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.
I Lit. (rare but class.).
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,
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.—
II Trop.
A To couple together in judgment.
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 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. 681: sed nihil comparandi causā loquar, I will institute no comparison , Cic. Pis. 1, 3.— Hence,
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.—
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 propraetors, id. 40, 47, 1.—
C (In acc. with I. B.) Si scias quod donum huic dono contra comparet, opposes to this , Ter. Eun. 354.—Hence, * compărātē , adv., in or by comparison , comparatively : quaerere (opp. simpliciter), Cic. Top. 22, 84.