I. To strew over, cover by strewing, bestrew, to thatch, floor, pave, spread, cover (class. in prose and poetry).
(α).
With abl.: “tabernacula caespitibus,” Caes. B. C. 3, 96: “cubilia gallinarum paleis,” Col. 8, 5, 3: “stabula culmis,” id. 7, 3, 8: “aream silice,” id. 1, 6, 23: “specus molli fronde,” Plin. 8, 36, 54, § 127: “nidum mollibus plumis,” id. 10, 33, 49, § 92: “contabulationem summam lateribus lutoque,” Caes. B. C. 2, 9: “haec longuriis cratibusque,” id. B. G. 4, 17: “mare classibus,” Liv. 35, 49, 5; Curt. 9, 6, 7: “amnis constratus navigiis,” id. 9, 8, 5: “cubile purpureā veste,” Cat. 64, 163: “ossaeis aethera saxis,” Verg. Cir. 33: “omnia constrata telis, armis, cadaveribus,” Sall. J. 101, 11: “campos milite,” Sil. 1, 125: “forum corporibus civium caede nocturnā,” Cic. Sest. 39, 85: “late terram tergo,” Verg. A. 12, 543; cf.: terram gravi casu, * Lucr. 5, 1332; and: “terram gravi corpore,” Cic. Arat. 433: “paludem pontibus,” Hirt. B. G. 8, 14.—
(β).
Without abl.: “frumentum vias omnes constraveras,” Cic. Div. 1, 32, 69: “terram frondes altae,” Verg. A. 4, 444: “triclinium,” Varr. L. L. 9, § 9 Müll.; cf.: “lectum,” App. M. 9, p. 218, 13: “ratem pontis in modum humo injecta,” Liv. 21, 28, 7.—Hence, constrata navis, covered, having a deck, Cic. Verr. 2, 5, 40, § 104; Caes. B. C. 3, 27; Auct. B. Alex. 11; Liv. 35, 46, 3; cf. “vehicula,” Curt. 9, 10, 25.—Hence,
a. A covering: “pontium,” Liv. 30, 10, 14.—
II. To throw down, prostrate, level (very rare). *
A. Lit.: “tempestas in Capitolio aliquot signa constravit,” Liv. 40, 45, 3; cf.: “culcitae humi constratae, Jul. Epit. Nov. c. 4, § 15: montes erigat, campos tendat, maria consternat,” levels, Lact. 3, 24, 8: “Ephesus et Nicomedia constratae terrae motu,” Aur. Vict. Caes. 16, 12.—
B. Trop.: constrata ira, moderated, subdued (the figure taken from animals conquered in combat), Stat. S. 2, 5, 1.
