I.to go to meet, to encounter (an evil, esp. death; class.; syn.: obeo, occumbo, intereo): malam pestem, Enn. ap. Cic. Tusc. 2, 16, 38 (Trag. v. 15 Vahl.); so, “pestem,” Plaut. As. 1, 1, 7—Esp.: mortem, to encounter death, for to perish, die (only of a violent or unnatural death), Enn. ap. Non. 507, 19 (Trag. v. 235 Vahl.): “cum milites pro salute populi Romani mortem oppetiverint,” Cic. Phil. 14, 14, 38; cf.: “clarae mortes pro patriā oppetitae,” id. Tusc. 1, 49, 116: “poenas superbiae,” to suffer for one's pride, Phaedr. 3, 16, 2.—
II. In partic., pregn. for oppetere mortem, to perish, die (poet. and in post-Aug. prose): “quīs ante ora patrum Trojae sub moenibus altis Contigit oppetere,” Verg. A. 1, 96; 11, 268; 12, 543: “eodem mari,” Tac. A. 2, 24: “non senio, sed fame,” Plin. 10, 3, 4, § 15: gloriosā morte, to die a glorious death, Prud. στεφ. 10, 65.
