I.to choose, select (anteclass. and poet.; “syn. deligo): utrum vis, opta, dum licet,” Plaut. Rud. 3, 6, 14; id. Aul. prol. 11: “sapientius opta,” Ov. M. 2, 102: non video hic, quid magnopere optem, Lucil. ap. Non. 358, 13: “inhoneste parare divitias,” Ter. And. 4, 5, 2: “locum tecto,” Verg. A. 1, 425: “locum regno,” id. ib. 3, 109: “externos duces,” id. ib. 8, 503: “L. Furium optavit,” Liv. 6, 25.—Hence, in relig. lang.: “optatam hostiam, alii optimam, appellant eam, quam aedilis tribus constitutis hostiis optat, quam immolari velit,” Fest. p. 186 Müll. —
II. Transf., to wish, wish for, desire (the predominant signification of the word; cf.: “volo, cupio, desidero, aveo): tua vita optanda est, Ter Phorm. 1, 3, 12: nihil nisi quod honestum sit,” Cic. Off. 1, 20, 66: “aliquid votis,” Verg. A. 10, 279: “vestitus, quem cupimus optamusque,” Cic. Phil. 14, 1, 2: “fortunam,” id. Pis. 14, 32.—With ut (class. and freq.): “(Phaëthon) optavit, ut in currum patris tolleretur,” Cic. Off. 3, 25, 94: “numquam a dis immortalibus optabo. ut, etc.,” id. Cat. 2, 7, 15.—With subj.: “optavi, peteres caelestia sidera tarde,” Ov. Tr. 2, 57.—With inf.: “hunc videre saepe optabamus diem,” Ter. Hec. 4, 4, 29: “cujus integrā re consilium exquirere optassem,” Plin. Ep. 3, 4, 2: “officia mandare, deponere optantibus,” id. Pan. 87, 2: “Darius equestri proelio decernere optabat,” Curt. 3, 11, 1; 4, 12, 4: “meliores liberos habere,” Suet. Oth. 1 fin.; Tac. Or. 9.—With acc. and inf.: “impleri sinus optabamus,” Quint. 10, 7, 23: “ex Indiā sospitem ipsum reverti,” Curt. 10, 1, 7: “quem te esse opto,” Cic. Fam. 10, 20, 3: omnes mortales sese laudarier optant, Enn. ap. Aug. Trin. 13, 6 (Ann. v. 551 Vahl.). —Absol.: “optare hoc quidem est, non docere,” Cic. Tusc. 2, 13, 30; cf. id. Ac. 2, 38, 121; id Fat. 20, 47: optare alicui aliquid, to wish one any thing, in a good sense: “equidem tibi bona optavi omnia,” Plaut. Rud. 3, 2, 25: “tibi optamus eam rem publicam, in quā, etc.,” Cic. Brut. 97, 331; “but mostly in a bad sense (= imprecari): si totum exercitum mortem mihi optasse crederem, Liv 28, 27, 10: quid mali feci, ut mihi pejorem reditum quam exitum optares?” Sen. Ben. 6, 37, 2: “furorem et insaniam optare alicui,” id. Pis. 20, 46; id. Tusc. 1, 44, 107: aliquid ab aliquo, to desire, require, demand any thing of any one: “quodvis donum et praemium a me optato, id optatum feres,” Ter. Eun. 5, 8, 27: “hoc et pallidus optas,” pray for, Juv. 10, 189.—Hence, op-tātus , a, um, P. a., wished, desired, longed for, agreeable, pleasing, pleasant, dear (class.): “optati cives, populares, incolae,” Plaut. Aul. 3, 1, 1: “rumores,” Cic. Fam. 16, 21, 1: “gloria,” Juv. 10, 187.—Comp.: “nihil mihi fuit optatius, quam, ut, etc.,” Cic. Fam. 1, 5, 1.—Sup.: “vale, mi optime et optatissime frater,” Cic. Q. Fr. 2, 8, 2.—
B. Subst.: optātum , i, n., a wish, desire: “di tibi semper omnia optata offerant,” Ter. Ad. 5, 9, 21; cf. “afferant,” Plaut. Capt. 2, 2, 105: eveniunt optata deae. Ov. M. 6, 370: “impetrare optatum,” Cic. Off. 3, 25, 94: “praeter optatum meum,” against my wish, id. Pis. 20, 46: “meis optatis fortuna respondit,” id. Fam. 2, 1, 1: “mihi in optatis est,” it is my wish, I wish, id. ib. 2, 13, 2.—Hence, adv.: optā-tō , according to one's wish (class.): “optato venire,” Plaut. Am. 2, 2, 26: “mihi veneris,” Cic. Att. 13, 28, 3: “optato ventis aestate coortis,” Verg. A. 10, 405.
‡† optostrōtum , i, n. ὀπτόσ-στρωτόν, I.a brick pavement, Not. Tir. p. 164.
