Lewis & Short

1. conspectus, a, um, Part. and P. a., from conspicio.

2. conspectus, ūs, m. [conspicio], a seeing, looking at, a look, sight, view, the range or reach of sight, the power of sceing (freq., and class. in prose and poetry).

  1. I. Lit.: casurusne in conspectum videatur animus, an tanta sit ejus tenuitas, ut fugiat aciem, Cic. Tusc. 1, 22, 50: quo longissime conspectum oculi ferebant, Liv. 1, 18, 8: obscuritas lucis Romanis non adimebat in omnis partes conspectum, id. 37, 41, 3: conspectu urbis frui, Cic. Sull. 9, 26: suorum, id. Mur. 41, 89: sese dare in conspectum, Enn. Ann. ap. Cic. Div. 1, 20, 41: dare se in conspectum alicui, Ter. Phorm. 2, 1, 31; Cic. Verr. 2, 5, 33, § 86; cf.: alicui in conspectum prodire, Ter. Phorm. 2, 4, 3: prodire ad aliquem in conspectum, Plaut. Bacch. 4, 9, 84; id. Most. 5, 2, 33: paene in conspectu exercitūs nostri, before the eyes, Caes. B. G. 1, 11: illam e conspectu amisi meo, Ter. Eun. 2, 3, 2: venire in conspectum alicujus, Cic. Fin. 1, 7, 24; Nep. Con. 3, 3 al.: fugere e conspectu alicujus, Ter. Hec. 1, 2, 107; Cic. Verr. 2, 5, 34, § 88: ex hominum conspectu morte decedere, Nep. Timol. 1, 6: fugare aliquem e conspectu, Lucr. 3, 49: conspectum fugere, Ov. M. 2, 594.
      1. 2. Pregn., public attention, notice: subito consilium cepi ut ante quam luceret exirem, ne qui conspectus fieret aut sermo, Cic. Att. 7, 10 init.
  2. II. Meton.
    1. A. Presence, proximity (very freq.; in many connections coinciding with the foregoing, as the phrase venire in conspectum can be translated to come before the eyes or to come near; so also e conspectu fugere, etc.).
      1. 1. Of persons: etsi scio, eis fore meum conspectum invisum hodie, Ter. Hec. 5, 2, 22: (tibi) cujus prope in conspectu Aegyptus est, Cic. Fam. 1, 7, 5; so, in conspectu, in the presence or vicinity, before the eyes, before the face of, in sight, id. Agr. 1, 3, 7; Caes. B. G. 2, 25 fin.; Liv. 1, 31, 2; Verg. A. 1, 184.
      2. 2. Of inanimate things: quercus, quae est in oppidi conspectu, Varr. R. R. 1, 7, 6: procul a conspectu imperii, Cic. Agr. 2, 32, 87: spectet patriam; in conspectu legum libertatisque moriatur, id. Verr. 2, 5, 66, § 170.
    2. B. Appearance (cf. adspectus; very rare): videamus animi partis, quarum est conspectus inlustrior, Cic. Fin. 5, 18, 48 Madv. ad loc.: Hieronymus … primo statim aspectu omnia quam disparia essent ostendit, i. e. at the first view the public had of him, Liv. 24, 5, 2; 6, 8, 6.
  3. III. Trop., the mental view, glance, survey, consideration (rare, but in good prose): quae ponunt in conspectu animi, quae cernere et videre non possumus, Cic. de Or. 3, 40, 161: et cognitio naturae, id. Leg. 1, 23, 61: uno in conspectu omnia videre, id. Brut. 4, 15; id. Leg. 3, 5, 12; Quint. 10, 1, 6; 7, 1, 4; Liv. 10, 25, 12: ut ea ne in conspectu quidem relinquantur, never come into consideration, are scarcely observed, Cic. Fin. 5, 31, 93.
    1. B. In Gellius concr., like the Gr. σύνοψις, a short view, sketch, synopsis, Gell. 17, 21, 2; 19, 10, 3.

1. con-spĭcĭo, spexi, spectum, 3, v. a. and n., to look at attentively, to get sight of, to descry, perceive, observe (class. in prose and poetry).

