a desire for honor

ambĭtĭo, ōnis, f. [ambio], a going round.

In the time of the republic, t. t. (v. ambio, II. B.), the going about of candidates for office in Rome, and the soliciting of individual citizens for their vote, a canvassing, suing for office (by just and lawful means;

while ambitus denotes unlawful means, as bribery, threats, etc.): quid de nostris ambitionibus loquar?

Cic. Tusc. 2, 26, 62:

mea me ambitio ab omni illā cogitatione abstrahebat,

id. Sull. 4:

cum ambitionis nostrae tempora postulabant,

id. Planc. 18, 45:

si infinitus forensium rerum labor et ambitionis occupatio decursu honorum etiam aetatis flexu constitisset,

id. de Or. 1, 1, 1:

hic magistratus a populo summā ambitione contenditur,

id. Verr. 2, 53, 131:

tanta exarsit ambitio, ut primores civitatis prensarent homines,

Liv. 3, 35, 1 et saep.—

A.. In gen., a striving for one's favor or good-will; an excessive desire to please, flattery, adulation:

ambitione labi,

Cic. Brut. 69, 244:

sive aliquā suspitione sive ambitione adducti,

id. Clu. 28, 76:

in Scipione ambitio major, vita tristior,

id. Off. 1, 30, 108 Heus., Beier, and Gernh.: Dionysius Platonem magnā ambitione Syracusas perduxit, in an ostentatious manner, for the purpose of securing his favor, Nep. Dion, 2, 2 Br. and Dähn.:

ambitio (i.e. studium Fabiis placendi) obstabat,

Liv. 5, 36:

ambitione relegatā,

without flattery, Hor. S. 1, 10, 84: ambitionem scriptoris facile averseris, obtrectatio et livor pronis auribus accipiuntur, Tac. H. 1, 1:

nullo officii aut ambitionis genere omisso, i.e. nullis blanditiis,

Suet. Oth. 4:

coronas quam parcissime et sine ambitione tribuit,

id. Aug. 25 et saep.—Hence, also partiality:

jus sibi per ambitionem dictum non esse,

Liv. 3, 47.—

With the predom. idea of the purpose or end, a desire for honor, popularity, power, display, etc.; in bon. part., ambition; in mal. part., vanity. —So in Lucr. of the ambitious efforts of men:

Angustum per iter luctantes ambitionis,

struggling to press through the narrow way of ambition, Lucr. 5, 1132:

me ambitio quaedam ad honorum studium duxit,

Cic. Att. 1, 17:

Miserrima omnino est ambitio honorumque contentio,

id. Off. 1, 25:

a quo incepto studioque me ambitio mala detinuerat,

Sall. C. 4, 2:

aut ab avaritiā aut miserā ambitione laborat,

Hor. S. 1, 4, 26:

Vitā solutorum miserā ambitione gravique,

id. ib. 1, 6, 129; so id. ib. 2, 3, 78;

2, 6, 18: inanis,

id. Ep. 2, 2, 207:

levis,

Ov. F. 1, 103 al.:

licet ipsa vitium sit ambitio, tamen frequenter causa virtutum est,

Quint. 1, 2, 22:

perversa,

id. 10, 7, 20:

funerum nulla ambitio,

no display, pomp, Tac. G. 27.—

Great exertion:

cum admitti magnā ambitione aegre obtinuisset,

Just. 1, 3.—

That which surrounds (v. ambio, 2.;

postclass. for ambitus): vimineos alveos circumdant ambitione tergorum bubulorum,

with a wrapping of cowhide, Sol. 22:

fuliginem ambitio extimae cutis cohibet,

id. 35: ita assedimus, ut me ex tribus medium lateris ambitione protegerent, Min. Oct. 4.

* * *

sollĭcĭtus ( sōlĭcĭtus), a, um, adj. [sollus-cieo; cf. sollicito], thoroughly moved, agitated, disturbed.

Of physical motion ( poet. and rare).

