I.a. (the perf. and pluperf. having the same form with those of circumsisto, and a similar meaning, it is sometimes doubtful to which verb a form belongs), to stand around in a circle, to take a station round; and, with the acc., to stand around a person or thing, to surround, encircle, encompass.
I. Prop. (very freq. and class.).
(α).
Absol.: circumstant cum ardentibus taedis, Enn ap. Cic. Ac. 2, 28, 89 (Trag. v. 51 Vahl.): “circumstant lacrimis rorantes ora genasque,” Lucr. 3, 469: “Morini spe praedae adducti circumsteterunt,” Caes. B. G. 4, 37: “circumstant properi aurigae,” Verg. A. 12, 85: “ad circumstantes tendens sua bracchia silvas, Ov M. 3, 441: circumstantis exercitūs gratia,” Curt. 9, 3, 15: “amici,” id. 3, 5, 9.—
(β).
With acc.: “aliquem,” Verg. G. 4, 216; Ov. M. 11, 505; Curt. 5, 12, 9: “equites Romani qui circumstant senatum,” Cic. Cat. 1, 8, 21: “sellam,” Liv. 8, 32, 14; Suet. Aug. 35: “solem,” Ov. M. 2, 394: “sacra,” id. ib. 2, 717: “lectum,” Curt. 10, 5, 2.—
2. Hence, circumstantes , ĭum, m. subst., the by-standers, Quint. 4, 2, 22; 4, 2, 127; Tac. A. 1, 21; 1, 22; Suet. Caes. 84; id. Aug. 93; Curt. 6, 10, 36.—
B. In partic., to surround in a hostile manner, to beset, besiege: “circumstare tribunal praetoris urbani, obsidere cum gladiis curiam, etc.,” Cic. Cat. 1, 13, 32: “quem tres Curiatii circumsteterant,” Liv. 1, 25, 6: “si ambo consules infesti circumstarent tribunum,” id. 3, 9, 6: “urbem Romanam,” id. 27, 40, 6: “regis tecta,” Verg. A. 7, 585; cf. the foll.—
II. Trop., to surround, encompass, occupy, take possession of (freq. in post-Aug prose); absol. or with acc.: “cum dies et noctes omnia nos undique fata circumstent,” Cic. Phil. 10, 10, 20: “circumstant te summae auctoritates,” Cic. Verr. 1, 17, 52: “cum tanti undique terrores circumstarent,” Liv. 6, 2, 4; cf. id. 30, 3, 3: “anceps proelium Romanos circumsteterat, incertos in quem hostem eruptionem facerent,” id. 25, 34, 10: “ancepsque terror circumstabat,” id. 21, 28, 3; 34, 27, 1; Quint. 10, 3, 30: “haec me cura, haec difficultas sola circumstat,” Plin. Pan. 3, 4: “at me tum primum saevus circumstetit horror,” Verg. A. 2, 559: “scio acerba meorum Circumstare odia ( = meos, qui me oderunt),” id. ib. 10, 905: “circumsteterat Civilem et alius metus,” Tac. H. 4, 79: “circumsteterat palatium publica exspectatio,” id. ib. 1, 17: “paupertas et angustiae rerum nascentes eos circumsteterunt,” id. Or. 8.—Subst.: circumstantĭa , ium, n., details, circumstances, in an argument: “illa (argumenta) per se fortia non oportet circumstantibus obscurare,” Quint. 5, 12, 4.
