prō-spĭcĭo, exi, ectum, 3, v. n. and a. [specio].
I Neutr. , to look forward or into the distance , to look out , to look , see (class.).
A In gen.: neque post respiciens, neque ante prospiciens, Varr. ap. Non. 443, 2: parum prospiciunt oculi, do not see well , Ter. Phorm. 735; Plaut. Curc. 2, 3, 38: grues volant ad prospiciendum alte, Plin. 10, 23, 30, § 58: ex superioribus locis prospicere in urbem, Caes. B. C. 2, 5: multum, to have an extensive prospect , Cic. Fam. 7, 20, 1: per umbram, Verg. A. 2, 733: procul, id. ib. 12, 353: ex moenibus, Hor. C. 3, 2, 8: longe lateque, Auct. B. Hisp. 8.—
B In partic.
1 To look out , to watch , be on the watch : puer ab januā prospiciens, Nep. Hann. 12, 4: pavorem simulans (feles) prospexit toto die, Phaedr. 2, 4, 20: Michol prospiciens per fenestram, Vulg. 2 Reg. 6, 16; cf. Ambros. Off. 2, 29, 46.—
2 To look or see to beforehand , to exercise foresight , to look out for , take care of , provide for any thing: ego jam prospiciam mihi, Ter. Ad. 589: consulere ac prospicere debemus, ut, etc., Cic. Verr. 2, 1, 58, § 133: prospicite atque consulite, id. ib. 2, 1, 8, § 22: ut prospicias et consulas rationibus meis, id. Fam. 3, 2, 1: consulite vobis, prospicite patriae, id. Cat. 4, 2, 3: homo longe in posterum prospiciens, id. Fam. 2, 8, 1: ut illum intellegatis non longe animo prospexisse morientem, id. Clu. 12, 34: prospicite, ut, etc., id. Font. 17, 39: statuebat prospiciendum, ne, etc., Caes. B. G. 5, 7: in annum, Varr. R. R. 1, 23, 3.— Impers. pass. : senatusconsulto prospectum est, ne, etc., Paul. Sent. 4, 2.— Absol. : malo nos prospicere quam ulcisci, Ter. Eun. 762: plagae crescunt, Nisi prospicis, id. Phorm. 782.—
II Act. , to see afar off , to discern , descry , espy.
A In gen. (poet. and in post-Aug. prose): Italiam summā ab undā, Verg. A. 6, 357: campos Prospexit longe, id. ib. 11, 909; Hor. C. 3, 25, 10: moenia urbis Tarpeiā de rupe, Luc. 1, 195: ex speculis adventantem hostium classem, Liv. 21, 49, 8: ut hostium agmen inde prospicerent, Curt. 3, 8, 26: ex edito monte cuncta, id. 7, 6, 4.—
b Transf., of situations, to have or command a view of , look or lie towards , to overlook : domus prospicit agros, Hor. Ep. 1, 10, 23: cenatio latissimum mare, amoenissimas villas prospicit, Plin. Ep. 2, 17, 12; Plin. 5, 16, 15, § 72; Phaedr. 2, 5, 10: freta prospiciens Tmolus, Ov. M. 11, 150; 8, 330.—
c Trop.: aliquis infans decessit, cui nihil amplius contigit quam prospicere vitam, to see life from a distance , to get a glimpse of , Sen. Ep. 66, 42: turpe est seni aut prospicienti senectutem, etc., one who sees old age before him , id. ib. 33, 7: neque prospexisse castra, i. e. life in camp , Plin. Pan. 15, 2.—
B In partic.
1 To look at attentively , to gaze at (very rare): aliquem propter aliquid, Nep. Dat. 3, 3.—
2 To foresee a thing (class.): multo ante, tamquam ex aliquā speculā, prospexi tempestatem futuram, Cic. Fam. 4, 3, 1; cf.: longe prospicere futuros casus rei publicae, id. Lael. 12, 40; id. Dom. 5, 12: multum in posterum, id. Mur. 28, 59: ex imbri soles, Verg. G. 1, 393. —With rel.-clause : ut jam ante animo prospicere possis, quibus de rebus auditurus sis, Cic. Quint. 10, 35; id. Div. in Caecil. 13, 42.—
3 To look out for , provide , procure : habitationem alicui, Petr. 10: sedem senectuti, Liv. 4, 49 fin. : maritum filiae, Plin. Ep. 1, 14, 1.—In pass. : nisi si prospectum interea aliquid est, desertae vivimus, Ter. Heaut. 391: commeatus a praetore prospectos in hiemem habere, Liv. 44, 16: ad ferramenta prospicienda, Cic. Sull. 19, 55.—Hence,
A prōspĭcĭ-ens , entis, P. a., endowed with foresight , Gell. 2, 29, 1.—
B prōspĭcĭenter , adv., providently , considerately , carefully (post-class.): res prospicienter animadversas, Gell. 2, 29, 1.—
C prōspectē , adv., providently , deliberately , considerately , advisedly , prudently (post-class.): decernere, Tert. Apol. 6.— Sup. : adhaerebit bono, Aug. Ep. ad Maced. 55.