Becker's test

specto, āvi, ātum, 1, v. freq. a. [id.], to look at, behold; to gaze at, watch, observe, etc. (freq. and class.; syn.: adspicio, speculor, conspicor, contueor).

Lit.

In gen.

With acc.:

speculum a speciendo, quod ibi se spectant,

Varr. L. L. 5, § 129 Müll.; cf. id. ib. 6, §

82 ib.: si vis videre ludos jucundissimos... amores tuos si vis spectare,

Plaut. Poen. 1, 1, 81:

spectare aliquid et visere,

Cic. Tusc. 1, 19, 44:

taceas, me spectes,

Plaut. As. 3, 3, 90:

quid illas spectas?

id. Rud. 3, 4, 54; id. Am. 1, 1, 268:

ere, ne me spectes,

Ter. Eun. 5, 5, 18:

corpora,

Lucr. 4, 1102:

ingentes acervos,

Hor. C. 2, 2, 24:

gaude quod spectant oculi te mille loquentem,

id. Ep. 1, 6, 19:

cum modo me spectas oculis protervis,

Ov. H. 16 (17), 77:

spectari tergo,

id. A. A. 3, 774:

Zoroaster primus siderum motus diligentissime spectasse dicitur,

Just. 1, 1, 9.—

With rel.clause:

tacitus te sequor, Spectans quas tu res hoc ornatu geras,

Plaut. Bacch. 1, 2, 2:

specta quam arcte dormiunt,

id. Most. 3, 2, 144; cf.:

saepe tui, specto, si sint in litore passus,

Ov. H. 18 (19), 27.—

Absol.:

vise, specta tuo arbitratu,

Plaut. Most. 3, 2, 106: Am. Sosia, age me huc aspice. So. Specto, id. Am. 2, 2, 119:

quam magis specto, minus placet mihi hominis facies,

id. Trin. 4, 2, 19:

alte spectare,

Cic. Rep. 6, 23, 25:

populo spectante,

Hor. Ep. 1, 6, 60.—

With ad, in, per, or adv. of place:

spectare ad carceris oras,

Enn. Ann. 1, 102:

quaeso huc ad me specta,

Plaut. Most. 3, 2, 149; so, ad me, Afran. ap. Isid. Orig. 12, 8, 16:

ad dexteram,

Plaut. Poen. 3, 4, 1:

tota domus, quae spectat in nos solos,

Cic. Off. 1, 17, 58:

ego limis specto Sic per flabellum clanculum,

Ter. Eun. 3, 5, 53:

quoquo hic spectabit, eo tu spectato simul,

Plaut. Ps. 3, 2, 69.—

Impers. pass. with subj. or final clause:

cum plausu congregari feros (pisces) ad cibum assuetudine, in quibusdam vivariis spectetur,

Plin. 10, 70, 89, § 193:

spectandum ne quoi anulum det,

Plaut. As. 4, 1, 33. —

With inf.:

spectet currere Gangem,

Sen. Herc. Oet. 629:

minaces ire per caelum faces specta,

id. ib. 325.—

In partic.

To look at or see (a play or an actor) as a spectator, to look on:

fabulam,

Plaut. Bacch. 2, 2, 37:

Megalesia,

Cic. Har. Resp. 11, 22; Hor. A. P. 190:

ludos,

id. S. 2, 6, 48; 2, 8, 79; id. Ep. 2, 1, 203; Suet. Aug. 40; 53 al.:

Circenses,

id. ib. 45; id. Claud. 4:

pugiles,

id. Aug. 45:

artifices saltationis,

id. Tit. 7 al. —With inf.:

spectavi ego pridem Comicos ad istum modum Sapienter dicta dicere atque is plaudier,

Plaut. Rud. 4, 7, 23:

matronae tacitae spectent, tacitae rideant,

id. Poen. prol. 32:

jam hic deludetur (Amphitruo), spectatores, vobis spectantibus,

id. Am. 3, 4, 15; cf. id. ib. prol. 151. —Hence, very often in inscrr. and tesseris: GLADIATORIIS SP., i. e. spectatus, of a gladiator who had stood the first public fight, Inscr. Orell. 2561 sq.; cf.: Morcelli delle tessere degli spettacoli Roma, Becker, Antiq. 4, p. 562.—

Of localities, to look, face, lie, be situated towards any quarter (syn.: prospicio, vergo); constr. usu. with ad, in, inter, etc., or an adv. of place; less freq. with acc.:

