Lewis & Short

con-stĭtŭo, ŭi, ūtum, 3, v. a. [statuo], to cause to stand, put or lay down, to set, put, place, fix, station, deposit a person or thing somewhere (esp. firmly or immovably), etc. (the act. corresponding to consistere; class.).

  1. I. In gen.
    1. A. Prop.: hominem ante pedes Q. Manilii constituunt, Cic. Clu. 13, 38: vobis (dīs) candentem taurum ante aras, Verg. A. 5, 237: impedimenta, Liv. 44, 36, 6: reliquias praedonum contractas in urbibus, Vell. 2, 32 fin.: unum aliquem lectorem, Quint. 2, 5, 6: velut in aliquā sublimi speculā constitutus, Lact. 2, 2, 18.
    2. B. Trop.: cum hujus vobis adulescentiam proposueritis, constituitote vobis ante oculos etiam hujus miseri senectutem, Cic. Cael. 32, 79.
  2. II. Esp.,
    1. A. Milit. t. t.
      1. 1. To station or post troops somewhere, to draw up, set in order: legionem Caesar passibus CC. ab eo tumulo constituit, Caes. B. G. 1, 43: legiones pro castris in acie, id. ib. 2, 8 fin.; 4, 35: aciem ordinesque intra silvas, id. ib. 2, 19: octo cohortes in fronte, Sall. C. 59, 2: quod reliquum peditum erat, obliquo constituerunt colle, Liv. 28, 33, 8 al.: naves ad latus apertum hostium, Caes. B. G. 4, 25; cf.: naves aperto ac plano litore, id. ib. 4, 23 fin.: naves nisi in alto, id. ib. 4, 24: subsidiarias (naves) in secundo ordine, Auct. B. Alex. 14, 3: classem apud Salamina exadversum Athenas, Nep. Them. 3, 4; cf. id. Alcib. 8, 1: praesidia in Rutenis provincialibus, Caes. B. G. 7, 7.
        Rarely of a single person: se constituere, to station or post one’s self: dum se Gallus iterum eodem pacto constituere studet, Quadrig. ap. Gell. 9, 13, 17.
      2. 2. In contrast with a march, to cause to halt: paulisper agmen constituit, Sall. J. 49, 5; so, agmen, Liv. 35, 28, 8; 38, 25, 12: signa paulisper novitate rei, id. 33, 10, 3; so, signa, id. 34, 20, 4.
        And trop.: si constituitur aliquando (narratio) ac non istā brevitate percurritur, Cic. de Or. 2, 80, 328.
    2. B. With the access. idea of preparation, to set up, erect, establish, found, build, construct, prepare, make, create, constitute (class. and very freq.).
      1. 1. Lit.: genus humanum, quorum omnia causā constituisse deos, Lucr. 2, 175: aggerem apparare, vineas agere, turres duas constituere coepit, Caes. B. G. 7, 17: turres, id. ib. 2, 12: turrim, id. ib. 2, 30: castella ad extremas fossas, id. ib. 2, 8: vineas ac testudines, Nep. Milt. 7, 2: locis certis horrea, Caes. B. C. 3, 42: inane sepulcrum, Ov. M. 6, 568: feralis cupressos, Verg. A. 6, 216: ingentem quercum in tumulo, id. ib. 11, 6: pyras curvo in litore, id. ib. 11, 185: quattuor aras ad alta delubra dearum, id. G. 4, 542; Suet. Aug. 59 fin.: aedem in foro geminis fratribus, id. Caes. 10: castra Romae, id. Tib. 37 et saep.: oppidum, to found, Caes. B. C. 1, 15; Nep. Cim. 2, 2; so, nova moenia, Verg. A. 12, 194; cf.: moenia in Aside terrā, Ov. M. 9, 449: domicilium sibi Magnesiae, Nep. Them. 10, 2: triplex Piraeei portus constitutus est, id. ib. 6, 1: hiberna omnium legionum in Belgis, Caes. B. G. 3, 38: di primum homines humo excitatos celsos et erectos constituerunt, Cic. N. D. 2, 56, 140.
