ăd-ĭpiscor, eptus, 3, v. dep. [apiscor], to arrive at, to reach.
I Lit.: occepi sequi; vix adipiscendi potestas fuit, Plaut. Ep. 1, 1, 13.—Hence also with acc., to reach , to overtake : fugientes Gallos Macedones adepti ceciderunt, Liv. 44, 28; cf. Drak. ad Liv. 2, 30, 14.—Far oftener,
II Fig., to attain to by effort , to get , obtain , acquire , to get possession of (by overcoming natural obstacles; diff. from impetrare , to reach or obtain by victory over another's will; and nancisci , by accident, Doed. Syn. III. pp. 145, 146; IV. p. 369): nuptias effugere ego istas malo quam tu adipiscier, Ter. And. 332: senectutem ut adipiscantur, omnes optant; eandem accusant adepti, Cic. de Sen. 2, 4: summos honores a populo Romano, id. Clu. 43: amplissimos dignitatis gradus, id. Fam. 10, 6: gloriam, Vulg. Eccli. 44, 7; 46, 3: quanta instrumenta (homo) habeat ad obtinendam adipiscendamque sapientiam, Cic. Leg. 1, 22, 59 al.; so Caes. B. G. 5, 39; Nep. Them. 9; id. Chabr. 2; Sall. C. 11, 7; Liv. 1, 32; Vell. 2, 116; Tac. A. 11, 22; Suet. Aug. 16; Vulg. Heb. 6, 15.— With ex : adeptum esse omnia e natura et animo et corpore et vitā, Cic. Ac. 1, 5, 19; cf. id. Leg. 1, 13, 35; 2, 23, 59.—With ut. adepti sunt, ut dies festos agitare possent, Cic. Verr. 2, 2, 21.— Absol. : non potestis adipisci, Vulg. Jac. 4, 2.☞
a iis adipiscendi magistratus, they should strive for public honors (the consequens for the antecedens ), Cic. Off. 1, 21, 72.—
b Nero in adipiscenda morte (Epaphroditi) manu adjutus existimabatur, i. e. consciscenda, in committing suicide , Suet. Dom. 14 Oud.; cf. Ov. Tr. 2, 92; Front. 4, 4, 15; and: invenire mortem, Verg. A. 2, 645. —
c Pass. : non aetate, verum ingenio, adipiscitur sapientia, Plaut. Trin. 2, 2, 88: haec adipiscuntur, C. Fannius ap. Prisc. p. 791 P.: amitti magis quam adipisci, Fab. Maximus, ib.; so esp. adeptus, Cic. de Sen. 2, 4; Sall. C. 7; id. J. 101; Tac. A. 1, 7, 9; Suet. Tib. 38; cf. Gell. 15, 13; Prisc. 790 sq.; Rudd. I. p. 288; Kritz ad Sall. C. 7, 3.—
d With gen.: arma, quīs Galba rerum adeptus est, Tac. A. 3, 55; id. ib. 6, 45 (here Halm reads apisceretur ); Rudd. II. p. 120; Zumpt, § 466.