con-tendo, di, tum, 3, v. a. and n., to stretch, stretch out vigorously, to draw tight, strain.
I Lit. (rare and mostly poet.): arcum, Verg. A. 12, 815; Ov. M. 6, 286; id. R. Am. 435: tormenta, Sisen. ap. Non. p. 258, 27; Cic. Tusc. 2, 24, 57: muscipula, Lucil. ap. Non. p. 181, 31: tenacia vincla, Verg. G. 4, 412: ilia risu, Ov. A. A. 3, 285: pontem in alto, Enn. ap. Varr. L. L. 7, § 21 Müll. (Ann. v. 358 Vahl.): oculi contendunt se, Lucr. 4, 810.— Of stringed instruments, to tune by stretching the strings : ut in fidibus pluribus, si nulla earum ita contenta nervis sit, ut concentum servare possit, Cic. Fin. 4, 27, 75; cf. infra, P. a.—
B Meton.
1 (Causa pro effectu.) Of weapons, to shoot, hurl, dart, throw : infensam hastam, Verg. A. 10, 521: tela, id. ib. 12, 815: sagittas nervo, Sil. 1, 323: telum aërias in auras, Verg. A. 5, 520. —
2 Of places, neutr., to stretch, reach, extend : haec patulum vallis contendit in orbem, Calp. Ecl. 7, 30: Cappadocum gens usque ad Cyrresticam ejus regionem parte suā, quae vocatur Cataonia, contendit, Plin. 6, 8, 8, § 24.—
II Trop. (freq. in prose and poetry); act., to strain eagerly, to stretch, exert, to direct one's mental powers to something, to pursue or strive for earnestly; or neutr., to exert one's self, to strive zealously for something , etc.
A In gen.
1 Act.
α With acc.: magnum fortasse onus, verum tamen dignum, in quo omnis nervos aetatis industriaeque meae contenderem, Cic. Verr. 1, 12, 35; cf.: contendit omnis nervos Chrysippus, ut persuadeat, etc., id. Fat. 10, 21: summas vires de palmā, Lucr. 4, 990: animum in curas, Ov. P. 1, 5, 11: quo se dira libido, Lucr. 4, 1043: tamen id sibi contendendum aut aliter non transducendum exercitum existimabat, Caes. B. G. 4, 17; cf.: id contendere et laborare, ne ea, etc., id. ib. 1, 31; Cic. Verr. 2, 2, 21, § 52: et petere imperium populi et contendere honores, Varr. ap. Non. p. 259, 32.—
β With inf., to exert one's self vigorously to do something, to apply one's self with zeal to, to go to : hunc locum duabus ex partibus oppugnare contendit, Caes. B. G. 5, 21: summā vi transcendere in hostium naves, id. ib. 3, 15: fugā salutem petere, id. ib. al.; Quint. 10, 1, 125: neque ego nunc hoc contendo ... mutare animum, sed, etc., Cic. Q. Fr. 1, 1, 13, § 38.—
2 Neutr. : quantum coniti animo potes, quantum labore contendere ... tantum fac ut efficias, Cic. Off. 3, 2, 6.— With ut : quantum potero voce contendam, ut populus hoc Romanus exaudiat, Cic. Lig. 3, 6; so, remis, ut eam partem insulae caperet, Caes. B. G. 5, 8 et saep.: contende quaeso atque elabora, ut, etc., Cic. Q. Fr. 1, 1, 14, § 42.— Absol. : vociferarer et, quantum maxime possem, contenderem, Cic. Fl. 16, 38 al.: non possis oculo quantum contendere Lynceus (= collineare), to aim at , Hor. Ep. 1, 1, 28.—
B In partic.,
1 To direct or bend one's course eagerly somewhere; or, neutr., to strive to get to a place, to seek to arrive at, to go, march , or journey hastily to , etc.
a Act.
