I.subj. perf. respexis, Plaut. Aul. 1, 1, 19; id. Most. 2, 2, 90; id. Rud. 3, 3, 16), v. n. and a., to look back or behind, to look about, look; to see behind one; to look back upon, to look at, look to or for any thing (very freq. and class.).
I. Lit.
(α).
Neutr.: “respicere quasi retro aspicere, Varro Manio: sedens ... neque post respiciens, neque ante prospiciens,” Non. p. 442, 31 sq. (cf. infra, β): “longe retro respicere non possunt,” Cic. Tusc. 5, 2, 6; Liv. 21, 22, 7; cf. Cic. Div. 1, 24, 49: “subito exaudivit hinnitum respexitque et equum alacrem laetus aspexit,” id. ib. 1, 33 fin.: Er. Ergasilum qui vocat? He. Respice ... respice ad me, Plaut. Capt. 4, 2, 54 sq.: “huc ad aliquem,” id. Trin. 4, 3, 61; so, “ad aliquem,” id. Curc. 1, 2, 20; id. Cas. 3, 5, 10; id. Ps. 1, 3, 16; id. Poen. 4, 2, 35; id. Truc. 2, 2, 2; Ter. And. 2, 5, 6; id. Phorm. 5, 1, 13 al.; cf.: “nocte ad oppidum,” Cic. Div. 1, 32, 69: “patriae ad oras,” Ov. M. 11, 547: “ad libellos,” Quint. 10, 7, 31; 11, 2, 45; Ter. Eun. 2, 3, 51: “ad laevam,” Plaut. Mil. 2, 4, 8: “in aliquem,” App. M. 2, p. 118: “huc,” Plaut. Ps. 1, 3, 30; id. Rud. 3, 4, 2; id. Truc. 1, 2, 20; 21: “tanta militum virtus fuit, ut non modo de vallo decederet nemo, sed paene ne respiceret quidem quisquam,” Caes. B. G. 5, 43: “transque caput jace, nec respexeris,” Verg. E. 8, 102: “respicit Aeneas subito,” id. A. 6, 548: “a tergo,” id. ib. 8, 697: “quod respicere vetitus est,” Liv. 21, 22.—
(β).
Act. (in lit. sense rare in good prose, but freq. in all styles in the trop. signif.; v. infra, II.): “ipsi Respiciunt atram in nimbo volitare favillam,” look back on, see behind them, Verg. A. 5, 666: “modo Prospicit occasus, interdum respicit ortus,” Ov. M. 2, 190: “respice me et relinque egentem parasitum,” Plaut. Stich. 2, 2, 7: “repudia istos comites atque hoc respice et revortere,” id. Merc. 5, 2, 30: “proxima respiciens signa,” Caes. B. C. 2, 39; cf. “Caesarem,” id. ib. 3, 91: “(Hannibalem) respexisse saepe Italiae litora,” Liv. 30, 20, 7: “nec prius amissam (Creüsam) respexi animumve reflexi, Quam, etc.,” Verg. A. 2. 741; id. G. 4, 491; Ov. M. 11, 66; cf.: “ut stetit et frustra absentem respexit amicum,” Verg. A. 9, 389: “instantem tergo Cloanthum,” id. ib. 5, 168: “donec versas ad litora puppes Respiciunt,” id. ib. 10, 269; cf. id. ib. 5, 666: “oculis pignora cara,” Ov. Tr. 1, 3, 60: medio cum Sol altissimus orbe Tantum respiceret, quantum superesse videret, looked back upon, i. e. had already passed over, id. M. 11, 354. —
II. Trop.
A. In gen., to look, have regard, turn attention.
(α).
Neutr.: “neque se in multa simul intendere animus totum potest: et, quocumque respexit, desinit intueri, quod propositum erat,” at whatsoever it looks, Quint. 10, 3, 23: “si propter singula verba ad singulas formas respiciendum erit,” id. 11, 2, 26; cf.: “non respiciendum ad haec,” id. 7, 10, 14: “M. Bibulus cuncta administrabat: ad hunc summa imperii respiciebat,” looked to him, was centred in him, Caes. B. C. 3, 5 fin.; cf.: “periculum (emptionis) ad venditorem respicere,” Dig. 18, 6, 4 (with ad venditorem pertinere). —
(β).
