scisco, scīvi, scītum, 3 (dep. collat. form sciscor, acc. to Prisc. p. 799 P.), v. inch. a. [scio], to seek to know; to search, inquire.
I Lit. (ante-class. and very rare; cf., on the other hand, the deriv. sciscitor): praefestinamus, quae sit causa, sciscere, Afran. ap. Charis. p. 186 P.: ibo ad eam, ut sciscam, quid velint, Att. ap. Non. 505, 12; cf. Plaut. Am. 5, 1, 17.—
II Transf.
A Publicists’ t. t., of the people, after inquiry or examination, to accept , approve , assent to something proposed; hence, to appoint , enact , decree , ordain , = rem cognitam jubere (cf. sancio): nullam illi (majores nostri) vim contionis esse voluerunt: quae scisceret plebes aut quae populus juberet summota contione, distributis partibus ... auditis auctoribus, re multos dies promulgatā et cognitā, juberi vetarique voluerunt, Cic. Fl. 7, 15: illa legitima: consules populum jure rogaverunt populusque jure scivit, id. Phil. 1, 10, 26; cf.: rogationes plurimas propter vos populus scivit, Plaut. Curc. 4, 2, 23: rogationem Marciam de Liguribus magno consensu plebes scivit jussitque. Ex eo plebiscito, etc., Liv. 42, 21 fin. : adeo id gratum plebi fuit ut id modo sciscerent juberentque, ut senatus decerneret, qui Romae regnaret, id. 1, 17 fin. : ad sciscendum plebi, id. 6, 35: si Gaditani sciverint nominatim de aliquo cive Romano, ut sit is civis Gaditanus, Cic. Balb. 11, 27; cf.: qui (Athenienses) sciverunt, ut, etc., id. Off. 3, 11, 46.— Pass. : multa perniciose sciscuntur in populis (with sancire), Cic. Leg. 2, 5, 13; cf.: illud stultissimum, existimare omnia justa esse, quae scita sint in populorum institutis aut legibus, id. ib. 1, 15, 42 (v. also under P. a.).—Poet., with obj.-clause : munera Martis Aequent imperio et solem concedere nocti Sciscant, Sil. 7, 545.—
2 Transf., in gen. (like decerno), of an individual, to approve , assent to , vote for any thing: qui ulteriorem (Galliam decernit), ostendit, eam se sciscere legem, quam esse legem neget, Cic. Prov. Cons. 15, 36: quod primus scivit legem de publicanis, etc., id. Planc. 14, 35. —
B To learn , ascertain , know : ut illi id factum sciscerent, Plaut. Bacch. 2, 3, 68: praefestinamus quae sit causa sciscere, quod, etc., Afran. ap. Charis. 2, p. 186 P. (Com. Rel. v. 396 Rib.). —
III Trop., of nature, to decree , establish : confirmat antem illud vel maxime quod ipsa natura, ut ait ille, sciscet et probet, Cic. Fin. 1, 7, 23.
VII —Hence, scī-tus , a, um, P. a.
A (Acc. to I.) Mid. (orig., that has informed himself, obtained knowledge, had experience; hence), knowing , shrewd , wise , acute , experienced , skilful , adroit , etc. (of persons; mostly poet.; not in Cic., but cf. 2.; syn.: callidus, versatus): doctu', fidelis ... Scitus, etc., Enn. ap. Gell. 12, 4, 4 (Ann. v. 251 Vahl.): hominem astutum, doctum, scitum et callidum, Plaut. Ps. 1, 3, 151: mulier scita atque prudens, Gell. 13, 4 fin. : scitus agaso, Enn. ap. Fest. p. 330 Müll. (Ann. v. 217 Vahl.): sycophanta, Plaut. Am. 1, 3, 8: homo, Ter. Eun. 254: convivator, a clever , dexterous host , Liv. 35, 49: scitus bellum (venereum) init, Plaut. Truc. 5, 42: ea mulieris scitae comitas, Gell. 13, 4, 3.— Comp. : non sum scitior, quae hos rogem, etc., Plaut. Cist. 4, 2, 12.— Poet. and in post - Aug. prose with gen.: Nessus scitus vadorum, acquainted with , Ov. M. 9, 108: Thalia lyrae, id. F. 5, 54: Sthenelus pugnandi, Quint. 9, 3, 10 Spald. N. cr. —With obj.-clause (poet.): scitus accendere corda Laudibus, Sil. 17, 293: accendere Martem, id. 15, 594.—