(hujus insulae) alter angulus ad orientem solem, inferior ad meridiem spectat,

Caes. B. G. 5, 13; so,

ad orientem solem,

id. ib. 7, 69:

ad fretum,

Cic. Verr. 2, 5, 66, § 169:

ager, qui in ventum Favonium spectet,

Varr. R. R. 1, 24, 1:

in urbem... in Etruriam,

Liv. 5, 5;

v. also infra: Aquitania spectat inter occasum solis et septentriones,

is situated to the north - west, Caes. B. G. 1, 1 fin.: quare fit, ut introversus et ad te Spectent atque ferant vestigia se omnia prorsus, Lucil. ap. Non. 402, 7; cf.:

ut ora eorum deorsum spectent,

Col. 12, 16, 4:

vestigia Omnia te adversum spectantia, nulla retrorsum,

Hor. Ep. 1, 1, 75:

quo (villae) spectent porticibus,

Varr. R. R. 1, 4, 4: Creta altior est, quā spectat orientem, Sall. ap. Serv. Verg. A. 6, 23 (H. 3, 58 Dietsch):

Acarnania solem occidentem et mare Siculum spectat,

Liv. 33, 17, 5:

mediterranea regio est, orientem spectat,

id. 25, 9, 10; 30, 25, 11:

quae et Tanaim et Bactra spectant,

Curt. 7, 7, 4; Plin. Ep. 5, 6, 15; Vell. 1, 11, 3:

ab eo latere, quo (Gadis) Hispaniam spectat,

Plin. 4, 21, 36, § 120; 6, 17, 20, § 53.— Transf., of nations:

Belgae spectant in septentriones et orientem solem,

Caes. B. G. 1, 1, 6:

Masaesyli in regionem Hispaniae spectant,

Liv. 28, 17.—

To examine, try, test:

(argentum) dare spectandum,

Plaut. Pers. 3, 3, 35:

ut fulvum spectatur in ignibus aurum, Tempore sic duro est inspicienda fides,

Ov. Tr. 1, 5, 25; cf.:

qui pecuniā non movetur... hunc igni spectatum arbitrantur,

as having stood the test of fire, Cic. Off. 2, 11, 38; cf. spectatio, I. B., and spectator, I. B.—

Trop.

In gen., to look at, behold, see, regard, consider (very rare):

specta rem modo!

Plaut. Bacch. 4, 6, 14:

audaciam meretricum specta,

Ter. Eun. 5, 5, 24:

importunitatem spectate aniculae,

id. And. 1, 4, 4:

suave, E terrā magnum alterius spectare laborem,

Lucr. 2, 2: caeli signorum admirabilem ordinem spectat, Cic. Fragm. ap. Non. 402, 17:

ad te unum omnis mea spectat oratio,

Cic. Deiot. 2, 5.—

In partic.

To look to a thing, as to an end or guide of action; hence, to have in view, bear in mind; to aim, strive, or endeavor after; to meditate; to tend, incline, refer, pertain, or have regard to a thing (freq. and class.;

syn.: contendo, pertineo, tendo): juvenes magna spectare et ad ea rectis studiis debent contendere,

Cic. Off. 2, 13, 45:

nec commune bonum poterant spectare,

Lucr. 5, 958:

rem, non hominem, spectari oportere,

Auct. Her. 1, 6, 9:

nihil spectat nisi fugam,

Cic. Att. 8, 7, 1:

Pompeius statuisse videtur, quid vos in judicando spectare oporteret,

id. Mil. 6, 15:

nos ea, quae sunt in usu vitāque communi, non ea quae finguntur aut optantur spectare debemus,

id. Lael. 5, 18:

ingenti consensu defectionem omnes spectare,

Liv. 22, 22, 21:

arma et bellum,

id. 3, 69, 2:

Romani, desperatā ope humanā, fata et deos spectabant,

id. 5, 16, 8; Curt. 9, 7, 2; Just. 13, 1, 8:

tota domus quae spectat in nos solos,

relies on, Cic. Off. 1, 17, 58:

in philosophiā res spectatur, non verba penduntur,

id. Or. 16, 51:

mores,

id. Off. 2, 20, 69; so (with sequi) id. de Or. 2, 50, 204:

quem locum probandae virtutis tuae spectas?

