circum-spĭcĭo, exi, ectum, 3 (perf. sync. circumspexti, Ter. Ad. 689; inf. sync. circumspexe, Varr. ap. Non. p. 106, 16, or Sat. Men. 82), v. n. and a. (class.).
I Neutr. , to look about one’s self , to cast a look around; or, with an obj.-clause , to observe , see , look about : circumspicedum, numquis est, Sermonem nostrum quiaucupet, see whether there is any one , Plaut. Most. 2, 2, 41; 2, 2, 43; Ter. And. 357; Varr. l. l.: suus conjux ubi sit circumspicit, Ov. M. 1, 605: circumspicere late, Quint. 10, 3, 29: num quid circumspexti? Ter. Ad. 689: diversi circumspiciunt, Verg. A. 9, 416: qui in auspicium adhibetur nec suspicit nec circumspicit, Cic. Div. 2, 34, 72: circumspicit, aestuat, of one in trouble or perplexity, id. Rosc. Com. 14, 43; cf. Liv. 21, 22, 7.—
β Sometimes circumspicere se, to look about one’s self : circumspicedum te, ne quis adsit arbiter, Plaut. Trin. 1, 2, 109; Varr. ap. Non. p. 106, 16; Auct. B. Afr. 47: numquamne te circumspicies? Cic. Par. 4, 2, 30.—In partic., to look about one’s self with haughtiness; to think highly of one’s self : usque eone te diligis et magnifice circumspicis? Cic. Rosc. Com. 2, 5; and trop. of language: Romanus sermo magis se circumspicit et aestimat praebetque aestimandum, Sen. Ep. 40, 11.—
B Trop., to exercise foresight , be cautious , take heed : esse circumspiciendum diligenter, ut, etc., Cic. Q. Fr. 1, 1, 3, § 10: cui mandetis (rempublicam) circumspicite Sall. H. 2, 41, 10 Dietsch.—Esp. freq.,
II Act. , to view on all sides , to survey : cum sua quisque miles circumspiceret, looked carefully to see , Caes. B. G. 5, 31; Liv. 9, 28, 5: tam latā acie ne ex medio quidem cornua sua circumspicere poterant, Liv. 37, 41, 4: lucos, Ov. M. 5, 265: amictus, to review , id. ib. 4, 318; so, habitum suum, Plin. Ep. 4, 11, 3; cf. under circumspectus, adv.—
2 To descry , get sight of by looking around : saxum circumspicit ingens, Verg. A. 12, 896: Athin, Ov. M. 5, 72.—
B Transf., of things: in latus omne patens turris circumspicit undas, Ov. H. 6, 69.—
C Trop.
1 To view something mentally , to survey , ponder upon , weigh , consider (syn.: considero, perpendo): reliqua ejus consilia animo circumspiciebat, Caes. B. G. 6, 5: circumspicite paulisper mentibus vestris hosce ipsos homines, Cic. Sull. 25, 70; cf. se, id. Par. 4, 2, 30: neque temere consulem saltatorem vocare, sed circumspicere, quibus praeterea vitiis adfectum esse necesse sit eum, etc., id. Mur. 6, 13.—So with rel. -clause , Sall. H. 2, 41 Dietsch; Sen. Ep. 70, 5; Calp. Ecl. 5, 95: circumspectis rebus omnibus rationibusque subductis summam feci, Cic. Fam. 1, 9, 10: permulta sunt in causis circumspicienda, ne quid offendas, id. de Or. 2, 74, 301; id. Agr. 1, 8, 23; id. Fam. 5, 13, 3: circumspicite celeriter animo, qui sint rerum exitus consecuti, id. Leg. 2, 17, 42: vide, quaere, circumspice, si quis est forte ex eā provinciā qui te nolit perisse, id. Verr. 2, 3, 77, § 180; id. Clu. 53, 147; id. Cat. 4, 2, 4; Liv. 23, 20, 6; cf. Tac. H. 2, 6; Suet. Aug. 63.—With ut and subj., Cic. Q. Fr. 1, 1, 3, § 10; Ov. Tr. 1, 1, 87: cum circumspicerent Patres quosnam consules facerent, Liv. 27, 34, 1.—
2 To look about for something with desire , to seek for , etc. (so mostly since the Aug. per.): nec, sicut aestivas aves, statim auctumno tecta ac recessum circumspicere, Liv. 5, 6, 2; 7, 14, 6: externa auxilia, id. 1, 30, 6; cf. Just. 22, 5, 4: fugam, Tac. A. 14, 35; Just. 2, 12, 26: novas belli causas, id. 31, 1, 8; Verg. G. 3, 390; Plin. Ep. 3, 3, 3: peregrinos reges sibi, Just. 40, 1, 1; 22, 5, 4: viresque suas circumspectantes his validiores, Amm. 22, 8, 18.
X —Hence, circumspectus , a, um, P. a.
A Of things, weighed with care , well considered , guarded , circumspect (perh. not ante - Aug.): verba non circumspecta, Ov. F. 5, 539: judicium, Quint. 10, 1, 26: interrogatio, id. 5, 7, 31: moderatio animi, Val. Max. 4, 3, 4: circumspectissima sanctio decreti, id. 1, 1, 20.—
2 Transf. to the person who carefully weighs a thing, circumspect , considerate , cautious , wary , provident , heedful : modo circumspectus et sagax, modo inconsultus et praeceps, Suet. Claud. 15: circumspectissimus et prudentissimus princeps, id. Tib. 21: tenues et circumspecti, Quint. 12, 10, 23; Cels. 3, 9 fin. : omnes, Col. 1, 8, 16; 1, 7, 12: sive aliquis circumspectior est, Sen. Q. N. 5, 1, 5.—Of dogs: assidui et circumspecti magis quam temeraril, Col. 7, 12, 5.—
B In late Lat., worthy of consideration , respected , distinguished : circumspectum et verecundum nomen populi Romani, Amm. 14, 6, 6: colores, id. 28, 4, 12: circumspectus genere, famā potentiāque, id. 18, 10, 1.
XIV —Hence, circumspectē , adv., with consideration , with mature deliberation , warily , cautiously , considerately , circumspectly , etc.: circumspecte compositeque indutus et amictus, Gell. 1, 5, 2 (cf. supra, II. D.): circumspecte vestiti, Amm. 27, 3, 14: circumspecte facti versus, Gell. 9, 10, 6: facere aliquid, Dig. 4, 4, 7, § 8: parcius et circumspectius faciendum est, * Quint. 9, 2, 69: circumspectius donare, eligere eos, in quos merita conferantur, Sen. Ben. 3, 14, 1.