Lewis & Short

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posco, pŏposci, 3 (old perf. peposci, Val. Antias ap. Gell. 7, 9, 9), v. inch. a. [for porc-scere; Sanscr. root parkh- prakh-, to ask; cf.: precor, procus, procax], to ask for urgently; to beg, demand, request, desire (syn.: flagito, postulo, peto).

  1. I. In gen., constr. usually with aliquid, aliquem (sibi): aliquid ab aliquo; also with a double acc., with ut, with inf., or with acc. and inf., or wholly absol.: poscere est secundum Varronem, quotiens aliquid pro merito nostro deposcimus: petere vero est cum aliquid humiliter et cum precibus postulamus, Serv. Verg. A. 9, 194.
          1. (α) With acc.: posco atque adeo flagito crimen, Cic. Planc. 19, 48; cf. id. Verr. 2, 5, 28, § 71: argentum, id. ib. 2, 4, 20, § 44; 2, 3, 34, § 78: pugnam, Liv. 2, 45, 6: nec mi aurum posco, Enn. ap. Cic. Off. 1, 12, 38 (Ann. v. 200 Vahl.): si quid poscam, Plaut. Aul. 2, 5, 10: pulvinos, Cic. de Or. 1, 7, 29; id. Planc. 19, 48: vades poposcit, id. Rep. 2, 36, 61; cf.: audaciae partes Roscii sibi poposcerunt, Cic. Rosc. Am. 13, 35: peccatis veniam poscentem (preceded by postulare), Hor. S. 1, 3, 75.
          2. (β) With ab: fac, ut audeat Tibi credere omnia, abs te petere et poscere, Ter. Heaut. 5, 1, 53: diem a praetore peposcit, Val. Antias ap. Gell. 7, 9, 9: abs te litteras, Cic. Verr. 2, 4, 16, § 36; 2, 2, 47, § 117: tutorem ab aliquo, Suet. Aug. 94: bibere a me poscis, Vulg. Joann. 4, 9.
          3. (γ) With a double acc.: parentes pretium pro sepulturā liberum poscere, Cic. Verr. 2, 1, 3, § 7: magistratum nummos, id. ib. 2, 1, 17, § 44: aliquem causam disserendi, id. Tusc. 3, 3, 7: claves portarum magistratus, Liv. 27, 24, 8: non ita creditum Poscis Quintilium deos, Hor. C. 1, 24, 12: cur me in decursu lampada poscis? Pers. 6, 61: poscenti vos rationem, Vulg. 1 Pet. 3, 15.
            Hence, pass.: poscor aliquid, I am asked for something, something is asked or demanded of me (poet. and in post-class. prose): gravidae posceris exta bovis, they ask you for the entrails, Ov. F. 4, 670; cf.: poscor meum Laelapa, they demand of me my Lœlaps, id. M. 7, 771: nec tantum segetes alimentaque debita dives Poscebatur humus, id. ib. 1, 138: quod rationem pecuniae posceretur, Gell. 4, 18, 12; to be called upon or invoked to inspire a poet or to sing: aversus Apollo Poscitur invitā verba pigenda lyrā, Prop. 4 (5), 1, 76 (better reading poscis ab); cf. absol. Palilia poscor: Non poscor frustra; si favet alma Pales, Ov. F. 4, 721; so, poscimur Aonides, Ov. M. 5, 333: poscimur, Hor. C. 1, 32, 1.
          4. (δ) With ut: poscimus, ut cenes civiliter, Juv. 5, 112: poscimus ut sit, etc., id. 7, 71; Tac. H. 2, 39: poposcit, ut haec ipsa quaestio diligentius tractaretur, Aug. Civ. Dei, 2, 21.
            (ε) With inf. or acc. and inf. (poet. and in post-Aug. prose): poscat sibi fabula credit, Hor. A. P. 339; cf.: immolare Fauno, Seu poscat agnā sive malit haedo, id. C. 1, 4, 12: esse sacerdotes delubraque vestra tueri Poscimus, Ov. M. 8, 708: contraque occurrere poscunt, Val. Fl. 4, 194; Pers. 1, 128; Claud. in Eutr. 1, 151.
            In prose: ego vero te etiam morari posco inter voluptates, Sen. Contr. 1, 8; Arn. 7, p. 254. So, too, perh. (acc. to Stephanus’s conjecture): vos fallere poscunt, Rutil. Lup. Fig. 2, 19, p. 181 Frotsch.
            (ζ) Ellipt.: poscunt majoribus poculis, sc. bibere, they challenge to drink from larger goblets, Cic. Verr. 2, 1, 26, § 66.
            (η) Absol., to beg, be a beggar: improbus es, cum poscis, ait. Sed pensio clamat, posce, Juv. 9, 63 sq.
    1. B. Of inanimate and abstract subjects, to demand, require, need: quod res poscere videbatur, Caes. B. G. 7, 1: cum usus poscit, id. ib. 4, 2: quod negotium poscebat, Sail J. 56, 1; 70, 3; Quint. 11, 3, 162 et saep.
  2. II. In partic.
    1. A. To demand for punishment, to ask the surrender of: accusant ii, quos populus poscit, Cic. Rosc. Am. 5, 13; cf.: hujus tantae cladis auctor Annibal poscitur, Flor. 2, 6, 7: nec poscitur auctor, Sil. 2, 44: poscendum poenae juvenem jubebat, id. 1, 677; so Liv. 9, 26.
    2. B. In gen., to call one (ante-class. and poet.): clamore hominem posco, Plaut. Curc. 5, 3, 5: gemitu Alciden, Sen. Herc. Oet. 1887.
      Pass.: ego poscor Olympo (dat. of agent), Olympus calls me, summons me to the combat, Verg. A. 8, 533: poscimur, Ov. M. 2, 144.
      1. 2. In partic., to call upon, invoke: supplex tua numina posco, Verg. A. 1, 666.
    3. C. In selling.
      1. 1. To ask, demand for a thing, to offer at a price: tanti quanti poscit, vin’ tanti illam emi? Plaut. Merc. 2, 4, 22: pro reliquis (libris) idem pretium poposcit, Varr. ap. Lact. 1, 6, 10.
      2. 2. To ask, bid, offer a price for a thing: agite licemini. Qui cenā poscit? ecqui poscit prandio? Plaut. Stich. 1, 3, 68; id. Merc. 2, 3, 101; Plin. 35, 10, 36, § 88.
    4. D. To demand one’s hand, ask in marriage: eam si jubes, frater, tibi me poscere, poscam, Plaut. Aul. 2, 1, 38: filiam tuam mihi uxorem posco, id. ib. 2, 2, 42: tibi permittam, posce, duce, id. Trin. 2, 2, 103: sine dote posco tuam sororem filio, id. ib. 2, 4, 98: tuam sororem uxorem alicui, id. ib. 2, 4, 49.