con-sterno, strāvi, strātum, 3, v. a.
I To strew over, cover by strewing, bestrew, to thatch, floor, pave, spread, cover (class. in prose and poetry).
α With abl.: tabernacula caespitibus, Caes. B. C. 3, 96: cubilia gallinarum paleis, Col. 8, 5, 3: stabula culmis, id. 7, 3, 8: aream silice, id. 1, 6, 23: specus molli fronde, Plin. 8, 36, 54, § 127: nidum mollibus plumis, id. 10, 33, 49, § 92: contabulationem summam lateribus lutoque, Caes. B. C. 2, 9: haec longuriis cratibusque, id. B. G. 4, 17: mare classibus, Liv. 35, 49, 5; Curt. 9, 6, 7: amnis constratus navigiis, id. 9, 8, 5: cubile purpureā veste, Cat. 64, 163: ossaeis aethera saxis, Verg. Cir. 33: omnia constrata telis, armis, cadaveribus, Sall. J. 101, 11: campos milite, Sil. 1, 125: forum corporibus civium caede nocturnā, Cic. Sest. 39, 85: late terram tergo, Verg. A. 12, 543; cf.: terram gravi casu, * Lucr. 5, 1332; and: terram gravi corpore, Cic. Arat. 433: paludem pontibus, Hirt. B. G. 8, 14.—
β Without abl.: frumentum vias omnes constraveras, Cic. Div. 1, 32, 69: terram frondes altae, Verg. A. 4, 444: triclinium, Varr. L. L. 9, § 9 Müll.; cf.: lectum, Ap. Met. 9, 2, 29; ratem pontis in modum humo injecta, Liv. 21, 28, 7.—Hence, constrata navis, covered, having a deck , Cic. Verr. 2, 5, 40, § 104; Caes. B. C. 3, 27; Auct. B. Alex. 11; Liv. 35, 46, 3; cf. vehicula, Curt. 9, 10, 25.—Hence,
2 constrā-tum , i, n. subst.,
a A covering : pontium, Liv. 30, 10, 14.—
b A deck : puppis, Petr. 100, 3: navis, id. ib. § 6.—
II To throw down, prostrate, level (very rare). *
A Lit.: tempestas in Capitolio aliquot signa constravit, Liv. 40, 45, 3; cf.: culcitae humi constratae, Jul. Epit. Nov. c. 4, § 15: montes erigat, campos tendat, maria consternat, levels , Lact. 3, 24, 8: Ephesus et Nicomedia constratae terrae motu, Aur. Vict. Caes. 16, 12.—
B Trop.: constrata ira, moderated, subdued (the figure taken from animals conquered in combat), Stat. S. 2, 5, 1.