sĕdeo, sēdi, sessum, 2, v. n. [Sanscr. root sad-; Gr. ἙΔ, to sit; cf. δος, ζομαι; Lat. sedes, insidiae, sedare, sella, etc.; Engl. sit, seat], to sit.
I Lit. (very freq. in prose and poetry); constr. absol. , with in , the simple abl., or with other prepp. and advv. of place.
A In gen.
α Absol. : hi stant ambo, non sedent, Plaut. Capt. prol. 2; cf. id. ib. 12; id. Mil. 2, 1, 4: quid sit, quod cum tot summi oratores sedeant, ego potissimum surrexerim, remain sitting , Cic. Rosc. Am. 1, 1: sedens iis assensi, id. Fam. 5, 2, 9: lumbi sedendo dolent, Plaut. Men. 5, 3, 6: supplex ille sedet, Prop. 4 (5), 5, 37.—
β With in : in subselliis, Plaut. Poen. prol. 5: sedilibus in primis eques sedet, Hor. Epod. 4, 16: in proscaenio, Plaut. Poen. prol. 18; cf.: aliquem in XIIII. sessum deducere, Asin. ap. Cic. Fam. 10, 32, 2; Suet. Caes. 39 (v. quattuordecim): malo in illā tuā sedeculā sedere quam in istorum sella curuli, Cic. Att. 4, 10, 1; cf.: in sellā, id. Div. 1, 46, 104: in saxo (ejecti), Plaut. Rud. prol. 73; Ov. H. 10, 49: in arā (mulieres supplices), Plaut. Rud. 3, 6, 9: in solio, Cic. Fin. 2, 21, 69; Ov. M. 2, 23: in equo, Cic. Verr. 2, 5, 10, § 27: in leone, Plin. 35, 10, 36, § 109; and with a gen. specification of the place where: in conclavi, Ter. Eun. 583: in hemicyclio domi, Cic. Lael. 1, 2: bubo in culmine, Ov. M. 6, 432: cornix in humo, id. Am. 3, 5, 22: musca in temone, Phaedr. 3, 6, 1.—
γ With simple abl. (not ante-Aug.): bis sex caelestes, medio Jove, sedibus altis sedent, Ov. M. 6, 72: solio, id. ib. 6, 650; 14, 261: sede regiā, Liv. 1, 41: eburneis sellis, id. 5, 41: sellā curuli, id. 30, 19: carpento, id. 1, 34: cymbā, Ov. M. 1, 293: puppe, id. F. 6, 471: humo, id. M. 4, 261: equo, Mart. 5, 38, 4; 11, 104, 14; cf.: dorso aselli, Ov. F. 3, 749: delphine, id. M. 11, 237: columbae viridi solo, Verg. A. 6, 192: recessu, Ov. M. 1, 177; 14, 261: theatro, id. A. A. 1, 497.—
δ With other prepp. and advv. of place : inter ancillas, Plaut. Men. 5, 2, 46: ante fores, Ov. M. 4, 452; Tib. 1, 3, 30: ad tumulum supplex, id. 2, 6, 33: sub arbore, Ov. M. 4, 95: sub Jove, id. ib. 4, 261: ducis sub pede, id. Tr. 4, 2, 44: post me gradu uno, Hor. S. 1, 6, 40: apud quem, Cic. Rep. 3, 28, 32 (ap. Non. 522, 30) et saep.: non sedeo istic, vos sedete, Plaut. Stich. 1, 2, 36: illic, Ter. Hec. 802; id. Phorm. 91.—
2 Late Lat., pass. , of animals, to be ridden (cf. Engl. to sit a horse): sederi equos in civitatibus non sivit, Spart. Hadr. 22; Cod. Th. 9, 30, 3: cum (Bucephalus) ab equario suo mollius sederetur, Sol. 45: animalia sedentur, Veg. 2, 28, 12.—
B In partic.