  1. I. Lit.
    1. A. In gen.
          1. (α) Absol.: inter eas regiones, quā oculi conspiciant, Varr. L. L. 7, § 9 Müll.: in tabernam, Petr. 140, 14.
          2. (β) With acc.: me interrogas, Qui ipsus equidem nunc primum istanc tecum conspicio semul, Plaut. Am. 2, 2, 122: quae aedes … quas quotiensquomque conspicio, fleo, id. Capt. 1, 1, 29: si queat usquam Conspicere amissum fetum, Lucr. 2, 358: quandoque te in jure conspicio, Leg. Act. ap. Cic. Caecin. 19, 54, and id. Mur. 12, 26: ut procul novum vehiculum Argonautarum e monte conspexit, Cic. N. D. 2, 35, 89: quisque … quae prima signa conspexit, ad haec constitit, Caes. B. G. 2, 21: quos cum apud se in castris Ariovistus conspexisset, id. ib. 1, 47: ubi primum nostros equites conspexerunt, id. ib. 4, 12; 2, 26: sidus in regione caeli, etc., Plin. 2, 25, 23, § 94: qui lucus ex insulā conspiciebatur, Nep. Milt. 7, 3: conspici inter se, to be visible to one another, Liv. 37, 41, 4: cum inter se conspecti essent, id. 33, 6, 4: hunc simulac cupido conspexit lumine virgo, Cat. 64, 86: conspectis luminibus crebris, Liv. 31, 24, 7: locum insidiis conspeximus ipsi, Verg. A. 9, 237: quae mihi tunc primum, tunc est conspecta supremum, Ov. M. 12, 526: super tabernaculum … unde ab omnibus conspici posset, imago Solis fulgebat, Curt. 3, 3, 8: conspecto delatore ejus, Suet. Dom. 11: rugas in speculo, Ov. M. 15, 232: cornua in undā, id. ib. 1, 640: arcem, id. ib. 2, 794: scopulum, id. ib. 4, 731.
            Of an inanimate subject: si illud signum (Jovis) solis ortum et forum curiamque conspiceret, Cic. Cat. 3, 8, 20.
            With two accus., when an action, condition, etc., is the object: quam (matrem) paucis ante diebus laureatam in suā gratulatione conspexit, eandem, etc. … eundem (filium) spoliatum omni dignitate conspiciat, Cic. Mur. 41, 88: strata volgi pedibus detrita viarum Saxea, Lucr. 1, 315: superiora loca multitudine armatorum completa, Caes. B. G. 3, 3: quos laborantes, id. ib. 4, 26: aliquos ex nave egredientes, id. ib.: aliquem conspiciens ad se ferentem, Nep. Dat. 4, 5: naves suas oppletas serpentibus, id. Hann. 11, 6: (Hannibalem) humi jacentem, Liv. 21, 4, 7: adrasum quendam, Hor. Ep. 1, 7, 49; cf., pass.: quamvis non alius flectere equum sciens Aeque conspicitur, id. C. 3, 7, 26: cum interim Metellus, monte degrediens cum exercitu, conspicitur, Sall. J. 49, 5 dub.; v. conspicor: terribilior niger conspicitur (canis), Col. 7, 12, 4.
          3. (γ) With acc. and inf.: corpus ut exanimum siquod procul ipse jacere Conspicias hominis, Lucr. 6, 706: qui nostros victores flumen transisse conspexerant, Caes. B. G. 2, 24: centum procurrere currus, Cato, 64, 389; Plin. 2, 9, 6, § 45.
    2. B. Pregn., to look at with admiration or close attention, to gaze upon, observe, contemplate.
          1. (α) Act.: quid nunc supina sursum in caelum conspicis? Plaut. Cist. 2, 3, 78: orabat, ne se, quem paulo ante cum egregiā stirpe conspexissent, orbum liberis facerent, Liv. 1, 26, 9: Demetrium ut pacis auctorem cum ingenti favore conspiciebant, id. 39, 53, 2: quem cum omnes conspicerent propter novitatem ornatūs ignotamque formam, Nep. Dat. 3, 3: cum bene notum Porticus Agrippae te conspexerit, Hor. Ep. 1, 6, 26.