      2. 2. Trop., to bring about, effect, establish, appoint, etc., freq. of judicial determinations, etc.: videte, per deos immortalis, quod jus nobis, quam condicionem vobismet ipsis, quam denique civitati legem constituere velitis, to establish, Cic. Caecin. 14, 40: jus melius Sullanis praediis quam paternis, id. Agr. 3, 3, 10: judicium, id. Part. Or. 28, 99: judicium de pecuniis repetundis, id. Div. in Caecil. 4, 11: judicium capitis in se, id. Verr. 2, 5, 54, § 141: controversiam, id. de Or. 1, 31, 143: quaestionem, Quint. 3, 11, 17; 4, 2, 10: ratiocinationem, id. 5, 14, 12: in hac accusatione comparandā constituendāque laborare, Cic. Verr. 2, 1, 1, § 2; and of persons, to designate, appoint, select, put forward, etc.: accusatorem, id. Div. in Caecil. 3, 10; Quint. 3, 10, 3 (cf.: comparare accusatorem, Cic. Clu. 67, 191): testis, Cic. Verr. 1, 18, 55: tutores pupillis, Dig. 2, 1, 1 et saep.: nuper apud C. Orchivium collegam meum locus ab judicibus Fausto Sullae de pecuniis residuis non est constitutus, no trial of him was permitted, Cic. Clu. 34, 94: reum statim fecit, utique ei locus primus constitueretur impetravit, id. ib. 20, 56: fidem, id. Part. Or. 9, 31; cf. id. Sen. 18, 62: concordiam, id. Att. 8, 11, D, 1: si utilitas amicitiam constituet, tollet eadem, id. Fin. 2, 24, 78: amicitiam tecum, Q. Cic. Pet. Cons. 7, 27 (cf. id. ib. § 25: amicitiae permultae comparantur): libertatem, Cic. Fl. 11, 25: victoriam, id. Rosc. Am. 6, 16: pacem (opp. bellum gerere), id. ib. 8, 22: quantum mali sibi ac liberis suis, id. Verr. 2, 1, 25, § 65.
    3. C. With the access. idea of ordering, contriving, to establish, fix, appoint, settle, order, manage; to confirm, regulate, arrange, dispose.
      1. 1. Lit.: Ti. et C. Gracchos plebem in agris publicis constituisse, to have established, Cic. Agr. 2, 5, 10; cf. id. ib. 2, 31, 83: ibi futuros Helvetios, ubi eos Caesar constituisset, should assign them a permanent abode, Caes. B. G. 1, 13: reges in civitate, Cic. Agr. 2, 6, 15; cf. id. Off. 2, 12, 41: Commium regem ibi, Caes. B. G. 4, 21: decemviralem potestatem in omnibus urbibus, Nep. Lys. 2, 1; cf. Cic. Agr. 2, 7, 17: curatores legibus agrariis, id. ib.; cf.: publice patronum huic causae, id. Mur. 2, 4: regnum alicui, Nep. Chabr. 2, 1 al.: composita et constituta res publica, Cic. Leg. 3, 18, 42; cf.: bene morata et bene constituta civitas, id. Brut. 2, 7; so id. Agr. 2, 5, 10 fin.: civitates, to organize, id. de Or. 1, 9, 35: quis tibi concesserit … reliquas utilitates in constituendis civitatibus … a disertis ornateque dicentibus esse constitutas, id. ib. 1, 9, 36: Chersoneso tali modo constituto, Nep. Milt. 2, 4: res summā aequitate, id. ib. 2, 2; cf.: rem nummariam, Cic. Off. 3, 20, 80: rem familiarem, id. Phil. 11, 2, 4.
      2. 2. Trop.: ineuntis aetatis inscitia senum constituenda et regenda prudentiā est, Cic. Off. 1, 34, 122; cf.: majores vestri majestatis constituendae gratiā bis Aventinum occupavere, Sall. J. 31, 17; Cic. Fam. 15, 4, 6: jam perfectis constitutisque viribus, Quint. 10, 1, 57.
