Lewis & Short

Parsing inflected forms may not always work as expected. If the following does not give the correct word, try Latin Words or Perseus.

2. sector, ātus, 1 (inf. sectarier, Plaut. Mil. 2, 1, 13; id. Rud. 1, 2, 57; Hor. S. 1, 2, 78), v. dep. freq. a. [sequor], to follow continually or eagerly, in a good or bad sense; to run after, attend, accompany; to follow after, chase, pursue (freq. and class.).

  1. I. Lit.
    1. A. In gen.: equidem te jam sector quintum hunc annum, Plaut. Pers. 2, 1, 5: servum misi, qui sectari solet meum gnatum, id. Ep. 3, 4, 50: Chrysogonum (servi), Cic. Rosc. Am. 28, 77: praetorem circum omnia fora, id. Verr. 2, 2, 70, § 169: si mercede conducti obviam candidatis issent, si conducti sectarentur, id. Mur. 32, 67: at sectabuntur multi, id. ib. 33, 70: neque te quisquam stipator Praeter Crispinum sectabitur, Hor. S. 1, 3, 139: equitum manus quae regem ex more sectatur, Tac. A. 15, 2; 15, 33 fin.; Gell. 20, 6, 1 et saep.: mulieres sectarier, to run after, Plaut. Mil. 2, 1, 13; 3, 1, 183; cf.: desine matronas sectarier, Hor. S. 1, 2, 78: ipse suas sectatur oves, at filius agnos, accompanies, guards, Tib. 1, 10, 41: aratrum, to follow the plough, id. 2, 3, 7: canes, to follow the hounds (that hunt on before), Prop. 3, 14 (4, 13), 14: aliquem, to run after, pursue, Plaut. Cist. 2, 2, 1: servum, Cato ap. Gell. 17, 6, 3: homo ridicule insanus, qui ejusmodi est, ut eum pueri sectentur, Cic. Verr. 2, 4, 66, § 148: ne scuticā dignum horribili sectere flagello, Hor. S. 1, 3, 119: exagitet nostros Manes sectetur et umbras, etc., Prop. 2, 8, 19 (2, 8 b, 19).
      To visit a place gladly, to frequent: gymnasia, Plin. Ep. 1, 22, 6.
      Absol.: homo coepit me obsecrare, Ut sibi liceret discere id de me: sectari jussi (alluding to the train of followers who accompanied the ancient philosophers), Ter. Eun. 2, 2, 31; id. Phorm. 1, 2, 36: at sectabantur multi … Quid opus est sectatoribus? (of the train of a candidate) Cic. Mur. 34, 71.
    2. B. In partic., to pursue, chase, hunt animals: sues silvaticos in montibus, Varr. ap. Non. 555, 31: sectaris apros, Verg. E. 3, 75: gallinam, Plaut. Mil. 2, 2, 7: simiam, id. ib. 2, 2, 24; 2, 2, 106; 2, 3, 13 sq.; 2, 6, 25: leporem, Hor. S. 1, 2, 106; 2, 2, 9 et saep.: cervam videre fugere, sectari canes, Ter. Phorm. prol. 7.
  2. II. Trop., to follow or strive after; to pursue eagerly (not freq. till after the Aug. per.; not in Cic.): quid vos hanc miseram ac tenuem sectamini praedam? * Caes. B. G. 6, 35; so, praedam, Tac. A. 1, 65: facinora, Plaut. Mil. 3, 1, 28: lites, Ter. Phorm. 2, 3, 61: nomina tironum, Hor. S. 1, 2, 16: sectantem levia nervi Deficiunt, id. A. P. 26: gymnasia aut porticus, Plin. Ep. 1, 22, 6: omnes dicendi Veneres, Quint. 10, 1, 79; cf.: quas figuras, id. 9, 3, 100: voluptatem, id. 10, 1, 28: eminentes virtutes, to seek out, Tac. A. 1, 80: contumaciam sententiarum, habitum vultumque ejus, to seek to imitate, id. ib. 16, 22: praecepta salubria, Suet. Aug. 89: commoda, id. ib. 25: luxuriosa convivia, Just. 11, 10, 2: in alienis eripiendis vitam sectari, id. 27, 2, 8.
          1. (β) With a rel. or subj.-clause, to hunt or track out, busy one’s self: mitte sectari, rosa quo locorum Sera moretur, Hor. C. 1, 38, 3: non ut omnia dicerem sectatus, sed ut maxime necessaria, Quint. 1, 10, 1.
            Note: In a pass. signif.: qui vellet se a cane sectari, Varr. R. R. 2, 9, 6.