Lewis & Short

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.