I.act. form amplecto , Liv. And. Od. ap. Diom. p. 379 P.; cf. Prisc. p. 797 P.; Struve, 114.—In pass., Plaut. Mil. 2, 6, 27; Lucil. ap. Prisc. p. 791 P.).
I. A.. Lit., to wind or twine round a person or thing (aliquem, πλέκεσθαι ἀμφίτινα; hence with reference to the other object; cf. adimo), to surround, encompass, encircle; of living beings, to embrace (class. in prose and poetry): genua amplectens, Liv. And. Od. ap. Diom. p. 379 P. (as transl. of Hom. Od. 6, 142: γούνων λαβών): “amplectimur tibi genua,” Plaut. Rud. 1, 5, 16; so id. Cist. 2, 3, 25: “exsanguem (patrem) amplexus,” Tac. H. 3, 25: “effigiem Augusti amplecti,” id. A. 4, 67: “magnam Herculis aram,” id. ib. 12, 24: “serpens arboris amplectens stirpem,” Lucr. 5, 34: “quorum tellus amplectitur ossa,” id. 1, 135: “manibus saxa,” to grasp, Liv. 5, 47: “munimento amplecti,” id. 35, 28; so id. 41, 5 et saep.: “amplectitur intra se insulam,” Plin. 5, 1, 1, § 3: “amplexa jugerum soli quercus,” id. 16, 31, 56, § 130: “et molli circum est ansas amplexus acantho,” Verg. E. 3, 45: “urbes amplecti muro,” Hor. A. P. 209 et saep.: “visne ego te ac tute me amplectare?” Plaut. Most. 1, 4, 9; * Ter. And. 2, 5, 19: “ille me amplexus atque osculans flere prohibebat,” Cic. Somn. Scip. 3 (id. Rep. 6, 14, where Orell. reads complexus).—
B. Of space, to embrace: “spatium amplexus ad vim remigii,” Tac. A. 12, 56: “quattuor milia passuum ambitu amplexus est,” id. ib. 4, 49: “domus naturae amplectens pontum terrasque jacentes,” Manil. 1, 536.—
II. Trop.
A. To embrace in mind or knowledge, i. e. to comprehend, to understand: “animo rei magnitudinem amplecti,” Cic. de Or. 1, 5, 19: “Quas (artes) si quis unus complexus omnes,” id. ib. 1, 17, 76: “quae si judex non amplectetur omnia consilio, non animo ac mente circumspiciet,” id. Font. 7; also simply to reflect upon, to consider: “cogitationem toto pectore amplecti,” id. Att. 12, 35.—
B. In discourse, to comprehend, i.e. to discuss, to handle, treat: “quod ego argumentum pluribus verbis amplecterer,” Cic. Rosc. Com. 12: “actio verbis causam et rationem juris amplectitur,” id. Caecin. 14, 40: “omnes res per scripturam amplecti,” id. Inv. 2, 50: non ego cuncta meis amplecti versibus opto, Verg. G. 2, 42: “totius Ponti forma breviter amplectenda est, ut facilius partes noscantur,” Plin. 4, 12, 24, § 75.—Also of a name, to comprehend under: “quod idem interdum virtutis nomine amplectimur,” Cic. Tusc. 2, 13, 30; cf.: “si quis universam et propriam oratoris vim definire complectique vult,” to define the peculiar function of the orator and include the whole of it, id. de Or. 1, 15, 64; so of a law, to include: “sed neque haec (verba) in principem aut principis parentem, quos lex majestatis amplectitur,” Tac. A. 4, 34.—
C. Of study, learning, to include, embrace: neque eam tamen scientiam, quam adjungis oratori, complexus es, but yet have notincluded in your attainments that knowledge which, etc., Cic. de Or. 1, 17, 77: “Quod si tantam rerum maximarum arte suā rhetorici illi doctores complecterentur,” id. ib. 1, 19, 86.—
D. To embrace in heart, i.e. to love, favor, cherish: “quem mihi videtur amplecti res publica,” Cic. Cat. 4, 3: “nimis amplecti plebem videbatur,” id. Mil. 72: “aliquem amicissime,” id. Fam. 6, 6 fin.; Sall. J. 7, 6: “hoc se amplectitur uno, i. e. se amat,” esteems himself, Hor. S. 1, 2, 53: “qui tanto amore possessiones suas amplexi tenebant,” Cic. Sull. 20; “opp. repudiare,” id. de Or. 1, 24; “opp. removere,” id. Cat. 4, 7: “amplecti virtutem,” id. Phil. 10, 4: “nobilitatem et dignitates hominum amplecti,” id. Fam. 4, 8: mens hominis amplectitur maxime cognitionem, delights in understanding, id. Ac. pr. 2, 10, 31: (episcopum) amplectentem eum fidelem sermonem, * Vulg. Tit. 1, 9: amplexus civitates (sc. animo), having fixed his mind on, i. e. intending to attack, seize, Tac. Agr. 25: “causam rei publicae amplecti,” Cic. Sest. 93; “and so playfully of one who robs the State treasury: rem publicam nimium amplecti,” id. Fl. 18.—
E. In circumlocution: magnam Brigantium partem aut victoriā amplexus est aut bello, embraced in conquest, i. e. conquered, Tac. Agr. 17.