dī-rĭpĭo, ŭi, eptum, 3, v. a. [rapio], to tear asunder, tear in pieces (class.).
I In gen. (rarely): Pentheum diripuisse aiunt Bacchas, Plaut. Merc. 2, 4, 1: Hippolytum (equi), Ov. A. A. 1, 338; id. F. 5, 310: nec opinantes (leae), Lucr. 5, 1319: membra manibus nefandis, Ov. M. 3, 731 et saep.: venti diripiunt fretum, Stat. Th. 5, 367. —
II In partic.
A Milit. t. t., to lay waste, ravage, spoil, plunder an enemy's territory or possessions (so most freq.): bona alicujus, Caes. B. G. 7, 3, 1; 7, 42, 3; 7, 43, 2: magnum numerum frumenti commeatusque, id. ib. 7, 38, 9: impedimenta, id. ib. 2, 17, 3: naves more praedonum, id. B. C. 3, 112, 3: praedas bellicas, Sall. J. 41, 7 et saep.: oppidum, Caes. B. C. 1, 21, 2; 3, 80 fin. : urbes, Liv. 37, 32 fin. : tecta, id. 5, 41: templa hostiliter, id. 37, 21; cf.: castra hostiliter, id. 2, 14; and: oppida hostiliter, Suet. Caes. 54: civitates, Caes. B. C. 3, 31 fin. : provincias, Cic. de Imp. Pomp. 19, 57: patriam, id. Att. 8, 2, 3 et saep.—
b With personal objects: Eburones, Caes. B. G. 6, 34, 8; 6, 35, 4: Lusitanos, Nep. Cato, 3, 4: ab hostibus diripi, Caes. B. G. 7, 8, 4; cf. id. B. C. 2, 12, 4 al.—
2 Transf. beyond the milit. sphere, to destroy, to rob : (Harpyiae) diripiunt dapes, Verg. A. 3, 227: supellectilem, Suet. Ner. 11.—
B To struggle, strive, contend for a thing (post-Aug.): talos jecit in medium, quos pueri diripere coeperant, Quint. 6, 1, 47: editum librum, to buy up rapidly , Suet. [Val. Prob. PHI] Vita Pers. 48 fin. —Of persons: diripitur ille toto foro patronus, Sen. Brev. Vit. 7; so, Timagenem, id. de Ira, 3, 23: Homerum (urbes), Stat. S. 5, 3, 131: matrem avidis complexibus ambo, id. Th. 5, 722: te potentiores per convivia, Mart. 7, 76.—
C To tear away, snatch away : direpto ex capite regni insigni et lacerata veste, Curt. 7, 5, 24: ferrum a latere, Tac. A. 1, 35; Hor. C. 3, 5, 21 Stallb. (al. derepta). —
III Trop., of the mind and feelings, to distract, distress : differor, distrahor, diripior, Plaut. Cist. 2, 1, 5.