1 Of magistrates, esp. of judges, to sit in council , in court , or on the bench : (Scaevolā tribuno) in Rostris sedente suasit Serviliam legem Crassus, Cic. Brut. 43, 161: ejus igitur mortis sedetis ultores, etc., id. Mil. 29, 79; id. Clu. 37, 103 sq.: si idcirco sedetis, ut, etc., id. Rosc. Am. 53, 153; so, judex, Liv. 40, 8: Appius, ne ejus rei causā sedisse videretur, id. 3, 46, 9; Phaedr. 1, 10, 6: sedissem forsitan unus De centum judex in tua verba viris, Ov. P. 3, 5, 23; Plin. Ep. 6, 33, 3: Minos arbiter, Prop. 3, 19 (4, 18), 27; cf.: sedeo pro tribunali, id. ib. 1, 10, 9: a quibus si qui quaereret, sedissentne judices in Q. Fabricium, sedisse se dicerent, Cic. Clu. 38, 105; cf. Cic. id. Rab. Post. 5, 10.—Also of the assistants of the judges: nobis in tribunali Q. Pompeii praetoris urbani sedentibus, Cic. de Or. 1, 37, 168; id. Rosc. Com. 4, 12.—In Quint., also of the advocate, Quint. 11, 3, 132.—Of witnesses: dicendo contra reum, cum quo sederit, Quint. 5, 7, 32.—Of a presiding officer: sedente Claudio, Tac. A. 11, 11.—Of augurs sitting to wait for an augurium: sed secundum augures sedere est augurium captare, Serv. ad Verg. A. 9, 4; cf. id. ib. 1, 56; Interp. Mai ad Verg. A. 10, 241; Fest. s. v. silentio, p. 248, a Müll.; cf. Becker, Antiq. 2, 3, p. 76.—
2 To continue sitting , to sit still; to continue , remain , tarry , wait , abide in a place; and with an implication of inactivity, to sit idly , be inactive; to linger , loiter , etc.: isdem consulibus sedentibus atque inspectantibus lata lex est, etc., Cic. Sest. 15, 33 (cf. id. Pis. 9): majores nostri, qui in oppido sederent, quam qui rura colerent, desidiosiores putabant, Varr. R. R. 2, prooem. § 1: quasi claudus sutor domi sedet totos dies, Plaut. Aul. 1, 1, 34; cf.: an sedere oportuit Domi, Ter. Ad. 672: iis ventis istinc navigatur, qui si essent, nos Corcyrae non sederemus, Cic. Fam. 16, 7: quor sedebas in foro, si eras coquos Tu solus? Plaut. Ps. 3, 2, 11: in villā totos dies, Cic. Att. 12, 44, 2: circum argentarias cottidie, Plaut. Truc. 1, 1, 48: sedemus desides domi, Liv. 3, 68: statuit congredi quam cum tantis copiis refugere aut tam diu uno loco sedere, Nep. Dat. 8, 1: non cuivis contingit adire Corinthum. Sedit qui timuit, ne non succederet, sat still , stayed at home , Hor. Ep. 1, 17, 37.—Esp. of waiting on an oracle or a god for an answer or for aid (= Gr. ϊζειν): ante sacras fores, Tib. 1, 3, 30: illius ad tumulum fugiam supplexque sedebo, id. 2, 6, 33: custos ad mea busta sedens, Prop. 3, 16 (4, 15), 24: meliora deos sedet omina poscens, Verg. G. 3, 456; so of a lover at the door of his mistress: me retinent victum formosae vincla puellae, Et sedeo janitor, Tib. 1, 1, 56: et frustra credula turba sedet, id. 3, 10, 18.—
b Of long, esp. of inactive encamping in war, to sit , i. e. to remain encamped , to keep the field , before an enemy's fortress or army: hostium copiae magnae contra me sedebant, Cato ap. Charis, p. 197 P.: septimum decimum annum Ilico sedent, Naev. 6, 2: dum apud hostes sedimus, Plaut. Am. 2, 1, 52: sedendo expugnare urbem, Liv. 2, 12: sedendo et cunctando bellum gerere, id. 22, 24: quieto sedente rege ad Enipeum, id. 44, 27: ad Suessulam, id. 7, 37; 9, 3; 9, 44; 10, 25; 22, 39; 23, 19; 44, 27; Verg. A. 5, 440: apud moenia Contrebiae, Val. Max. 7, 4, 5.—Hence, prov.: compressis, quod aiunt, manibus sedere, Liv. 7, 13, 7; and: vetus proverbium est, Romanus sedendo vincit (prob. originating with Q. Fabius Cunctator), Varr. R. R. 1, 2, 2.—
3 For desideo (2.), to sit at stool , Marc. Emp. 29; so, sordido in loco sedere, Val. Max. 9, 13, 2.—
II Trop. (in prose not freq. till after the Aug. per.; not in Cic.).