do you seek? Caes. B. G. 5, 44:

noli spectare, quanti homo sit,

Cic. Q. Fr. 1, 2, 4, § 14:

me spectasse semper, ut tibi possem quam maxime esse conjunctus,

id. Fam. 5, 8, 3:

ad imperatorias laudes,

id. Vatin. 10, 24:

ad suam magis gloriam quam ad salutem rei publicae,

id. Sest. 16, 37:

ad vitulam,

Verg. E. 3, 48:

cum plebes Nolana de integro ad defectionem spectaret,

Liv. 23, 16, 2; so id. 23, 6, 4:

ab scelere ad aliud spectare mulier scelus,

id. 1, 47, 1; 34, 56, 10.—Of subjects not personal:

et prima et media verba spectare debent ad ultimum,

Cic. Or. 59, 200:

ad arma rem spectare,

id. Fam. 14, 5, 1; cf.:

rem ad seditionem spectare,

Liv. 25, 3, 19:

ad vim spectare res coepit,

id. 1, 9, 6; cf.:

si ad perniciem patriae res spectabit,

Cic. Off. 2, 23, 90:

aliquid anquirunt, quod spectet et valeat ad bene beateque vivendum,

id. ib. 2, 2, 6:

ea non tam ad religionem spectant, quam ad jus sepulcrorum,

belong to, concern, id. Leg. 2, 23, 58:

quoniam de eo genere beneficiorum dictum est, quae ad singulos spectant: deinceps de iis, quae ad universos pertinent, disputandum est,

id. Off. 2, 21, 72; cf. id. ib. 1, 3, 7: artem negabat esse ullam, nisi quae cognitis et in unum exitum spectantibus, Cic. de Or. 1, 20, 92:

nostra consilia sempiternum tempus spectare debent,

id. ib. 2, 40, 169:

solvendi necessitas debitorem spectat,

Dig. 2, 14, 42:

res eo spectat, ut eā poenā non videamini esse contenti,

Cic. Lig. 5, 13:

hoc eo spectabat, ut eam (Pythiam) a Philippo corruptam diceret,

id. de Div. 2, 57, 118: summa judicii mei spectat huc, ut meorum injurias ferre possim, Anton. ap. Cic. Phil. 13, 20, 46:

quo igitur haec spectat oratio?

Cic. Att. 8, 2, 4; cf. id. Phil. 13, 20, 46:

quorsum haec omnis spectat oratio?

id. ib. 7, 9, 26 et saep.:

quia quicquid ad corpus spectat, et immortalitatis est expers, vanum sit,

Lact. 3, 12, 33.—

(Acc. to I. B. 3.) To judge of; to try, test (syn. probo):

nemo illum ex trunco corporis spectabat, sed ex artificio comico aestimabat,

Cic. Rosc. Com. 10, 28:

alicujus animum ex animo suo,

Ter. And. 4, 1, 22:

non igitur ex singulis vocibus philosophi spectandi sunt, sed ex perpetuitate atque constantiā,

Cic. Tusc. 5, 10, 31:

ex meo otium tuum specto,

id. Att. 12, 39:

quod ego non tam fastidiose in nobis quam in histrionibus spectari puto,

id. de Or. 1, 61, 258:

ubi facillime spectatur mulier, quae ingenio'st bono?

Plaut. Stich. 1, 2, 59; cf.:

hominem in dubiis periclis,

Lucr. 3, 55:

beneficium a deteriore parte,

Sen. Ben. 2, 28, 2.—Hence, spectātus, a, um, P. a. (acc. to II. B. 2.).

Tried, tested, proved (syn.: probatus, cognitus): tuam probatam et spectatam maxime adulescentiam, Lucil. ap. Non. 437, 14:

homines spectati et probati,

Cic. de Or. 1, 27, 124:

fides spectata et diu cognita,

id. Div. in Caecil. 4, 11; Ov. P. 2, 7, 82:

pietas spectata per ignes,

id. F. 4, 37:

integritas,

Liv. 26, 49, 16; cf.:

homo in rebus judicandis spectatus et cognitus,

Cic. Verr. 1, 10, 29:

spectata ac nobilitata virtus,

id. Fl. 26, 63:

spectata multis magnisque rebus singularis integritas,

id. Phil. 3, 10, 26:

rebus spectata juventus,

Verg. A. 8, 151:

utebatur medico ignobili, sed spectato homine, Cleophanto,

id. Clu. 16, 47:

mores,

Plaut. Pers. 2, 1, 4:

ni virtus fidesque vestra spectata mihi forent,

Sall. C. 20, 2.— Sup.:

id cuique spectatissimum sit, quod occurrerit, etc.,

let that be the best test of each, Liv. 1, 57, 7.—With subject-clause:

mihi satis spectatum est, Pompeium malle principem volentibus vobis esse quam, etc.,