        Pass. impers.: non tam sinistre constitutum est, ut non, etc., i. e. we are not so badly off as not, etc., Plin. Pan. 45, 5.
        Of persons: Athenaeum in maximā apud regem auctoritate gratiāque, Cic. Fam. 15, 4, 6: aliquem sibi quaestoris in loco, id. Verr. 2, 1, 30, § 77: in potestate aliquem, Lact. Epit. 55, 6: constituuntur in honoribus, cum magistratus creantur, Aug. Cont. adv. Leg. 1, 45 al.
    4. D. With the access. idea of limiting, fixing, allotting, to fix, appoint something (for or to something), to settle, agree upon, define, determine.
      1. 1. Lit.: propter dissensionem placuerat dividi thesauros finesque imperii singulis constitui, Sall. J. 12, 1: summum pretium, Cic. Att. 12, 31, 2; cf.: pretium frumento, id. Verr. 2, 3, 73, § 171: certam pecuniam proconsulibus, Suet. Aug. 36; id. Ner. 10: propria loca senatoribus, id. Claud. 21: diem nuptiis, Plaut. Trin. 2, 4, 180; cf.: nuptias in hunc diem, Ter. And. 1, 5, 34: diem concilio, Caes. B. G. 1, 30: diem colloquio, id. ib. 1, 47: posterum diem pugnae, id. ib. 3, 23 fin.: negotio proximum diem, Sall. J. 93, 8: certum tempus ei rei, Caes. B. C. 3, 19: grandiorem aetatem ad consulatum, Cic. Phil. 5, 17, 47: tempus in posterum diem locumque, Liv. 38, 25, 2: postquam ad constitutam non venerat diem, id. 27, 16, 16: locus, tempus constitutum est, Ter. Eun. 3, 4, 3: modum credendi, Cic. Rab. Post. 3, 5: de numero pastorum alii angustius, alii laxius constituunt: ego in octogenas hirtas oves singulos pastores constitui, Atticus in centenas, Varr. R. R. 2, 10, 10.
        1. b. T. t. of the lang. of business, to accord, agree with one in a thing, to appoint, fix, to concert, agree upon, assent to (cf. Gron. Obss. p. 14 sq.); constr. aliquid cum aliquo, alicui, inter se, or with acc. only, or absol.
          1. (α) Cum aliquo: ubiea dies, quam constituerat cum legatis venit, Caes. B. G. 1, 8: pactam et constitutam esse cum Manlio diem, Cic. Cat. 1, 9, 24: constitui cum quodam hospite, Me esse illum conventuram, Ter. Hec. 1, 2, 120: constitui cum hominibus, quo die mihi Messanae praesto essent, Cic. Verr. 2, 2, 27, § 65: cum aliquo, ut, etc., Aug. ap. Suet. Calig. 8; cf. under P. a., B. 2.
          2. (β) Alicui: L. Cincio HS. XXCD. constitui me curaturum Idibus Febr., Cic. Att. 1, 7 init.; id. Off. 1, 10, 32: ubi nocturnae Numa constituebat amicae, Juv. 3, 12; cf.: sane, inquit, vellem non constituissem, in Tusculanum me hodie venturum esse, Laelio, id. de Or. 1, 62, 265.
          3. (γ) With acc. only or absol.: vadimonia constituta, Cic. Sen. 7, 21: de pecuniā constitutā, Dig. 13, tit. 5; Ter. Heaut. 4, 4, 4: (Vaccenses) compositis inter se rebus in diem tertiam constituunt, Sall. J. 66, 2: sic constituunt, sic condicunt, Tac. G. 11; Juv. 6, 487.
            Pass. impers.: Avillius, ut erat constitutum, simulat se aegrotare, Cic. Clu. 13, 37.