Act., to look at, regard, look to: “quom respicias immensi temporis omne Praeteritum spatium,” Lucr. 3, 854; cf.: “quoad longissime potest mens mea respicere spatium praeteriti temporis,” Cic. Arch. 1, 1: cum vastitatem Italiae respexerint, Asin. Poll. ap. Cic. Fam. 10, 33, 1: subsidia, quae respicerent in re trepidā, etc., which they might look to, i. e. from which they might expect aid, Liv. 4, 46; cf.: “ne respicere spem ullam ab Romanis posset,” id. 4, 17: “respicere exemplar vitae morumque jubebo Doctum imitatorem,” to look at, have in his eye, Hor. A. P. 317: “de te pendentis, te respicientis amici,” id. Ep. 1, 1, 105. — With rel.-clause: “quid sit prius actum, respicere aetas Nostra nequit, nisi, etc.,” Lucr. 5, 1446; cf. id. 3, 972: “respiciens, an vera soror,” Val. Fl. 6, 661.—
B. Pregn., to look at with solicitude, i. e. to have a care for, regard, be mindful of, consider, respect, etc. (in this sense mostly act.; cf. provideo).
1. Of a protecting deity: “di homines respiciunt,” Plaut. Rud. 5, 2, 29: “deus respiciet nos aliquis,” id. Bacch. 4, 2, 39; Ter. Phorm. 5, 3, 34; id. Hec. 5, 2, 6: “nisi quis nos deus respexerit,” Cic. Att. 1, 16, 6: Sive neglectum genus et nepotes Respicis auctor, Hor. C. 1, 2, 36; Verg. E. 1, 28: “nisi idem deus, qui, etc., respexerit rem publicam,” Cic. Att. 7, 1, 2: “et me et te, nisi quid dī respiciunt, perdidi,” Ter. And. 4, 1, 19.— Hence, Rēspĭcĭens , the Provident, an epithet of Fortuna: “ad opem ferendam,” Cic. Leg. 2, 11, 28; Inscr. Orell. 477; 1766.— “Rarely, in a bad sense, of an avenging deity: at vos, devota capita, respiciant di perjuriorum vindices,” may they remember it against you, Just. 14, 4, 10.—
2. Of persons that have a care or regard for any thing: “hercle alius nemo respicit nos,” Ter. Ad. 3, 2, 55; so, “aliquem,” Plaut. Truc. 2, 3, 19; id. Aul. 2, 2, 54: “age, me in tuis secundis respice,” Ter. And. 5, 6, 11; id. Ad. 5, 8, 9: “miseros aratores,” Cic. Verr. 2, 3, 10, § 26; Caes. B. G. 7, 77: “sin Caesarem respiciant,” id. B. C. 1, 1; Mart. 10, 10, 5: “non Pylium Nestora respicis,” Hor. C. 1, 15, 22: “quantum quisque ferat respiciendus erit,” Ov. Am. 1, 8, 38: mox deos respexere; “restitui Capitolium placuit,” bethought themselves of, Tac. H. 4, 4: “aetatem tuam,” Ter. Phorm. 2, 3, 87: “populi Romani commoda (with prospicere),” Cic. Verr. 2, 3, 55, § 127: “salutem cum meam tum aliorum,” id. Planc 38, 91; cf. Caes. B. C. 1, 5: “rem publicam,” Cic. Phil. 2, 46, 118; Planc. ap. Cic. Fam. 10, 11, 3: “mala sua,” Lucr. 4, 1159 et saep. —With se, to think of or have regard for one's self, Plaut. Ps. 2, 2, 18; Ter. Heaut. 1, 1, 18; 5, 1, 46; Cic. Fin. 2, 24, 79; id. pro Scaur. Fragm. 41, p. 267 Orell.: quod si Caesar se respexerit, Planc. ap. Cic. Fam. 10, 24, 8.—With ad (Quintilian): “ad utilitatem Ligarii respicit,” looks to the advantage of, Quint. 9, 2, 28; so, “modice ad hanc partem,” id. 9, 4, 36: “Graecas litteras (corresp. to studere Latinis),” id. 1, 12, 6: “saepius ad curam rerum ab elocutione,” id. 10, 1, 120.—With an abstr. subj.: “si quid pietas antiqua labores Respicit humanos,” Verg. A. 5, 689.— With object-clause, to observe, perceive, notice: “respicio nihili meam vos gratiam facere,” Plaut. Curc. 1, 2, 68.