Sall. H. 3, 61, 23 Dietsch.—

In gen., looked up to, respected, esteemed, worthy, excellent:

fecere tale ante alii spectati viri,

Plaut. Merc. 2, 2, 47:

in perfecto et spectato viro,

Cic. Lael. 2, 9:

homines,

id. Div. in Caecil. 7, 24:

castitas,

Liv. 1, 57, 10.— Comp.:

quo non spectatior alter,

Sil. 1, 440.— Sup.:

auctoritas clarissimi et spectatissimi viri atque in primis probati,

Cic. Fam. 5, 12, 7:

spectatissima femina,

id. Rosc. Am. 50, 147.—Of things (Plinian):

paeninsula spectatior (with flumen clarum),

Plin. 4, 18, 32, § 107:

spectatius artificium,

id. 11, 1, 1, § 1:

spectatissima laurus,

id. 15, 30, 40, § 134.— Hence, adv.: spectātē, splendidly, excellently:

spectatissime florere,

Plin. 21, 1, 1, § 2:

spectatissime ministrere,

Amm. 28, 3, 9.

SUBJECT AREA: Aerospace, Weapons and armour

[br]

[br]

[br]

Von Braun's mother was an amateur astronomer who introduced him to the futuristic books of Jules Verne and H.G.Wells and gave him an astronomical telescope. He was a rather slack and undisciplined schoolboy until he came across Herman Oberth's book By Rocket to Interplanetary Space. He discovered that he required a good deal of mathematics to follow this exhilarating subject and immediately became an enthusiastic student.

The Head of the Ballistics and Armaments branch of the German Army, Professor Karl Becker, had asked the engineer Walter Dornberger to develop a solid-fuel rocket system for short-range attack, and one using liquid-fuel rockets to carry bigger loads of explosives beyond the range of any known gun. Von Braun joined the Verein für Raumschiffsfahrt (the German Space Society) as a young man and soon became a leading member. He was asked by Rudolf Nebel, VfR's chief, to persuade the army of the value of rockets as weapons. Von Braun wisely avoided all mention of the possibility of space flight and some financial backing was assured. Dornberger in 1932 built a small test stand for liquid-fuel rockets and von Braun built a small rocket to test it; the success of this trial won over Dornberger to space rocketry.

Initially research was carried out at Kummersdorf, a suburb of Berlin, but it was decided that this was not a suitable site. Von Braun recalled holidays as a boy at a resort on the Baltic, Peenemünde, which was ideally suited to rocket testing. Work started there but was not completed until August 1939, when the group of eighty engineers and scientists moved in. A great fillip to rocket research was received when Hitler was shown a film and was persuaded of the efficacy of rockets as weapons of war. A factory was set up in excavated tunnels at Mittelwerk in the Harz mountains. Around 6,000 "vengeance" weapons were built, some 3,000 of which were fired on targets in Britain and 2,000 of which were still in storage at the end of the Second World War.

Peenemünde was taken by the Russians on 5 May 1945, but by then von Braun was lodging with many of his colleagues at an inn, Haus Ingeburg, near Oberjoch. They gave themselves up to the Americans, and von Braun presented a "prospectus" to the Americans, pointing out how useful the German rocket team could be. In "Operation Paperclip" some 100 of the team were moved to the United States, together with tons of drawings and a number of rocket missiles. Von Braun worked from 1946 at the White Sands Proving Ground, New Mexico, and in 1950 moved to Redstone Arsenal, Huntsville, Alabama. In 1953 he produced the Redstone missile, in effect a V2 adapted to carry a nuclear warhead a distance of 320 km (199 miles). The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) was formed in 1958 and recruited von Braun and his team. He was responsible for the design of the Redstone launch vehicles which launched the first US satellite, Explorer 1, in 1958, and the Mercury capsules of the US manned spaceflight programme which carried Alan Shepard briefly into space in 1961 and John Glenn into earth orbit in 1962. He was also responsible for the Saturn series of large, staged launch vehicles, which culminated in the Saturn V rocket which launched the Apollo missions taking US astronauts for the first human landing on the moon in 1969. Von Braun announced his resignation from NASA in 1972 and died five years later.

[br]