ob-sĕcro (op-sĕcro), āvi, ātum, 1 (separate, ob vos sacro, for vos obsecro, Paul. ex Fest. p. 190, Müll.), v. a. [sacro], qs. to ask on religious grounds (ob sacrum), i. e.
I to beseech, entreat, implore, supplicate, conjure : obsecrare est opem a sacris petere, Paul. ex Fest. p. 183 Müll. (class.; syn.: obtestor, precor, supplico).—With acc. of the pers. or thing : Venus alma, ambae te obsecramus, Nos in custodiam tuam ut recipias, Plaut. Rud. 3, 3, 32: advorsum quam ejus me opsecravisset pater, id. Trin. 1, 2, 139: cum eum oraret atque obsecraret, Cic. Verr. 2, 2, 17, § 42: te obsecrat obtestaturque per senectutem suam, conjures you , id. Quint. 30, 91; id. Sest. 69, 147: cum precibus me obsecraret, Marcell. ap. Cic. Fam. 4, 11, 1: cum multis lacrimis, Cic. Verr. 2, 2, 17, § 42; cf. in the foll.: pro di immortales, obsecro vostram fidem, Plaut. Most. 2, 2, 97; id. Poen. 5, 2, 7; id. Truc. 4, 3, 30; cf. in the foll.—
β With a double acc. (of the pers. and thing): itaque te hoc obsecrat, ut, Cic. Quint. 31, 97: hoc te, Ter. Heaut. 645.—
γ With a relative or intentional clause : ut huc reveniat obsecrato, Plaut. Truc. 2, 7, 35: pater, obsecro, ut mihi ignoscas, Ter. Heaut. 1049: te ut omnia perscribas, Cic. Att. 2, 11 fin. ; 11, 1, 1: ut ne, Ter. And. 327.—
δ Absol. : videmus certis precationibus obsecrasse summos magistratus, Plin. 28, 2, 3, § 11: Bassus multis precibus, paene etiam lacrimis obsecrabat, implerem meum tempus, Plin. Ep. 4, 9, 12: pro aliquo, Vulg. Esth. 7, 3; id. Philem. 10.—
II In partic., in colloq. lang., obsecro.
A As an expression of deprecation, I beseech you, I cry you mercy, for Heaven's sake : tuam fidem obsecro, Plaut. Am. 1, 1, 217: periimus! Obsecro hercle, id. Men. 5, 7, 27: Ph. Prodi, male conciliate. Do. Obsecro, Ter. Eun. 669.—
B As a mere polite expression of entreaty, for the most part as an interjection, I beseech you, pray : quid illic, opsecro, tam diu restitisti, Plaut. Most. 3, 2, 100; id. Bacch. 5, 2, 12: dic obsecro hercle serio quod te rogem, id. As. 1, 1, 14; Turp. ap. Non. 132, 15: obsecro, an is est? Ter. Eun. 991: Attica mea, obsecro te, quid agit? Cic. Att. 13, 13, 3; id. Tusc. 1, 25, 60: sed obsecro te, ita venusta habeantur ista, non ut vincula virorum sint, sed, etc., but I beseech you , id. Par. 5, 2, 38; Liv. 5, 6, 3; 6, 40, 10; Gell. 20, 1, 36.