Lewis & Short

1. compăro (conp-), āvi, ātum, 1, v. a. [compar], to couple together in the same relation, to connect in pairs, to pair, match, unite, join; constr. aliquid cum aliquā re, alicui rei, aliqua inter se, or absol.

  1. I. Lit. (rare but class.).
    1. A. In gen.: ut inter ignem et terram aquam deus animamque poneret, eaque inter se compararet et proportione conjungeret, ut, etc., Cic. Univ. 5 med.: comparari postremo, id. ib. 5: ambo cum simul aspicimus, non possumus non vereri, ne male comparati sitis, Liv. 40, 46, 4: L. Volumnius cum Ap. Claudio consul est factus, priore item consulatu inter se conparati, id. 10, 15, 12: labella cum labellis, Plaut. As. 3, 3, 78: quin meum senium cum dolore tuo conjungam et comparem, Att. ap. Non. p. 255, 31 (Trag. Rel. v. 90 Rib.).
      Hence,
    2. B. Esp. of combatants, for the usu. compono, to bring together to a contest, to match: ut ego cum patrono disertissimo comparer, Cic. Quint. 1, 2: cum Aesernino Samnite Pacideianus comparatus, id. Q. Fr. 3, 4, 2; Lucil. ap. Non. p. 257, 18: Scipio et Hannibal, velut ad supremum certamen comparati duces, Liv. 30, 28, 8: hunc Threci comparavit, Suet. Calig. 35.
  2. II. Trop.
    1. A. To couple together in judgment.
      1. 1. To count one object fully equal to another, to place on the same footing, put on an equality with (rare but class.): neminem tibi profecto hominem ex omnibus aut anteposuissem umquam aut etiam comparassem, Cic. Fragm. ap. Non. p. 256, 4; cf. Nep. Iphic. 1, 1; Liv. 28, 28, 15; Quint. 10, 1, 98; Cat. 61, 65 al.: cum quibus (hominibus) comparari sordidum, Cic. Rep. 1, 5, 9; so id. Fam. 12, 30, 7: et se mihi comparat Ajax? Ov. M. 13, 338.
      2. 2. In gen., to place together in comparison, to compare (the usu. signif. of the word in prose and poetry): homo quod rationis est particeps similitudines comparat, Cic. Off. 1, 4, 11: majora, minora, paria, id. de Or. 2, 40, 172; id. Top. 18, 68: metaphora rei comparatur, quam volumus exprimere, Quint. 8, 6, 8.
        With dat.: equi fortis et victoris senectuti, comparat suam, Cic. Sen. 5, 14: si regiae stirpi comparetur ignobilis, Curt. 8, 4, 25: restat ut copiae copiis conparentur vel numero vel, etc., Liv. 9, 19, 1: se majori pauperiorum turbae, Hor. S. 1, 1, 112: Periclem fulminibus et caelesti fragori comparat, Quint. 12, 10, 24; cf. id. 12, 10, 65: necesse est sibi nimium tribuat, qui se nemini comparat, id. 1, 2, 18: nec tantum inutilibus comparantur utilia, sed inter se quoque ipsa, id. 3, 8, 33; cf id. 3, 6, 87.
        With cum and abl.: hominem cum homine et tempus cum tempore et rem cum re, Cic. Dom. 51, 130; id. Verr. 2, 4, 54, § 121: cum illo … ceteris rebus nullo modo comparandus es, id. Phil. 2, 46, 117: cum meum factum cum tuo comparo, id. Fam. 3, 6, 1; id. Off. 3, 1, 2; 2, 6, 20: corporis commoda cum externis et ipsa inter se corporis, id. ib. 2, 25, 88: longiorem orationem cum magnitudine utilitatis, id. ib. 2, 6, 20: victoria, quae cum Marathonio possit comparari tropaeo, Nep. Them. 5, 3: totam causam nostram cum tota adversarii causā, Quint. 7, 2, 22; 12, 7, 3.
        With ad: nec comparandus hic quidem ad illum est, Ter. Eun. 4, 4, 14: sed nihil comparandi causā loquar, I will institute no comparison, Cic. Pis. 1, 3.
        Hence,
      3. 3. With rel.-clause, to reflect, consider, judge; or to prove, show, by comparing (rare): id ego semper mecum sic agito et comparo, quo pacto magnam molem minuam, Att. ap. Non. p. 256, 20: cum comparetur, utrum, etc., Auct. Her. 2, 28, 45: comparando quam intestina corporis seditio similis esset irae plebis in patres, etc., Liv. 2, 32, 12; cf. Tac. A. 3, 5: deinde comparat, quanto plures deleti sint homines, etc., Cic. Off. 2, 5, 16.
    2. B. Comparare inter se, t. t., of colleagues in office, to agree together in respect to the division of duties, to come to an agreement (freq. in Liv., esp. of the consuls, who made an arrangement between themselves in respect to their provinces): inter se decemviri comparabant, quos ire ad bellum, quos praeesse exercitibus oporteret, Liv. 3, 41, 7: senatusconsultum factum est, ut consules inter se provincias Italiam et Macedoniam compararent sortirenturve, id. 42, 31, 1; 8, 20, 3; 32, 8, 1; 33, 43, 2; 26, 8, 8; 41, 6, 1: (consules) comparant inter se ut, etc., id. 8, 6, 13; 10, 15, 12: ut consules sortirentur conparerentve inter se, uter, etc., id. 24, 10, 2; of the tribunes of the people, id. 29, 20, 9; of the proprætors, id. 40, 47, 1.
    3. C. (In acc. with I. B.) Si scias quod donum huic dono contra comparet, opposes to this, Ter. Eun. 2, 3, 63.
      Hence, * compărātē, adv., in or by comparison, comparatively: quaerere (opp. simpliciter), Cic. Top. 22, 84.