          2. (β) Esp. pass.: conspici, to attract attention, to be conspicuous, noticed, observed, distinguished, admired: inania sunt ista … delectamenta paene puerorum, captare plausus, vehi per urbem, conspici velle, Cic. Pis. 25, 60: in gestu nec venustatem conspiciendam, nec turpitudinem esse, Auct. Her. 3, 15, 26: sic quisque hostem ferire, murum adscendere, conspici dum tale facinus faceret, properabat, Sall. C. 7, 6: supellex modica, non multa, ut in neutram partem conspici posset, Nep. Att. 13, 5: quid te ut regium juvenem conspici sinis? Liv. 1, 47, 5: maxime conspectus ipse est, curru equis albis juncto urbem invectus, id. 5, 23, 5: vestitus nihil inter aequales excellens, arma atque equi conspiciebantur, id. 21, 4, 8; 5, 52, 3; 39, 6, 9: quorum Conspicitur nitidis fundata pecunia villis, Hor. Ep. 1, 15, 46: tu formosissimus alto Conspiceris caelo ( = inter deos versaris), Ov. M. 4, 19: prima bonis animi conspicerere tui, id. Tr. 1, 6, 34; Vell. 2, 91, 4; Quint. 11, 3, 137.
            Less freq. in an unfavorable sense, to be notorious, to be gazed at with dislike or contempt: carere me adspectu civium quam infestis oculis omnium conspici mallem, Cic. Cat. 1, 7, 17: ne quid faciat, quod conspici et derideri posset, Aug. ap. Suet. Claud. 4.
  2. II. Trop., to perceive mentally, to understand, comprehend: satis in rem quae sint meam ego conspicio mihi, Plaut. Trin. 3, 2, 10: quantum ego nunc corde conspicio meo, id. Ps. 3, 1, 3; cf.: ut conspiciatis eum mentibus, quoniam oculis non potestis, Cic. Balb. 20, 47: nullus error talis in L. Aemilio Paulo conspectus est, Val. Max. 7, 5, 3.
    Hence,
    1. A. conspĭcĭens, entis, P. a. (acc. to II. B.), having understanding, intelligent: ad quas (contumelias) despiciendas non sapiente opus est viro, sed tantum conspiciente, Sen. Const. 16, 3 Haase (al. consipiente).
    2. B. conspectus, a, um, P. a.
      1. 1. (Acc. to I. A. 1.) Visible: tumulus hosti conspectus, Liv. 22, 24, 5; cf. id. 10, 40, 8; 32, 5, 13: agmina inter se satis conspecta, id. 22, 4, 6.
      2. 2. (Acc. to I. B.) Striking, distinguished, remarkable, gazed at, = conspicuus (perh. not ante-Aug.): Pallas chlamyde et pictis conspectus in armis, Verg. A. 8, 588 (conspicuus, conspicabilis, Serv.); so, victor Tyrio in ostro, id. G. 3, 17; cf. Hor. A. P. 228: juventus, Ov. M. 12, 553: patris avique fama conspectum eum faciebat, Liv. 45, 7, 3: conspectus elatusque supra modum hominis privati, id. 4, 13, 3.
        Comp., Ov. M. 4, 796; Liv. 2, 5, 5; Tac. H. 4, 11; Just. 11, 5; Juv. 8, 140 al.
        Sup. and adv. apparently not in use.
    3. C. conspĭcĭendus, a, um, P. a. (acc. to I. B.), worth seeing, worthy of attention, distinguished (perh. not ante-Aug.): insideat celeri conspiciendus equo, Tib. 1, 2, 70: Nemesis donis meis, id. 2, 3, 52: Hyas formā, Ov. F. 5, 170: mater formosa Inter Dictaeos greges, id. ib. 5, 118: eques, id. Tr. 2, 114: opus vel in hac magnificentiā urbis, Liv. 6, 4, 11; Val. Fl. 1, 261; Mart. 9, 50, 10.