α With acc. (very rare): rectā plateā cursum suum, Plaut. Cist. 2, 1, 58: nocte unā tantum itineris, Cic. Rosc. Am. 34, 97.—
β With inf. (freq.): Bibracte ire, Caes. B. G. 1, 23; so, ire cum his legionibus, id. ib. 1, 10: in Britanniam proficisci, id. ib. 4, 20: in provinciam reverti, id. ib. 3, 6 fin. : Dyrrhachium petere, Cic. Planc. 41, 97; cf.: proxima litora petere cursu, Verg. A. 1, 158; and: iter a Vibone Brundisium terrā petere, Cic. Planc. 40, 96 Wund.—
b Neutr. (so most freq.): in Italiam magnis itineribus, Caes. B. G. 1, 10; cf.: huc magnis itineribus, id. ib. 1, 38 fin. : huc magno cursu, id. ib. 3, 19: inde in Italiam, id. ib. 1, 33: in fines Sigambrorum, id. ib. 4, 18: in castra, id. ib. 4, 37: ex eo loco ad flumen, id. ib. 2, 9: ad Rhenum finesque Germanorum, id. ib. 1, 27 fin. : ad oppidum Noviodunum, id. ib. 2, 12: ad castra, id. ib. 2, 19 fin. ; 3, 24 fin. : ad hostes, id. ib. 5, 9: ad Amanum, Cic. Att. 5, 20, 3: Tarentum ad Heraclidem Ponticum, Varr. ap. Non. p. 260, 19: Lacedaemonem, Nep. Cim. 3, 3: domum, Caes. B. G. 2, 24 fin. et saep.: ad ultimum animo, Cic. Mur. 31, 65; cf.: magna spectare atque ad ea rectis studiis contendere, id. Off. 2, 13, 44: ad summam laudem gloriamque maximis laboribus et periculis, id. Phil. 14, 12, 32: ad salutem, Caes. B. G. 3, 3 fin. —
2 ( Neutr. ) To measure or try one's strength with , with weapons, by words, in action, etc.; to strive, dispute, fight, contend against, vie with; constr. with cum aliquo, contra or adversus aliquem , the dat., inter se , or absol.
α Cum aliquo : neque post id tempus umquam summis nobiscum copiis hostes contenderunt, Caes. B. G. 5, 17 fin. ; 1, 36: cum Sequanis bello, id. ib. 7, 67 fin. : cum eo armis, Cic. Att. 7, 9, 2: cum magnis legionibus parvā manu, Sall. C. 53, 3: cum barbaro, Nep. Con. 4, 3: cum victore, Hor. S. 1, 9, 42: mecum ingenio et arte, Prop. 2 (3), 24, 23 al.: cum eo de principatu, Nep. Arist. 1, 1; cf. id. Ages. 1, 4 al.: divitiis et sumptibus, non probitate neque industriā cum majoribus suis, Sall. J. 4, 7: humilitas cum dignitate et amplitudine, Cic. Rosc. Am. 47, 136.—So with acc. of neutr. pron. : tamenne vereris, ut possis haec contra Hortensium contendere? Cic. Quint. 25, 78.—
β Contra aliquem : contra populum Romanum armis, Caes. B. G. 2, 13: tauri pro vitulis contra leones summā vi impetuque contendunt, Cic. Fin. 3, 20, 66: contra vim gravitatemque morbi, id. Phil. 9, 7, 15: nihil contra naturam universam, id. Off. 1, 31, 110; Cat. 64, 101.—*
γ Adversus aliquem : non contendam ego adversus te, Anton. ap. Cic. Att. 14, 13, A, 2.—
δ With dat. (poet.): hirundo cycnis, Lucr. 3, 6: Homero, Prop. 1, 7, 3; 1, 14, 7: Pindaricis plectris, Stat. S. 1, 3, 101.—
ε Inter se : hi cum tantopere de potentatu inter se multos annos contenderent, Caes. B. G. 1, 31, 4; 1, 5, 3: viribus inter se, Lucr. 3, 784.— Impers. : interim proelio equestri inter duas acies contendebatur, the contest was carried on , Caes. B. G. 2, 9.—
ζ Absol. : proelio, Caes. B. G. 1, 48; 1, 50 fin. ; 3, 28 al.: magis virtute quam dolo, id. ib. 1, 13; Nep. Epam. 2, 5: translatio non habet quaestionem, de quā contendit orator, sed propter quam contendit, Quint. 3, 6, 72; cf. id. 6, 1, 50; 7, 9, 3 al.— Impers. : summo jure contenditur, Cic. Caecin. 23, 65: de his lite contenditur, Quint. 3, 4, 8: de personis judicatur, sed de rebus contenditur, id. 10, 5, 13.—*
b In auctions, to vie with in bidding, to bid against : is liceri non destitit; illi quoad videbatur ferri aliquo modo posse, contenderunt, Cic. Verr. 2, 3, 42, § 99.—
3 ( Act. ) To place together in comparison, to compare, contrast; constr. with cum, ad , the dat., or acc. only.