b Of things, fit , suitable , proper , judicious , sensible , witty , etc.: pulcre scripsti: scitum syngraphum! Plaut. As. 4, 1, 57: scito illa quidem (scripsit) sermone et Attico, Cic. N. D. 1, 33, 93; cf. interrogationes, Quint. 5, 7, 28.— Sup. : oratio optima et scitissima, Plaut. Stich. 1, 3, 30: si quid (dictum) est, quod mihi scitum esse videatur et homini ingenuo dignum atque docto, non aspernor, Cic. Planc. 14, 35; cf. id. Or. 16, 51: oratoris dictum, Tac. A. 6, 20.—Esp. in the phrase scitum est, it is a witty or acute saying; shrewd , clever : vetus illud Catonis admodum scitum est, qui mirari se aiebat, quod non rideret haruspex, haruspicem cum vidisset, Cic. Div. 2, 24, 51; cf.: scitum est illud Catonis, ut multa: Melius, etc., id. Lael. 24, 90; Scytharum legati, Plin. 14, 22, 28, § 148: scitum est, inter Protogenem et eum (Apellem) quod accidit, a clever thing , id. 35, 10, 36, § 81: hoc Scitum est, periculum ex aliis facere, tibi quod ex usu siet, Ter. Heaut. 210; cf. id. Phorm. 821: scitum est causam conferre in tempus, Cic. de Or. 3, 61, 228.—
2 Transf., beautiful , elegant , fine , etc. (mostly ante- and post-class.; syn.: venustus, bellus): satis scitum filum mulieris, Plaut. Merc. 4, 4, 15; cf. Iphis, Petr. 63, 3: mulierculae formae scitioris, Lampr. Commod. 2 fin. (v. perscitus): vox admodum scita et canora, Gell. 18, 5, 2: haec nox scita'st exercendo scorto, Plaut. Am. 1, 1, 132; cf. scitamenta.—
B (Acc. to II. A.) Subst.: scītum , i. n., an ordinance , statute , decree; esp. in connection with plebis (plebei, v. plebs), or, in one word, plebiscitum, an ordinance or decree of the people or of the citizens (opp. to senatusconsultum, a decree of the Senate): scita plebei appellantur ea, quae plebs suo suffragio sine patribus jussit, plebeio magistratu rogante, Fest. p. 293 Müll.; cf. Lael. Felix ap. Gell. 15, 27, 4: quo plebiscito decreta a senatu est quaestio, etc., Cic. Fin. 2, 16, 54: quae (lex) postea plebiscito Canuleio abrogata est, id. Rep. 2, 37, 63: plebiscitis consularem potestatem minuere, id. de Or. 2, 48, 199 et saep. (v. 2. scitus).—In a lusus verbb. with scitus, A.: Ps. Ecquid is homo scitus est? Ch. Plebiscitum non est scitius, Plaut. Ps. 2, 4, 58.—In the order scitum plebis: de altero aedile scitum plebis est factum rogantibus tribunis, Liv. 31, 50 fin. ; 10, 22 fin. : scita plebis injuncta patribus, id. 3, 67; 22, 26; Populi is used instead of plebis when the decrees of other nations are spoken of: cum lex esset Athenis, ne quis populi scitum faceret, ut quisquam coronā donaretur, etc., Cic. Opt. Gen. 7, 19: Athenienses quibusdam temporibus sublato Areopago nihil nisi populi scitis ac decretis agebant, id. Rep. 1, 27, 43; so, in one word, populiscitum, Nep. Alcib. 5, 4; id. Epam. 7, 4; id. Phoc. 2, 2: ut nullum de eā re scitum populi fieret aut litteris mandaretur, Liv. 45, 25. Tacitus is the first who has populi scita for decrees of the Roman people , Tac. A. 3, 58.—Of Roman popular decrees also simply scita: cum scita ac jussa nostra sua sententia comprobat, Cic. Balb. 18, 42.—Rarely of other public or official ordinances (cf.: decreta, edicta, jussa): (Numa) omnia publica privataque sacra Pontificis scitis subjecit, Liv. 1, 20: quo minus ferociter aliorum (decemvirorum) scitis adversarentur, id. 3, 33; Plin. 14, 22, 28, § 146: regis, Vulg. Esth. 3, 8.—
2 Transf. (with decretum and placitum) as a transl. of the Gr. δόγμα, a maxim , tenet , dogma , Sen. Ep. 95, 10.—Adv.: scītē (acc. to A.), shrewdly , cleverly , skilfully , adroitly , nicely , tastefully , elegantly (class.): eho, nimium scite scitus es, Plaut. Cas. 3, 1, 8; cf.: tondetur nimium scite, id. Merc. 3, 1, 28: satis scite et probe, id. Trin. 3, 3, 56; id. Bacch. 2, 3, 69; id. Mil. 4, 2, 74; id. Trin. 3, 3, 53; Ter. Heaut. 729; Cic. Fam. 11, 16, 1 (with commode): (rationes) ita sunt perscriptae scite et litterate, ut, etc., id. Pis. 25, 61; cf.: scite et venuste facta, id. Verr. 2, 2, 35, § 87: illa ex patellis quae evellerat, ita scite in aureis poculis inligabat, etc., id. ib. 2, 4, 24, § 54: non scite (dictum), id. Att. 14, 20, 3; so, dictum, Plin. 36, 22, 48, § 166: scite loqui, Liv. 10, 19: parum scite convivium exornare, Sall. J. 85, 39; cf. Liv. 4, 44 fin. — Comp. : scitius, Gell. 4, 11, 10.— Sup. : scitissime, Plaut. Stich. 1, 3, 116; Gell. 10, 11, 6; Ap. Met. 9, 11, 27.