      2. 2. Trop.: constituendi sunt qui sint in amicitiā fines deligendi, Cic. Lael. 16, 56: si forte quaereretur quae esset ars imperatoris, constituendum putarem principio, quis esset imperator: qui cum esset constitutus administrator quidam belli gerendi, tum adjungerem, etc. (for which, soon after, definire), id. de Or. 1, 48, 210; cf. C. 1. supra, and Quint. 12, 1, 1: nondum satis constitui molestiaene plus an voluptatis attulerit mihi Trebatius noster, Cic. Fam. 11, 27, 1: ut constitueret, honestum esse aliquid quod, etc., id. Off. 2, 3, 9: bona possessa non esse constitui, id. Quint. 29, 89: de hoc Antigonus cum solus constituere non auderet, ad consilium retulit, Nep. Eum. 12, 1.
    5. E. With the access. idea of resolving, to determine to do something, to take a resolution, to resolve, decide, determine.
          1. (α) With inf.: si quis mare Neptunum Cereremque vocare Constituit fruges, Lucr. 2, 656: cohortes duas in Nantuatibus collocare, Caes. B. G. 3, 1: bellum cum Germanis gerere, id. ib. 4, 6: Romanorum adventum exspectare atque ibi decertare, id. ib. 4, 19: desciscere a rege, Nep. Dat. 5, 5.
          2. (β) With acc. and inf.: audio constitutum esse Pompeio et ejus consilio in Siciliam me mittere, Cic. Att. 7, 7, 4.
          3. (γ) With interrog.-clause: quantum pecuniae quaeque civitas daret, Aristides delectus est, qui constitueret, Nep. Arist. 3, 1.
          4. (δ) With ut: rus uti irem, jam heri constitueram, Plaut. Ps. 1, 5, 136: constitueram, ut pridie Idus Aquini manerem, Cic. Att. 16, 10, 1: constituimus inter nos ut ambulationem conficeremus, id. Fin. 5, 1, 1: Lentulus cum ceteris constituerant, uti, etc., Sall. C. 43, 1.
            Hence, constĭtūtus, a, um, P. a.
    1. A. Adj. (acc. to B.), constituted, arranged, disposed: bene constitutum corpus, Cic. Tusc. 2, 6, 17: viri sapientes et bene naturā constituti, id. Sest. 65, 137: quotus quisque philosophorum invenitur, qui sit ita moratus, ita animo ac vitā constitutus, ut ratio postulat, id. Tusc. 2, 4, 11: qui integri sunt et sani et bene constituti de rebus domesticis, id. Sest. 45, 97.
      1. 2. (Acc. to C.) Fixed, established: cursus siderum, Quint. 1, 10, 46: discrimina (opp. fortuita), id. 5, 10, 42: jam confirmatae constitutaeque vocis, id. 11, 3, 29.
    2. B. Subst.: constĭtūtum, i, n.
      1. 1. (Acc. to B.) An institution, ordinance, law (mostly postclass.), Cod. Th. 1, 11, 5; 12, 41, 1.
        1. b. Trop.: cum videas ordinem rerum et naturam per constituta procedere, according to established laws, Sen. Q. N. 3, 16, 2.
      2. 2. (Acc. to D. 1. b.) An agreement, appointment, accommodation; a compact (in good prose): ante rem quaeruntur, quae talia sunt, apparatus, conloquia, locus, constitutum, convivium, Cic. Top. 12, 52; so absol., id. Att. 11, 16, 2; id. Cael. 8, 20: rescripsit constitutum se cum eo habere, id. Att. 12, 23, 3: constitutum factum esse cum servis, ut venirent, etc., id. Cael. 25, 61; and humorously: si quod constitutum cum podagra habes, fac ut in alium diem differas, id. Fam. 7, 4; so, ad constitutum venire, Varr. R. R. 2, 5, 1; Cic. Caecin. 12, 33: se proripu it, Suet. Oth. 6; and without a verb, Cic. Att. 12, 1, 1; Flor. 2, 6, 16 (but in Vell. 2, 110, 1, the better read. is consili).