I.to cover (syn. operio).
I. Lit.
A. In gen.: “amica corpus ejus (Alcibiadis) texit suo pallio,” Cic. Div 2, 69, 143: “capite se totum tegit,” Plaut. Trin. 4, 2, 9: “(tegillo) tectus esse soleo, si pluvit,” id. Rud. 2, 7, 19: fere res omnes aut corio sunt Aut etiam conchis aut callo aut cortice tectae, covered, clothed, Lucr. 4, 936; cf.: “bestiae aliae coriis tectae sunt, aliae villis vestitae,” Cic. N. D. 2, 47, 121: “ut tecti, ut vestiti, ut salvi esse possemus,” id. ib. 2, 69, 150: “corpora veste villosā,” Tib. 2, 3, 76: “caput galea,” Prop. 4 (5), 3, 44. “Mars tunicā adamantinā tectus,” Hor. C. 1, 6, 13: “ensis Vaginā tectus,” id. S. 2, 1, 4. —In Greek constr.: “primā tectus lanugine malas,” Ov. M. 12, 291: “cucullo caput tectus,” Mart. 5, 14, 6: “quae (casae) more Gallorum stramentis erant tectae,” Caes. B. G. 5, 43: “tectas casas testudinum superficie,” Plin. 6, 24, 28, § 109: “musculum,” Caes. B. C. 2, 10: “domum,” Dig. 19, 1, 18: naves tectae, covered with decks, decked ( = constratae), Caes. B. C. 1, 56; Liv. 36, 43, 13 (opp. apertae); “31, 46, 6: tectae instrataeque scaphae,” Caes. B. C. 3, 100: “incepto tegeret cum lumina somno,” Verg. G. 4, 414: “utne tegam spurco Damae latus?” i. e. to go by the side of, walk cheek by jowl with, Hor. S. 2, 5, 18; so, “latus alicui,” Suet. Claud. 24; cf. aliquem, to surround, attend, accompany: “omnis eum stipata tegebat Turba ducum,” Verg. A. 11, 12; Stat. S. 5, 1, 26: sarta tecta; v. sartus. —
B. In partic.
1. To cover, hide, conceal (rare in lit. sense; “syn.: abscondo, occulto): Caesar tectis insignibus suorum occultatisque signis militaribus, etc.,” Caes. B. G. 7, 45: “fugientem silvae texerunt,” id. ib. 6, 30: “oves (silva),” Ov. M. 13, 822: “quas (tabellas) tegat in tepido sinu,” id. A. A. 3, 622: “ferae latibulis se tegunt,” Cic. Rab. Post. 15, 42; cf.: “nebula matutina texerat inceptum,” Liv. 41, 2, 4: “Scipionem nebulae possiderent ac tegerent,” Vop. prol. 2. —
2. To shelter, protect, defend (rare in lit. sense); constr., in analogy with defendere and tueri, aliquid ab aliquo or ab aliquā re: “qui portus ab Africo tegebatur, ab Austro non erat tutus,” Caes. B. C. 3, 26: “ut alter (ordo propugnatorum) ponte ab incidentibus telis tegeretur,” Hirt. B. G. 8, 9: “aliquem conservare et tegere,” id. ib. 1, 85: “tempestas et nostros texit et naves Rhodias afflixit,” Caes. B. C. 3, 27; Hirt. B. G. 8, 5; Sall. J. 101, 4: “triumpho, si licet me latere tecto abscedere,” i. e. with a whole skin, safe, unhurt, Ter. Heaut. 4, 2, 5.—Pass. in mid. force: “tegi magis Romani quam pugnare,” Liv. 4, 37, 11.—
3. To cover over, bury, enclose (poet.): “te modo terra tegat,” Prop. 2, 26, 44 (3, 22, 24): “sit tibi terra levis mollique tegaris harenā,” Mart. 9, 29, 11: “ossa tegebat humus,” Ov. M. 15, 56: “ossa tegit tumulus,” id. Am. 2, 6, 59: “Sicanio tegitur sepulcro,” Luc. 2, 548. —
