con-scisco, scīvi or scĭi, scītum, 3, v. a.
I Publicists’ t. t., to approve of, decree, determine or resolve upon something in common : populi jussa vetita quom suffragio consciscentur, Cic. Leg. 3, 3, 10: Senatus populi Romani Quiritium censuit, consensit, conscivit ut bellum cum priscis Latinis fieret, etc. (an old formula for the declaration of war), Liv. 1, 32, 13: Tusci fere omnes consciverant bellum, had decided upon, decreed , id. 10, 18, 2: communi consilio fugam, id. 10, 34, 13: facinus in se ac suos foedum ac ferum, id. 28, 22, 5 Weissenb. ad loc.: causam, Gell. 5, 10, 9 (not consistere; cf. Lachm. ad Lucr. p. 349).—Hence,
II Transf. from the sphere of state affairs; aliquid sibi or absol.; lit., to adjudge, appropriate to one's self (cf. ascisco); hence, with the access. idea of personal action, to inflict or bring upon one's self (most frequently death;—class.).
α With sibi : letum, * Lucr. 3, 81: mortem, to kill one's self , Cic. Clu. 61, 171; id. Verr. 2, 3, 56, § 129; id. Brut. 11, 43; id. Tusc. 1, 34, 83; id. Off. 1, 31, 112; Caes. B. G. 1, 4; Liv. 3, 58, 6; 45, 5, 12: necem, Cic. N. D. 2, 3, 7; Nep. ap. Gell. 7, 18, 11: exsilium, Liv. 10, 17, 2; 29, 36, 12: exsilium ac fugam, to go into voluntary exile , id. 5, 53, 5.—
β Without sibi : letum, Plaut. Mil. 4, 6, 26: mortem, Liv. 9, 26, 7: necem, Suet. Claud. 31, n. 3: fugam, to flee , Liv. 10, 34, 13; 33, 48, 10; Tac. H. 3, 9: caecitatem, Gell. 10, 17, 2.— Pass. : consciscenda mors voluntaria, Cic. Fam. 7, 3, 3: de consciscendā nece cogitare, Suet. Caes. 36: nece conscitā, Plin. 36, 15, 24, § 107 (in Nep. Alcib. 11, 1, conscierunt is a false read. for consentiunt or conspirant; cf. Nipperd. Spicil. ap. Corn. Nep. p. 37 sq.).