I.v. dep. a., to follow (in a friendly or hostile manner), to accompany, attend; to follow after, pursue (class.; cf.: comitor, stipo).
I. Lit.: “novum maritum volo rus prosequi,” Plaut. Cas. 4, 2, 3: “eum milites electi circiter CXX. sunt prosecuti,” Caes. B. C. 3, 91: “Dianam ture odoribusque incensis prosecutae sunt,” Cic. Verr. 2, 4, 35, § 77; id. Att. 6, 3, 6: “unum omnes illum prosequebantur,” Nep. Alc. 6, 3: “aliquem in domum,” Gell. 18, 1, 16: “exsequias,” to attend a funeral, Ov. Tr. 1, 8, 14; so, “defunctum in conditorium,” Petr. 111; cf.: “Bassus noster videtur mihi prosequi se,” to attend his own funeral, Sen. Ep. 30, 5: “lacrimis ad saevas prosequor usque fores,” Ov. Am. 1, 4, 62; Cic. Planc. 10, 26: “Aeneas Prosequitur lacrimans longe,” Verg. A. 6, 476; 12, 72.—In a hostile sense, to follow after, pursue: “fugientes prosequi,” Caes. B. C. 2, 41: “hostem,” id. ib. 2, 8: “novissimos multa millia passuum prosecuti,” id. B. G. 2, 11; 5, 9: “iste iratus hominem verbis vehementioribus prosequitur,” i. e. assailed, attacked, Cic. Verr. 2, 2, 29, § 73: “aliquem contumeliosis vocibus,” Caes. B. C. 1, 69: “speculatores, qui prosequerentur agmen, missi,” Liv. 27, 15; 30, 29: “armati qui eos prosequebantur,” Curt. 3, 13, 9: “aliquem lapidibus,” Petr. 90.—Of animals: “eādem cane anxie prosequente,” Just. 1, 4, 11; Sil. 4, 615.—With abl., of following with the eyes: “oculis abeuntem prosequor udis,” Ov. H. 12, 55; 5, 55: “aliquos visu,” Stat. Th. 5, 483.—
B. Transf., of inanim. and abstr. subjects, to follow, pursue; to accompany, attend: “prosequitur surgens a puppi ventus euntes,” Verg. A. 3, 130: “naves mitterent quae se prosequerentur,” Liv. 30, 25; cf. “exercitus,” id. 7, 33; Curt. 3, 3, 24: “datae duae triremes ad prosequendum,” Tac. H. 2, 9: “Cattos suos saltus Hercynius prosequitur simul atque deponit,” goes as far as their territory extends, and then ceases, id. G. 30: “eadem (existimatio Quintum) usque ad rogum prosequatur,” Cic. Quint. 31, 99; cf.: “(amici) mortui vivunt: tantus eos honos prosequitur amicorum,” id. Lael. 7, 23.—
II. Trop.
A. To honor, adorn, or present one with a thing, to bestow any thing upon one; constr. with abl., rarely with cum and abl.: “benevolentiā, aut misericordiā prosequi aliquem,” Cic. Brut. 1, 4: “aliquem honorificis verbis,” id. Tusc. 2, 25, 61: “virtutem alicujus gratā memoriā,” id. Phil. 14, 11, 30: “nomen alicujus grato animo,” id. ib. 4, 1, 3: “memoriam cujuspiam clamore et plausu,” id. ib. 10, 4, 8: “aliquem laudibus,” Liv. 9, 8: “aliquem beneficiis ac liberalitate,” Cic. Verr. 2, 3, 41, § 94: “cum me in illo tristi et acerbo luctu atque discessu non lacrimis solum tuis, sed animo, corpore, copiis prosecutus esses,” id. Planc. 30, 73; cf.: “reliquum est ut tuam profectionem amore prosequar, reditum spe exspectem,” id. Fam. 15, 21, 5: “delictum veniā,” Tac. A. 13, 35: “Maximum libenter apud te testimonio prosequar,” Plin. Ep. 10, 85 (17): “prosecuti cum donis legatos sunt,” Liv. 39, 55, 4: “decedentem domum cum favore ac laudibus prosecuti sunt,” id. 2, 31, 11: “Senatus gratias egit Caesari, quod et ipse cum summo honore mentionem ejus prosecutus esset,” Plin. Ep. 8, 6, 5; cf.: “aliquem uberrimo congiario,” Suet. Caes. 27: “milites,” id. Aug. 49.—
B. To pursue, continue, follow up, to go on or proceed with an idea or theme: “si (rem) non ad extremum, sed usque eo, quo opus erit, prosequemur,” Auct. Her. 1, 9, 14: “non prosequar longius,” Cic. Rosc. Am. 30, 83: “illius vero mortis opportunitatem benevolentiā prosequamur,” id. Brut. 1, 4: “pascua versu,” to describe at length, Verg. G. 3, 340: “stilo munificentiae rationem,” Plin. Ep. 1, 8, 8: “ut latius, quae cujusque adfectus natura sit, prosequamur,” Quint. 5, 8, 2; 2, 6, 1: uno libello carissimam mihi memoriam prosequi, Plin. Ep. 3, 10, 3: ex ordine domesticos motus, to pursue, go through with, describe in order, Flor 3, 12, 14: “similitudinem,” to follow up, Sen. Ep. 13, 3.—Absol., to proceed with one's speaking (poet.): “prosequitur pavitans, et ficto pectore fatur,” Verg. A. 2, 107.