II. Trop.
A. In gen., to cover (very rare): “tempestas, mihi quae modestiam omnem, Detexit tectus quā fui,” Plaut. Most. 1, 3, 7. —
B. In partic.
1. (Acc. to I. B. 1.) To cloak, hide, veil, conceal, keep secret (freq. and class.): “triumphi nomine tegere atque velare cupiditatem suam,” Cic. Pis. 24, 56: “multis simulationum involucris tegitur et quasi velis quibusdam obtenditur unius cujusque natura,” id. Q. Fr. 1, 1, 5, § 15: “ignaviam suam tenebrarum ac parietum custodiis tegere,” id. Rab. Perd. 7, 21: “animus ejus vultu, flagitia parietibus tegebantur,” id. Sest. 9, 22: “summam prudentiam simulatione stultitiae,” id. Brut. 14, 53: “honestā praescriptione rem turpissimam,” Caes. B. C. 3, 32; cf.: “turpia facta oratione,” Sall. J. 85, 31: “aliquid mendacio,” Cic. Quint. 26, 81: “nomen tyranni humanitate,” Nep. Dion, 1: “commissum,” Hor. Ep. 1, 18, 38; id. A. P. 200: “non uti corporis vulnera, ita exercitus incommoda sunt tegenda,” Caes. B. C. 2, 31: “nostram sententiam,” Cic. Tusc. 5, 4, 11: “dira supplicia,” Verg. A. 6, 498: “causam doloris,” Ov. M. 13, 748: “pectoribus dabas multa tegenda meis,” id. Tr. 3, 6, 10: ignobilitatis tegendae causā, Cap. Max. 8. —
2. (Acc. to I. B. 2.) To defend, protect, guard: “aliquid excusatione amicitiae,” Cic. Lael. 12, 43; id. Clu. 11: “quod is meam salutem atque vitam suā benevolentiā, praesidio custodiāque texisset,” id. Planc. 1, 1: “nostri clarissimorum hominum auctoritate leges et jura tecta esse voluerunt,” id. de Or. 1, 59, 253: “pericula facile innocentiā tecti repellemus,” id. Imp. Pomp. 24, 70: “qui a patrum crudelibus suppliciis tegere liberos sciant,” Liv. 1, 53, 8: “aliquem tegere ac tueri, Cic Fam. 13, 66, 2: libertatem, patriam, parentisque armis tegere,” Sall. C. 6, 5: ut legatos cura magistratuum magis quam jus gentium ab irā impetuque hominum tegeret, Liv. 8, 6, 7: “legationisque jure satis tectum se arbitraretur,” Nep. Pelop. 5, 1.—Hence, tec-tus , a, um, P. a., covered, i. e. hidden, concealed.
A. Lit.: “cuniculi,” Hirt. B. G. 8, 41. —
B. Trop., hidden, not frank, open, or plain; secret, concealed, disguised; close, reserved, cautious: “sermo verbis tectus,” covered, enveloped, Cic. Fam. 9, 22, 1; cf. “verba (opp. apertissima),” id. ib. 9, 22, 5: “occultior atque tectior cupiditas,” id. Rosc. Am. 36, 104: “amor,” Ov. R. Am. 619. — “Of persons: occultus et tectus,” Cic. Fin. 2, 17, 54: “tecti esse ad alienos possumus,” id. Rosc. Am. 40, 116; cf. in comp.: “tectior,” id. Phil. 13, 3, 6: “te in dicendo mihi videri tectissimum,” id. de Or. 2, 73, 296: “silet ille, tectusque recusat Prodere quemquam,” Verg. A. 2, 126; cf.: “quis consideratior illo? Quis tectior?” Cic. Deiot. 6, 16. — Hence, adv.: tectō , covertly, privily, cautiously: “et tamen ab illo aperte, tecte quicquid est datum, libenter accepi,” Cic. Att. 1, 14, 4. — Comp.: “tectius,” Cic. Fam. 9, 22, 2; id. Planc. 10, 8, 5; Ov. A. A. 1, 276.
