I.part. fut. capessiturus, Tac. A. 6, 48), 3, v. desid. a. [capio].
I. Lit., to seize, take, or catch at eagerly, to snatch at, lay hold of (capesso = desidero capere, Prisc. l. l.; “rare but class.): alia animalia cibum partim oris hiatu et dentibus ipsis capessunt, partim unguium tenacitate adripiunt,” Cic. N. D. 2, 47, 122: “pastus,” id. ib.: “arma,” Verg. A. 3, 234; Ov. M. 11, 378.—
B. Of relations of place, to strive to reach a place or limit, to betake one's self to, to go to, to repair or resort to; constr. usu. with acc.; ante-class. also capere se in or ad aliquem locum.
(α).
With acc.: “omnes mundi partes undique medium locum capessentes nituntur aequaliter,” Cic. N. D. 2, 45, 115: “superiora capessere,” id. Tusc. 1, 18, 42: “Melitam,” id. Att. 10, 9, 1: “Italiam,” Verg. A. 4, 346: “turris,” id. ib. 11, 466: “montem,” Val. Fl. 4, 316: “aethera,” Sil. 4, 480.—
(β).
Se in or ad aliquem locum: “quam magis te in altum capessis, tam aestus te in portum refert,” Plaut. As. 1, 3, 6: “nunc pergam... me domum capessere,” id. Am. 1, 1, 106; Titin. ap. Serv. ad Verg. A. 4, 346.—
(γ).
With adverb. dat.: “quo nunc capessis te,” Plaut. Bacch. 1, 2, 5; id. Rud. 1, 2, 89; 1, 2, 83.—
II. Trop.
A. To take hold of any thing with zeal, to take upon one's self, take in hand, to undertake, enter upon, engage in, execute, manage (the most usu. signif.; cf. I. A.): Pac. ap. Non. p. 227, 1: “nunc ad senem cursum capessam,” Plaut. Capt. 4, 1, 9: “viam,” Liv. 44, 2, 8: “alicujus imperia,” Plaut. Trin. 2, 2, 23: “jussa,” to perform, execute, Verg. A. 1, 77; Plaut. Aul. 4, 1, 4; so, capessere rem publicam, to undertake affairs of state, to engage in public affairs, administer (differing, by the idea of zealous co-operation and activity, from accedere ad rem publicam, which designates merely the entering upon a public office or duty), Cic. Sest. 6, 14; id. de Or. 3, 29, 112; id. Att. 1, 17, 10; 16, 7, 7; Sall. C. 52, 5; id. J. 85, 47; Nep. Them. 2, 1; Liv. 3, 69, 5; Tac. A. 1, 24; 12, 41; 16, 26; id. H. 4, 5; 4, 39; Suet. Tib. 25; Quint. 12, 3, 1: “civitatem,” Plin. Pan. 39, 5: “orbem terrae,” Tac. A. 11, 34; 12, 5: “magistratus,” id. Agr. 6: “imperium,” id. A. 13, 4; 14, 26: “vigintiviratum,” id. ib. 3, 29: “provincias,” id. ib. 6, 27: “officia in republică,” id. ib. 6, 14 Halm: “curas imperii,” Plin. Pan. 66, 2: “laborem cum honoribus,” Sall. H. 1, 48, 9 Dietsch: “bellum,” Liv. 26, 25, 5: “pugnam,” to commence, id. 2, 6, 8; 10, 5, 4; Tac. A. 12, 30; id. H. 3, 16; 5, 17: “proelium,” Just. 2, 12: “partem belli,” Liv. 31, 28, 4: “partem pugnae,” id. 26, 5, 15: “fugam,” to take to flight, id. 1, 25, 7: “principium facinoris,” Tac. A. 15, 49: “inimicitias,” id. ib. 5, 11: “noctem in castris tutam et vigilem,” to pass, id. ib. 4, 48: “divorsa,” Sall. H. 3, 68 Dietsch: “tuta et salutaria,” to adopt, Tac. A. 15, 29: “parata,” id. ib. 6, 37: “meliora,” id. ib. 6, 48 et saep.: “libertatem,” Sall. H. 3, 61, 2 Dietsch; Cic. Phil. 10, 9, 19: recta, * Hor. S. 2, 7, 7.—
2. Esp., to lay hold of with the mind, to comprehend, understand: “in capessendis naturae sensibus,” Gell. 12, 1, 11.—
B. To betake one's self to, enter upon (cf. I. B.): “quam (filius) se ad vitam et quos ad mores praecipitem inscitus capessat,” Plaut. Bacch. 4, 10, 2.—
2. With the idea of completed action, to attain to, to reach a person or thing: neque (te) posse corde capessere, Enn. ap. Cic. Div. 1, 20, 40 (Ann. v 44 Vahl.).
