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spĕcŭlātor (also written spĭcŭl- ), ōris, m. id., in milit. lang.,
I.a looker-out, spy, scout, explorer, éclaireur (syn. explorator).
I. Lit.: “speculator, quem mittimus ante, ut respiciat quae volumus,Varr. L. L. 6, § 82 Müll.: “repentinus,Cic. Verr. 2, 5, 63, § 164; Caes. B. G. 2, 11; 5, 49 fin.; Cic. N. D. 2, 56, 140; Sall. J. 101, 1; 106, 2; Liv. 3, 40, 13; 22, 33, 1; 28, 2, 2 al.—These scouts formed a special division in each legion, Auct. B. Hisp. 13; Tac. H. 1, 25; Inscr. Orell. 1222; 3518 al.—Under the emperors they were employed as special adjutants, messengers, and body-guards of a general, Suet. Calig. 44; Tac. H. 2, 73; Suet. Aug. 74; id. Claud. 35; id. Galb. 18; id. Oth. 5; Tac. H. 1, 24 Lips.; 2, 11; 2, 33; Sen. Ira, 1, 16, 15; id. Ben. 3, 25; Vulg. Marc. 6, 27 (where the Greek has also σπεκουλάτωρ) al. —
II. Transf., in gen., a searcher, explorer, investigator, examiner: “physicus, id est speculator venatorque naturae,Cic. N. D. 1, 30, 83; id. Div. in Caecil. 16, 51: “ad has excipiendas voces speculator ex convivis Persei missus,Liv. 40, 7: Cleonis fuisse publice praepositos χαλαζοφύλακας, speculatores futurae grandinis, Sen. Q. N. 4, 6, 1: quo tu matutinus speculator amicae? Prop. 2, 29 (3, 27), 31: “apes consumptis in proximo floribus speculatores ad pabula ulteriora mittunt,Plin. 11, 8, 8, § 19: “Fabius cautā speculator mente futuri,Sil. 1, 679.
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hide References (22 total)
  • Cross-references in general dictionaries from this page (22):
    • New Testament, Mark, 6.27
    • Caesar, Gallic War, 2.11
    • Cicero, Against Verres, 2.5.164
    • Cicero, Divinatio against Q. Caecilius, 16.51
    • Suetonius, Divus Augustus, 74
    • Suetonius, Caligula, 44
    • Suetonius, Galba, 18
    • Tacitus, Historiae, 1.24
    • Tacitus, Historiae, 1.25
    • Tacitus, Historiae, 2.73
    • Suetonius, Divus Claudius, 35
    • Suetonius, Otho, 5
    • Pliny the Elder, Naturalis Historia, 11.19
    • Livy, The History of Rome, Book 40, 7
    • Livy, The History of Rome, Book 3, 40.13
    • Livy, The History of Rome, Book 22, 33
    • Livy, The History of Rome, Book 28, 2.2
    • Seneca, de Beneficiis, 3.25
    • Cicero, de Natura Deorum, 1.30
    • Cicero, de Natura Deorum, 2.56
    • Sallust, Bellum Iugurthinum, 101
    • Sallust, Bellum Iugurthinum, 106
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