I.inf. pass. lacessiri, Col. 9, 8, 3; 9, 15, 4; Ambros. Ep. 6, 1: “lacessi,” Liv. 31, 18, 4 al.; Lact. 5, 2, 2: “lacessientium,” Liv. 27, 12, 13: “lacessiebant,” id. 23, 46, 11), v. a. lacio; v. Roby, 1, § 625, to excite, provoke, challenge, exasperate, irritate (syn.: irrito, provoco).
I. Lit.: “aliquem ferro,” Cic. Mil. 31, 84: “sponsione me homo promtus lacessivit,” id. Pis. 23, 55: “tu ultro me maledictis lacessisti,” id. Phil. 2, 1, 1: “me amabis et scripto aliquo lacesses,” by writing, force me to write in return, id. Fam. 12, 20: “vetus si poeta non lacessisset prior,” Ter. Phorm. prol. 14: “hostes proelio,” i. e. to attack, assail, Caes. B. G. 4, 11: “aliquem bello,” id. ib. 6, 5: “Aeduos injuriā,” id. ib. 1, 35: “nos te nulla lacessiimus injuria,” Cic. Fam. 11, 3, 1: “Saguntini nec lacessentes nec lacessiti,” Liv. 21, 11: “aliquos lacessiturus bello,” id. 28, 28; Cic. de Imp. Pomp. 10, 23: “quorum alter relictus, alter lacessitus,” id. ib. 2, 4: “quid tam necessarium quam tenere semper arma, quibus ... to ulcisci lacessitus,” id. de Or. 1, 8, 32: “ne rudis agminum sponsus lacessat leonem,” Hor. C. 3, 2, 11: “Caesar neque cedentes tanto collis ascensu lacessendos judicabat,” Hirt. B. G. 8, 14: “aliquem capitaliter,” to make a deadly attack upon one, Plin. Ep. 1, 5: “(corpora) quae feriunt oculorum acies visumque lacessunt,” to strike, meet, Lucr. 4, 217; 691; cf. id. 4, 597: “nares odor lacessit,” id. 4, 691: “fores nondum reserati carceris acer nunc pede nunc ipsa fronte lacessit Equus,” Ov. Tr. 5, 9, 30.—Poet.: “aëra Sole lacessita ( = percussa radiis solis),” struck with the sunbeams' glitter, Verg. A. 7, 527; cf. “vindemia pluviisque aut ventis lacessita,” Col. 3, 21, 5.—
II. Transf., in gen.
A. To urge, arouse, excite, stimulate, shake, move: “a quo non modo impulsi sumus ad philosophas scriptiones, verum Etiam lacessiti,” Cic. Tusc. 1, 41, 121: “ad scribendum,” id. Att. 1, 13, 1: “ad pugnam,” Liv. 2, 45 init.: “usus luxuriantis aetatis signaturas pretiosis gemmis coepit insculpere, et certatim haec omnis imitatio lacessivit,” Macr. S. 7, 13, 11: aurigae manibusque lacessunt Pectora plausa cavis, pat them on their breasts (in order to animate them), Verg. A. 12, 85: “pugnam,” id. ib. 5, 429: “bella,” id. ib. 11, 254: “ne quemquam voce lacessas,” id. E. 3, 51: “his se stimulis dolor ipse lacessit,” Luc. 2, 42: “Nilus spuma astra lacessit,” id. 10, 320: “taurus lacessit campum,” Stat. Th. 12, 604: “clamore sidera,” Sil. 17, 387: “deos (precibus),” to assail, importune, Hor. C. 2, 18, 12: “pelagus carinā,” to stir, chafe, id. ib. 1, 35, 7.—
