I.v. inch. dep. [etym. dub.].
I. To avenge one's self on, take vengeance on, or punish for wrong done (very freq. and class.; cf.: vindico, punio, persequor).
A. With a personal object: “ego pol illum ulciscar hodie Thessalum veneficum, Qui, etc.,” Plaut. Am. 4, 5, 9: “ego illum fame, ego illum Siti, maledictis, malefactis, amatorem Ulciscar,” id. Cas. 2, 1, 10: “inimicos,” id. Trin. 3, 1, 18: “aliquem pro scelere,” Caes. B. G. 1, 14: “ulciscendi Romanos pro iis, quas acceperant, injuriis occasio,” id. ib. 5, 38: “odi hominem et odero: utinam ulcisci possem! sed illum ulciscentur mores sui,” Cic. Att. 9, 12, 2: “numquam illum res publica suo jure esset ulta,” id. Mil. 33, 88: “quos ego non tam ulcisci studeo, quam sanare,” id. Cat. 2, 8, 17: “quos intellegis non, ut per te alium, sed ut per alium aliquem te ipsum ulciscantur, laborare,” id. Div. in Caecil. 6, 22: “victos acerbius,” Sall. J. 42, 4: “Alphesiboea suos ulta est pro conjuge fratres,” Prop. 1, 15, 15 (19): “ulta pellicem,” Hor. Epod. 3, 13; 5, 63; cf.: “inimici ulciscendi causā,” Cic. Inv. 2, 5, 18: “ejus casūs, quem ulciscitur,” Quint. 6, 1, 18.—Absol.: “has tris ulciscendi rationes Taurus scriptas reliquit,” Gell. 7, 14, 5.—
B. To take revenge for, to avenge, punish injustice, wrongs, etc.; “with a non-personal object: quā in re Caesar non solum publicas sed etiam privatas injurias ultus est,” Caes. B. G. 1, 12: “statuerunt, istius injurias per vos ulcisci,” Cic. Verr. 2, 2, 3, § 9; id. Fam. 12, 1, 2: “injurias rei publicae,” id. Phil. 6, 1, 2: “Etruscorum injurias bello,” id. Rep. 2, 21, 38: “cum alii ulcisci dolorem aliquem suum vellent,” id. Sest. 20, 46: “injuriam,” Cic. Verr. 2, 1, 28, § 72: “peccata peccatis et injurias injuriis,” id. Inv. 2, 27, 81 al.; cf.: “ultum ire injurias festinare,” to proceed to revenge, to revenge, Sall. J. 68, 1: “ultum ire scelera et injurias,” Quint. 11, 1, 42: “istius nefarium scelus,” Cic. Verr. 2, 1, 27, § 68: “patrui mortem,” id. Rab. Perd. 5, 14: “senis iracundiam,” Ter. Phorm. 1, 4, 12: “offensas tuas,” Ov. Tr. 2, 134: “barbaras Regum libidines,” Hor. C. 4, 12, 8: “illatum a Persis Graeciae bellum,” Just. 2, 15, 13.—
II. Transf., with the person to whom wrong has been done as the object, to take vengeance for, to avenge a person (much less freq. but class.): “quos nobis poëtae tradiderunt patris ulciscendi causā supplicium de matre sumpsisse,” Cic. Rosc. Am. 24, 66; Auct. Her. 1, 16, 26: “caesos fratres,” Ov. M. 12, 603: “fratrem,” id. ib. 8, 442: “patrem justa per arma,” id. F. 3, 710: “numen utrumque,” id. ib. 5, 574: “cadentem patriam,” Verg. A. 2, 576: “quibus (armis) possis te ulcisci lacessitus,” Cic. de Or. 1, 8, 32: “se,” id. Mil. 14, 38; Cic. Verr. 2, 4, 40, § 87; Plin. Ep. 8, 7, 2; Ov. M. 7, 397; id. P. 1, 8, 20: “Hannibal se a transfugis ultus est,” Front. Strat. 3, 16, 4.— Transf., of things: “a ferro sanguis humanus se ulciscitur: contactum namque eo celerius subinde rubiginem trahit,” Plin. 34, 14, 41, § 146.—With the two constructions combined: “non hercle ego is sum, qui sum, ni hanc injuriam meque ultus pulcre fuero,” Plaut. Men. 3, 2, 7.!*?
1. Act. collat. form ulcisco , ĕre: nisi patrem materno sanguine exanclando ulciscerem, Enn. ap. Non. 292, 16 (Trag. v. 184 Vahl.).—