteAug.): “cum Graecos Italia pellerent, excepisse medicos,” Plin. 29, 1, 8, § 16: vites in tantum sublimes, ut vindemitor auctoratus rogum ac tumulum excipiat, expressly stipulates for (in case he should fall and break his neck), id. 14, 1, 3, § 10.
II. (With the notion of the verb predominating.) To take a thing to one's self (in a good or bad sense), to catch, capture, take, receive.
A. Lit.
1. In gen.: “sanguinem paterā,” Cic. Brut. 11, 43; cf. Col. 9, 15, 9: “e longinquo sucum,” Plin. 25, 7, 38, § 78: “labentem excepit,” Cic. Rab. Post. 16, 43: se in pedes, to take to one's feet, i. e. spring to the ground, Liv. 4, 19, 4: “filiorum extremum spiritum ore,” Cic. Verr. 2, 5, 45, § 118; cf.: “tunicis fluentibus auras,” Ov. A. A. 3, 301: “omnium tela,” Cic. Verr. 2, 2, 72, § 177; so, “tela,” Caes. B. G. 3, 5, 3: “vulnera,” Cic. Sest. 10, 23; cf.: “vulnus ore,” Quint. 6, 3, 75; and: “plagae genus in se,” Lucr. 2, 810: “o terram illam beatam, quae hunc virum exceperit!” Cic. Mil. 38, 105; cf.: hunc (Mithridatem) in timore et fuga Tigranes excepit, id de. Imp. Pomp. 9, 23: “aliquem benigno vultu,” Liv. 30, 14, 3; cf. “also: hic te polenta excipiet,” Sen. Ep. 21 med.: “aliquem epulis,” Tac. G. 21: “multos ex fuga dispersos excipiunt,” Caes. B. G. 6, 35, 6. alios vagos per hiberna milites excipiebant, Liv. 33, 29, 2: speculator, exceptus a juvenibus mulcatur, id. 40, 7, 4: cf. Planc. ap. Cic. Fam. 10, 23, 5: “servos in pabulatione,” Caes. B. G. 7, 20, 9: “incautum,” Verg. A. 3, 332: “(uri) mansuefieri ne parvuli quidem excepti possunt,” Caes. B. G. 6, 28, 4: “aprum latitantem,” Hor. C. 3, 12, 10: “caprum insidiis,” Verg. E. 3, 18: “fugientes feras,” Phaedr. 1, 11, 6: “aprum, feram venabulo,” Quint. 4, 2, 17; Sen. Prov. 2 et saep.—
b. Of inanimate subjects: “postero die patenti itinere Priaticus campus eos excepit,” received them, Liv. 38, 41, 8: “silva tum excepit ferum,” Phaedr. 1, 12, 9; Quint. 2, 12, 2. —
2. In partic.
a. To come next to, to follow after, succeed a thing: “linguam ad radices ejus haerens excipit stomachus,” Cic. N. D. 2, 54, 135: quinque milia passuum proxima intercedere itineris campestris; “inde excipere loca aspera et montuosa,” Caes. B. C. 1, 66 fin.: “alios alii deinceps,” id. B. G. 5, 16 fin.—Poet.: “porticus excipiebat Arcton,” i. e. was turned to the north, looked towards the north, Hor. C. 2, 15, 16.—
b. In medic. lang.: aliquid aliqua re, to take something in something, i. e. mixed with something: “quae (medicamenta) excipiuntur cerato ex rosa facto,” Cels. 5, 18, 20; 5, 25, 5; 6; 12 et saep.—
B. Trop.
1. In gen., to take or catch up, to intercept: “genus divinationis naturale, quod animus arripit aut excipit extrinsecus ex divinitate,” Cic. Div. 2, 11, 26; cf.: “posteaquam vidit, illum excepisse laudem ex eo, quod,” i. e. obtained, id. Att. 1, 14, 3: subire coëgit et excipere pericula, to take upon one's self, to receive, support, sustain (the figure being taken from the reception of an enemy's blows or shots), Cic. Prov. Cons. 9, 23; cf.: “Germani celeriter phalange facta impetus gladiorum exceperunt,” Caes. B. G. 1, 52, 4; so, “impetus,” id. B. C. 1, 58, 1: “vim frigorum hiememque,” Cic. Rab. Post. 15, 42: “labores magnos,” id. Brut. 69, 243 et saep.: “excipimus nova illa cum favore et sollicitudine,” receive, Quint. 10, 1, 15: “verba risu,” id. 1, 2, 7: “praecepta ad excipiendas hominum voluntates,” for taking captive, Cic. de Or. 2, 8, 32: “invidiam,” to draw upon one's self, Nep. Dat. 5, 2.—
b. Of inanim. or abstr. subjects: “quae (sublicae) cum omni opere conjunctae vim fluminis exciperent,” Caes. B. G. 4, 17, 9; 3, 13, 1: “quid reliquis accideret, qui quosque eventus exciperent,” i. e. would befall, overtake them, Caes. B. C. 1, 21 fin.; Verg. A. 3, 318; Liv. 1, 53, 4.—
2. In partic.
a. To catch with the ear, esp. eagerly or secretly, to catch up, listen to, overhear: “maledicto nihil facilius emittitur, nihil citius excipitur,” Cic. Planc. 23, 57; id. Sest. 48, 102: “assensu populi excepta vox consulis,” Liv. 8, 6, 7: “ad has excipiendas voces speculator missus,” id. 40, 7, 4; 2, 4, 5; 4, 30, 3: “laudem avidissimis auribus excipit,” Plin. Ep. 4, 19, 3: “notis quoque excipere velocissime solitum,” i. e. to write down in shorthand, Suet. Tit. 3: “rumores,” Cic. Deiot. 9, 25; cf. “voces,” Liv. 40, 7, 4: “sermonem eorum,” id. 2, 4, 5: “furtivas notas,” Ov. Am. 1, 4, 18.—
b. To follow after, to succeed a thing in time or the order of succession (cf. above, A. 2. a.): “tristem hiemem pestilens aestas excepit,” Liv. 5, 13, 4: “Herculis vitam et virtutem immortalitas excepisse dicitur,” Cic. Sest. 68, 143: “violis succedit rosa: rosam cyanus excipit, cyanum amarantus,” Plin. 21, 11, 39, § 68: “excipit Pompilium Numam Tullus Hostilius,” Flor. 1, 3, 1: “hunc (locutum) Labienus excepit,” Caes. B. C. 3, 87, 1.—Absol.: “turbulentior inde annus excepit,” succeeded, followed, Liv. 2, 61, 1; Caes. B. G. 7, 88, 2: “re cognita tantus luctus excepit, ut, etc.,” id. B. C. 2, 7, 3.—Hence,
