I. To uncover, bare, open (not freq. till after the Aug. period; syn.: nudo, exuo).
A. Lit.: “thecam nummariam,” Cic. Att. 4, 7, 2: “(area) retecta,” unroofed, Varr. R. R. 1, 51, 2: “vultus scisso velamine,” Luc. 8, 669: “caput pallio,” Petr. 17, 3: caput, Caes. ap. Plin. Ep. 3, 12, 13: “jugulum simul pectusque,” Ov. M. 13, 459: “pedes,” Suet. Aug. 78: “dentes,” Pers. 3, 101: “ensem,” Luc. 9, 830: “sacra,” to throw open, make accessible, Prop. 5, 9, 26: “solum hiatu,” to open, Ov. M. 5, 357 (with patere): homo retectus, i. e. deprived of his shield, Verg. A. 12, 374: “retexit se umbo,” Sil. 9, 109: “terram retexit anima tua,” Vulg. Ecclus. 47, 16.— Poet.: “ubi Titan radiis retexerit orbem,” i. e. shall make visible, show, reveal, Verg. A. 4, 119; 5, 65: “retegente diem Lucifero,” Ov. M. 8, 1: rebus luce retectis. Verg. A. 9, 461.—
B. Trop., to disclose, discover, reveal: “caecum domūs scelus omne retexit,” Verg. A. 1, 356: “arcanum consilium,” Hor. C. 3, 21, 16: “occulta conjurationis,” Tac. A. 15, 74: “timidi commenta animi,” Ov. M. 13, 38: “responsa deūm Trojanaque fata,” id. ib. 13, 336: “Pharsalica damna (clara dies),” Luc. 7, 787: “insidias,” Claud. Laud. Stil. 2, 215.— *