I. Aliquid (alicui rei), to scatter, strew something on something; or of liquids, to sprinkle, spatter over (syn.: adfundo, inicio; never in Ovid, but he often uses the simple spargo).
A. Lit.: “aequor Ionium glaucis aspargit virus ab undis,” Lucr. 1, 719 Lachm.: “Ah! adspersisti aquam, Jam rediit animus,” you have dashed water on me, have revived me, Plaut. Truc. 2, 4, 15: “Euax, adspersisti aquam,” id. Bacch. 2, 3, 13: “guttam bulbo (with a play upon the names Gutta and Bulbus),” Cic. Clu. 26, 71: “pigmenta in tabulā,” id. Div. 1, 13, 23: “corpus ejus adustum adspergunt aliis carnibus,” Plin. 8, 38, 57, § 136: “liquor adspersus oculis,” id. 12, 8, 18, § 34: “Bubus glandem tum adspergi convenit,” id. 18, 26, 63, § 232: “corpus floribus aspersis veneratus est,” Suet. Aug. 18: “pecori virus aspergere,” to infect, poison, Verg. G. 3, 419: “aspergens cinerem capiti,” Vulg. 2 Reg. 13, 15: “huc tu jussos asperge sapores,” Verg. G. 4, 62: “Non nihil aspersis gaudet Amor lacrimis,” Prop. 1, 12, 16: “sanguinem aspergere,” Vulg. 2 Par. 29, 24: “nivem,” ib. Eccli. 43, 19.—
B. Trop.: “cum clarissimo viro non nullam laudatione tuā labeculam aspergas,” fasten upon, Cic. Vatin. 17, 41: “ne qua ex tuā summā indignitate labes illius dignitati aspersa videatur,” id. ib. 6, 15: “notam alicui,” Dig. 37, 14, 17 fin. (cf.: “allinere notam,” Cic. Verr. 1, 6, 17).—So of an inheritance, to bestow, bequeath something to, to set apart for: “Aebutio sextulam aspergit,” Cic. Caecin. 6, 17.—Poet.: “alas: lacteus extentas aspergit circulus alas,” Claud. VI. Cons. Hon. 175.—In gen., to add to, to join, = adjungere: “si illius (sc. Catonis majoris) comitatem et facilitatem tuae gravitati severitatique asperseris,” Cic. Mur. 31 fin.: “huic generi orationis aspergentur etiam sales,” id. Or. 26, 87; id. ad Q. Fr. 2, 10: “hos aspersi, ut scires etc.,” id. Fam. 2, 16 fin.—
II. Aliquem or aliquid aliquā re (cf. Ramsh. Gr. p. 362; Zumpt, Gr. § 418), to strew some person or thing with something, to splash over, besprinkle, bespatter, bedew, lit. and trop.
A. Lit.: “ah, guttulā Pectus ardens mihi adspersisti (cf. supra, aquam),” Plaut. Ep. 4, 1, 28: “quas (sedes) nec nubila nimbis Aspergunt,” Lucr. 3, 20: “ne aram sanguine aspergeret,” Cic. N. D. 3, 36, 88; so Vulg. 4 Reg. 9, 33; ib. Apoc. 19, 13: “sanguine mensas,” Ov. M. 5, 40; and with de: “asperget de sanguine ejus (turturis) parietem altaris,” Vulg. Lev. 5, 9: “vaccam semine,” Liv. 41, 13: “Vinxit et aspersas altera vitta comas,” the sprinkled hair, Prop. 5, 11, 34 (Müller, † acceptas): “imbre lutoque Aspersus,” Hor. Ep. 1, 11, 12 K. and H.; Claud. B. Gild. 494: “aquā,” Vulg. Num. 8, 7; ib. 2 Macc. 1, 21: “hyssopo,” ib. Psa. 50, 9: “cinere,” ib. Jer. 25, 34: “terrā,” ib. 2 Macc. 10, 25 al.—
B. Trop.: “(Mons Idae) primo parvis urbibus aspersus erat,” dotted over with, Mel. 1, 18, 2: “aures gemitu,” to fill, Val. Max. 3, 3, ext. 1: “auditiunculā quādam aspersus, i. e. imbutus,” instructed, Gell. 13, 19, 5: “aspersi corda a conscientiā malā,” Vulg. Heb. 10, 22.—Esp., to spot, stain, sully, defile, asperse: “hunc tu vitae splendorem maculis aspergis istis?” Cic. Planc. 12, 30; so also absol.: “leviter aspersus,” id. Fam. 6, 6, 9: “istius facti non modo suspitione, sed ne infamiā quidem est aspersus,” id. Cael. 10; so Liv. 23, 30: “aspergebatur etiam infamiā, quod, etc.,” Nep. Alcib. 3 fin.; so Suet. Ner. 3: aliquem linguā, Auct. ad Her. 4, 49, 62: “e quibus unus amet quāvis aspargere cunctos, i. e. quibusvis dicteriis perstringere, laedere,” Hor. S. 1, 4, 87 K. and H.