α With cum : tuam iram contra cum ira Liberi, Naev. ap. Non. p. 259, 7; Caecil. ib. p. 259, 1: id cum defensione nostrā, Cic. Rosc. Am. 33, 93: rationem meam cum tuā ratione, id. N. D. 3, 4, 10; Tac. A. 4, 32 al.: suam vitam mecum, Licinius, Macer. ap. Non. p. 259, 3.—*
β With ad : ut vim contendas tuam ad majestatem viri, Att. ap. Non. p. 259, 5 (Trag. Rel. v. 648 Rib.).—
γ With dat.: Thestiadas Ledae, Lucil. ap. Non. p. 258, 30: vellera potantia Aquinatem fucum Sidonio ostro, Hor. Ep. 1, 10, 26; Aus. Grat. Act. 14 al.—
δ With acc. only: anulum, Plaut. Fragm. ap. Non. p. 258, 29: ipsas causas, quae inter se confligunt, Cic. Cat. 2, 11, 25: leges, id. Inv. 2, 49, 145: suam quaeque nobilitatem, formam, opes, Tac. A. 12, 1: vetera et praesentia, id. ib. 13, 3.—
4 ( Act. ) To demand, ask, solicit, entreat, beg earnestly, to seek to gain : cum a me peteret et summe contenderet, ut suum propinquum defenderem, Cic. Quint. 24, 77: verecundius a te, si quae magna res mihi petenda esset, contenderem, id. Fam. 2, 6, 1; so, ab aliquo, Cic. Verr. 2, 2, 53, § 131; id. de Or. 1, 36, 166; id. Rosc. Am. 1, 4; id. Fam. 13, 7, 3; cf.: a magistris de proferendo die, id. ib. 12, 30, 5; id. Q. Fr. 3, 1, 5, § 15: ne quid contra aequitatem, id. Off. 2, 20, 71: omni opere, ut, etc., Suet. Dom. 2: magno opere, ne, etc., id. Aug. 27; id. Vit. 3: pertinaciter, id. Caes. 1.—
5 ( Act. ) To assert, affirm earnestly, to maintain or contend energetically.
α With acc. and inf.: sic ego hoc contendo, me tibi ipsi adversario cujuscumque tribus rationem poposceris redditurum, Cic. Planc. 19, 48; id. Sest. 50, 107; id. Arch. 7, 15: apud eos contendit falsa esse delata, Nep. Them. 7, 2; id. Epam. 8, 1: illud pro me majoribusque meis contendere ausim, nihil nos ... scientes fuisse, Liv. 6, 40, 5; Quint. prooem. § 11; 1, 2, 25; Suet. Calig. 15; id. Dom. 6; Lucr. 5, 1343; Cat. 44, 4; Ov. M. 2, 855; Hor. Ep. 1, 16, 37 al.—
β Absol. (very rare): si manantia corpuscula iter claudunt, ut Asclepiades contendit, Cels. 1, praef. § 28.
XXXIV —Hence, contentus , a, um, P. a.
A Lit., stretched, strained, tense, tight : qui jam contento, jam laxo fune laborat, Hor. S. 2, 7, 20: acies oculorum, Lucr. 1, 325; cf.: contentis oculis prosequi aliquem, Suet. Tib. 7: contentis corporibus facilius feruntur onera (opp. remissa), Cic. Tusc. 2, 23, 54; cf.: contentā cervice trahunt plaustra (boves), Verg. G. 3, 536: Placideiani contento poplite miror Proelia, with the knee stiffly bent , Hor. S. 2, 7, 97.—
B Trop., eager, intent : contenta mens fuit in eā ratione, Lucr. 4, 965; cf. Ov. M. 15, 515: et contentā voce atrociter dicere et summissā leniter, Cic. Or. 17, 56: ad tribunatum contento studio cursuque veniamus, id. Sest. 6, 13.— Sup. : contentissimā voce clamitans, Ap. Met. 4, 10, 14.—Adv.: con-tentē , earnestly, with great exertion, vehemently : pro se dicere ... mittere contentius, Cic. Tusc. 2, 24, 57; cf.: acriter atque contente pro suis decretis propugnare, Gell. 18, 1, 2: contentissime clamitare, App. Flor. n. 8: contentius ambulare, Cic. Tusc. 5, 34, 97: ornamentis iisdem uti fere licebit, alias contentius, alias summissius, id. de Or. 3, 55, 212: aliquid curiose atque contente lectitare, Gell. 3, 3, 1.