I.inf. pres. potirier, Plaut. As. 5, 2, 66.—Acc. to the third conj., potĭtur, Enn. ap. Fest. p. 274 Müll. or Ann. v. 78 Vahl.; Verg. A. 3, 56: “capto potĭmur mundo,” Manil. 4, 882; Ov. M. 13, 130; Cat. 64, 402.—Potītur. only in Prisc. 881, and Ov. H. 14, 113. So, poti for potiri, Pac. ap. Non. 475, 29; Enn. ap. Cic. Tusc. 3, 3, 5, acc. to Trag. Rel. p. 56 Rib., and Enn. Trag. v. 260 Vahl.—Act. collat. form pŏtĭo , īre; v. 2. potio), v. dep. n. [potis].
I. Lit., to become master of, to take possession of, to get, obtain, acquire, receive; constr. with gen., acc., abl., and absol. (class.; syn.: occupo, invado).
(α).
With gen.: “illius regni potiri,” Cic. Fam. 1, 7, 5: “urbis potiri,” Sall. C. 47, 2: “vexilli,” Liv. 25, 14: “nemini in opinionem veniebat Antonium rerum potiturum,” Nep. Att. 9, 6: “voti,” Sil. 15, 331.—
(β).
With acc. (mostly ante- and post-class.; not in Cic.): regnum, Pac. ap. Non. 481, 32: “sceptrum,” Att. ib. 30; cf.: “Homerus sceptra potitus,” Lucr. 3, 1038: “oppidum, Auct. B. Hisp. 13: summum imperii,” to get possession of the supreme dominion, Nep. Eum. 3, 4; cf.: “regni Persarum potiundi,” id. Ages. 4, 2: “spes urbis potiundae,” Caes. B. G. 2, 7, 2; 3, 6, 2: “in spe urbis hostium potiundae,” Liv. 8, 2, 5; Curt. 8, 11, 19.—
(γ).
With abl.: “ille hodie si illā sit potitus muliere,” Plaut. Ps. 4, 6, 9: “natura iis potiens,” Cic. Tusc. 3, 18, 41: “si ad decem milia annorum gentem aliquam urbe nostra potituram putem,” id. ib. 1, 37, 90 B. and K.: “imperio totius Galliae,” Caes. B. G. 1, 2: “victoriā,” id. ib. 3, 24: “impedimentis castrisque,” id. ib. 1, 21: “sceptro,” Ov. H. 14, 113: pane, Lucil. ap. Prisc. p. 881 P.: thalamo, Naev. ib.—
(δ).
Absol.: “libidines ad potiundum incitantur,” Cic. Sen. 12, 39: “potiendi spe inflammati,” id. Fin. 1, 18, 60.—
II. Transf., to be master of, to have, hold, possess, occupy; with gen., acc., abl., and absol. (class.; syn.: fruor, utor).
(α).
With gen.: “Cleanthes solem dominari et rerum potiri putat,” has the chief power in the universe, Cic. Ac. 2, 41, 126: “civitas Atheniensium, dum ea rerum potita est,” id. Rosc. Am. 25, 70: “potiente rerum patre,” Tac. H. 3, 74.—
(β).
With acc.: “laborem hunc potiri,” Plaut. Rud. 1, 3, 5: “patria potitur commoda,” Ter. Ad. 5, 4, 17: “gaudia,” id. ib. 22.—
(γ).
With abl.: “frui iis (voluptatibus), quibus senectus, etiam si non abunde potitur, non omnino caret,” Cic. Sen. 14, 48: “oppido,” Liv. 6, 33: “monte,” have climbed, Ov. M. 5, 254.—