A In gen., to sink or settle down , to subside : cum pondere libra Prona nec hac plus parte sedet nec surgit ab illā, Tib. 3, 7, 42: quod neque tam fuerunt gravia, ut depressa sederent, Nec levia, ut possent per summas labier oras, Lucr. 5, 474; cf.: flamma petit altum; propior locus aëra cepit; Sederunt medio terra fretumque solo, Ov. F. 1,110: sedet nebula densior campo quam montibus, Liv. 22, 4: sedet vox auribus, sinks into , penetrates , Quint. 11, 3, 40: rupti aliqui montes tumulique sedere, Sall. Fragm. ap. Isid. Orig. 14, 1, 2 (H. 2, 43 Dietsch); cf.: sedisse immensos montes, Tac. A. 2, 47: memor illius escae, Quae simplex olim sibi sederit, sat well upon your stomach , i. e. agreed well with you , Hor. S. 2, 2, 73; Quint. 9, 4, 94.—
2 Of feelings, passions, etc.: his dictis sedere minae, subsided , i. e. were quieted , = sedatae sunt, Sil. 10, 624; cf.: nusquam irae: sedit rabies feritasque famesque, Stat. Th. 10, 823. —
3 Of places, to sink , i. e. to lie low , to be in the valley or plain : campo Nola sedet, Sil. 12, 162: mediisque sedent convallibus arva, Luc. 3, 380; Stat. Th. 1, 330; cf.: lactuca sedens, i. e. lower , Mart. 10, 48, 9 ( = sessilis, id. 3, 47, 8).—
B In partic., to sit , sit close or tight , to hold or hang fast , to be fast , firm , fixed , immovable; be settled , established , etc.: tempus fuit, quo navit in undis, Nunc sedet Ortygie, Ov. M. 15, 337: in liquido sederunt ossa cerebro, stuck fast , id. ib. 12, 289; so of weapons, etc., that sink deep: clava (Herculis), adversi sedit in ore viri, id. F. 1, 576: cujus (Scaevae) in scuto centum atque viginti tela sedere, Flor. 4, 2, 40: librata cum sederit (glans), Liv. 38, 29; hence, poet. also, of deep-seated wounds: plagam sedere Cedendo arcebat, from sinking or penetrating deeply , Ov. M. 3, 88: alta sedent vulnera, Luc. 1, 32.—Of clothes, to fit (opp. dissidere, v. Hor. Ep. 1, 1, 96): ita et sedet melius et continetur (pars togae), sits better , Quint. 11, 3, 140 sq.; so, toga umero, id. 11, 3, 161; cf.: quam bene umeris tuis sederet imperium, Plin. Pan. 10, 6.—Of vessels: sicco jam litore sedit, Luc. 8, 726: naves super aggerationem, quae fuerat sub aquā, sederent, stuck fast , grounded , Vitr. 10, 22 med. et saep.: cujus laetissima facies et amabilis vultus in omnium civium ore, oculis, animo sedet, Plin. Pan. 55, 10: aliquid fideliter in animo, Sen. Ep. 2, 2: unum Polynicis amati Nomen in ore sedet, Stat. Th. 12, 114; so, Cressa relicta in ingenio tuo, Ov. H. 2, 76: sedere coepit sententia haec, to be established , Plin. 2, 7, 5, § 23; cf.: nunc parum mihi sedet judicium, Sen. Ep. 46, 3; Amm. 14, 1, 5; 15, 2, 5. —Hence, also of any thing fixed , resolved , or determined upon : si mihi non animo fixum immotumque sederet, Ne cui, etc., Verg. A. 4, 15; cf.: idque pio sedet Aeneae, id. ib. 5, 418: bellum, Flor. 2, 15, 4: consilium fugae, id. 2, 18, 14: haec, Sil. 15, 352. —With a subject-clause : tunc sedet Ferre iter impavidum, Stat. Th. 1, 324: vacuo petere omina caelo, id. ib. 3, 459: Aegaei scopulos habitare profundi, Val. Fl. 2, 383.