I.to disclose wholly, lay open (a fact), without the access. idea of communicating the thing disclosed (which aperio expresses; v. aperio); to obtain a knowledge of a thing, to find out with certainty, to have or gain certain information, to ascertain, learn, etc. (class. in prose and poetry): “certo comperi,” Ter. Eun. 5, 1, 9: “cum indicia mortis se comperisse manifesto et manu tenere diceret,” Cic. Brut. 80, 277: “hoc,” Nep. Eum. 8, 4: “stellarum ortus,” Cat. 66, 2: “de amore hoc comperit,” Ter. And. 1, 3, 6: “nihil de hoc (Sullā) consul comperi,” Cic. Sull. 31, 86; Sall. J. 68, 1: “postquam de scelere filii comperit,” Nep. Paus. 5, 3; Suet. Dom. 6 al.—With inf. and acc., Ter. And. 1, 1, 63: “posteaquam comperit eum posse vivere,” Cic. Rosc. Am. 12, 33: “hanc gentem Clusium inde venisse comperio,” Liv. 5, 35, 3; Quint. 1, 7, 24: diram qui contudit hydram, comperit invidiam supremo fine domari, * Hor. Ep. 2, 1, 12: “ubi comperi ex eis qui, etc.,” Ter. Heaut. 1, 1, 69: “aliquid ex multis,” Cic. Clu. 68, 192: “ex litteris,” Nep. Paus. 4, 5: “per exploratores,” Caes. B. G. 4, 19; 6, 28; Nep. Alcib. 8, 6: “certis auctoribus,” Cic. Att. 14, 8, 1: “nihil testibus, nihil tabulis, nihil aliquo gravi argumento,” id. Clu. 45, 126; Caes. B. C. 2, 37: “a quo ut rem gestam comperit,” Nep. Dat. 3, 4: “quae ex fratre compererat nuntiari regi jubet,” Curt. 6, 7, 18: “ut postea ex captivis comperit,” Caes. B. G. 1, 22; Hirt. B. G. 8, 17; 8, 36.—Cicero, on account of the frequent repetition of the phrase omnia comperi, in the trial of Catiline, was often bantered by his contemporaries; “hence: (Clodius) me tantum comperisse omnia criminabatur,” Cic. Att. 1, 14, 5; cf. id. Fam. 5, 5, 2.—With depend. question: “dolo an vere cunctatus, parum comperimus,” Sall. J. 113, 1; 67, 3.—
(β).
Esp. freq. in part. perf. pass.: “Oppianici facinus manifesto compertum atque deprehensum,” Cic. Clu. 14, 43: “non ego haec incertis jacta rumoribus adfero ad vos, sed comperta et explorata,” Liv. 42, 13, 1; cf. id. 29, 18, 7; 29, 21, 13: “sintne haec investigata, comperta, patefacta per me,” Quint. 9, 3, 49: “pecuniam ex aerario scribae viatoresque aedilicii clam egessisse per indicem comperti,” discovered, Liv. 30, 39, 7: compertus adulterare matronas, Suet. Aug. 67: “uxorem in stupro generi compertam,” detected, id. Tib. 35.—Also with the gen. of the crime: “compertus stupri,” Liv. 22, 57, 2; Just. 11, 11, 5: “probri,” Liv. 7, 4, 4: “sacrilegii,” id. 32, 1, 8: “flagitii,” Tac. A. 1, 3; 4, 11: “de his haud facile compertum narraverim,” give certain information, Sall. J. 17, 2: “qui ex fratre comperta ipsi nuntiasset,” Curt. 6, 8, 11: “haec ex vate comperta nuntiabat,” id. 7, 7, 22.— In abl. absol.: comperto lege Gabiniā Bithyniam et Pontum consuli datam, Sall. H. Fragm. ap. Prisc. p. 1130 P.; so Liv. 31, 39, 4 and 7; 33, 5, 4; Tac. A. 1, 66; 4, 36; 11, 13 fin.; 14, 57.—So, also, compertum habeo and compertum mihi est, I know full well: “quod de his duobus habuerint compertum,” Cic. Clu. 45, 127; so Sall. C. 2, 2; 22 fin.: “pro comperto polliceri,” as certain, Suet. Ner. 31.—Hence, compertē , adv., on good authority; only Gell. 1, 22, 9; and in comp., id. 1, 11, 12.
