auspicor Latin · revision 33888

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=c. 235–200 BC, Naevius|origins=ine-pro *h₂eu-i-, ine-pro *speḱ-}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * Classical: [ˈau̯s.pɪ.kɔr]^(Wiktionary)

+ * Ecclesiastical: [ˈau̯s.pi.kor]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''auspicor''' (present infinitive auspicārī, perfect active auspicātus sum); first conjugation, deponent^(Wiktionary)

+ An active ''auspicō'' is found in early Latin.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(TLL)

+ Claudius Quadrigarius spells it ''osp-''.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[af|la|auspex|-or|t1=one who watches birds for omens]], as [[m|la|auguror]] is from [[m|la|augur]].^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(TLL) De Vaan derives [[m|la|auspex]] from ⟨*au̯i-speks⟩, a compound of [[m|la|avis|t=bird]], from [[ine-pro|*h₂eu-i-|t=bird]], and the root of [[m|la|speciō|t=to look]], from [[ine-pro|*speḱ-|t=who sees]].^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Naevius has the active form: a praetor arrives and takes favourable auspices.^(Lewis & Short 1879) Plautus also uses the active, as in the ''Stichus'', where someone asks whether he has taken a weasel for an omen in a matter of life and death.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It means to take the auspices: Cicero tells how Gracchus forgot to take them when he crossed the city boundary, and speaks of taking them by the ''tripudium'';^(Lewis & Short 1879) Livy writes that the birds did not approve when Fabius took the auspices.^(Lewis & Short 1879) Varro has ''dē caelō auspicārī'', from signs in the sky.^(OLD 2012) It is also to make a ceremonial beginning: Varro says the priest of Jupiter inaugurates the vintage.^(OLD 2012) After Augustus it often means simply to begin, to make a start for luck's sake: Columella says people begin every kind of work on the first of January for the omen, Seneca used to make a start by jumping into the Aqua Virgo, and Suetonius has Nero begin his jurisdiction and his singing.^(Lewis & Short 1879) Pliny the Elder says man begins life with punishments.^(Lewis & Short 1879) Apuleius has the active in the sense "to portend": yesterday's rain was an omen of their tears.^(OLD 2012) The older active ''auspicō'' is found in Naevius, Caecilius, Atta and Plautus.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(TLL) Stelten gives "begin" for Church Latin.^(Stelten 1995)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 235–200 BC – Naevius of a praetor taking the auspices.^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+ * c. 250–184 BC – Plautus of taking a weasel for an omen.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+ * 116–27 BC – Varro of inaugurating the vintage.^(OLD 2012)

+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero of taking the auspices.^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+ * 1st century AD – Columella of beginning work for the omen.^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To take the [[m|en|auspices]]; to seek or receive [[m|en|omen|alt=omens]] in other ways.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Wiktionary)

+ # To make a ceremonial beginning of, [[m|en|inaugurate]].^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Wiktionary)

+ # To begin, enter upon; to make a beginning.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Stelten 1995)^(Wiktionary)

+ # To be the prelude to;^(OLD 2012) ''(active)'' to [[m|en|portend]].^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[auspicābilis]]

+ * [[auspicālis]]

+ * [[auspicātō]]

+ * [[auspicātus]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[auspicium]]

+ * [[auspex]]

+ * [[avis]]

+ * [[speciō]]

+ * [[auguror]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}