As attrib. of motus, restless, unceasing:

quae sollicito motu carerent, referring to the elements in constant motion, as air, water, etc.,

Lucr. 1, 343: sic igitur penitus qui in ferro'st abditus aër Sollicito motu semper jactatur, i. e. an unceasing air-current within the iron, to explain its attraction by the magnet, id. 6, 1038.—

Of the sea agitated by storms:

ut mare sollicitum stridet,

Verg. G. 4, 262. —

Pregn., with the idea of distress (v. II. B.):

utile sollicitae sidus utrumque rati,

to a ship in distress, Ov. F. 5, 720: sollicitae porro plenaeque sonoribus aures, agitated, vibrating ( by disease), Lucr. 6, 1185:

corpus,

Sen. Herc. Fur. 1299.—

Sollicitum habere (cf. II. A. and B. infra), = sollicitare:

omnes sollicitos habui,

kept them busy, on the move, Ter. Heaut. 3, 1, 52 Donat. ad loc.

Of mental affections, full of anxiety, excitement, distracted by cares, engaged, troubled, disturbed (opp. quietus).

Of cares of business; esp. sollicitum habere, to keep busy, engaged (Plaut. and Ter.):

(clientes) qui neque leges colunt, neque, etc., sollicitos patronos habent,

Plaut. Men. 4, 2, 12 Brix ad loc.;

4, 2, 21: quorum negotiis nos absentum sollicitae noctes et dies sumus semper,

id. Stich. 1, 1, 6:

hem, tot mea Solius solliciti sunt curā, of servants busy in attending their master,

Ter. Heaut. 1, 1, 77: numquid vis? Py. Ne magis sim pulcer quam sum:

ita me mea forma habet sollicitum,

Plaut. Mil. 4, 2, 95; cf.:

Hispaniae armis sollicitae,

Sall. H. 1, 48 Dietsch. —

Of restlessness from fear, suspense, etc., full of anxiety, agitated, alarmed, solicitous, anxious (opp. securus; freq. and class.): sollicitum habere, to fill with apprehension and fear, keep in anxiety; constr.,

Absol.:

in quibus si non erunt insidiae... animus tamen erit sollicitus,

Cic. Phil. 12, 11, 36:

diutius videtur velle eos habere sollicitos a quibus se putat diuturnioribus esse molestiis conflictatum,

id. Fam. 6, 13, 3:

quae maxime angere atque sollicitam habere vestram aetatem videtur,

id. Sen. 19, 66:

sollicitum te habebat cogitatio periculi mei,

id. Fam. 7, 3, 1; so id. Att. 2, 18, 1; id. Sest. 11, 25:

initia rerum quae... sollicitam Italiam habebant,

Caes. B. C. 3, 22:

cum satis per se ipsum Samnitium bellum et,... sollicitos haberet patres,

Liv. 8, 29, 1:

solliciti et incerti rerum suarum Megaram referre signa jubent,

id. 24, 23, 5:

sollicitae ac suspensae civitati,

id. 27, 50 med.:

quid illis nos sollicitis ac pendentibus animi renuntiare jubetis,

id. 7, 30, 22:

sollicitae mentes,

Ov. F 3, 362:

pectus,

id. M. 2, 125:

mens,

Curt. 4, 13, 2:

animi,

Hor. Ep. 1, 5, 18:

ego percussorem meum securum ambulare patiar, me sollicito?

Sen. Clem. 1, 9, 4:

sollicitus est et incertus sui quem spes aliqua proritat,

id. Ep. 23, 2:

ut sollicitus sim cum Saturnus et Mars ex contrario stabunt,

alarmed, id. ib. 88, 14:

fertur sollicitas tenuisse deas,

kept them in anxious suspense, Stat. Achill. 2, 338:

nunc sollicitam timor anxius angit,

Verg. A. 9, 89.—And opposed to securus and securitas:

quid est turpius quam in ipso limine securitatis esse sollicitum?

Sen. Ep. 22, 5:

securo nihil est te pejus, eodem Sollicito nihil est te melius,

Mart. 4, 83, 1; so id. 5, 31, 8; Sen. Ep. 124, 19; Quint. 11, 3, 151; Tac. H. 4, 58.—

With abl.:

sollicitam mihi civitatem suspitione, suspensam metu... tradidistis,

Cic. Agr. 1, 8, 23:

Sophocles, ancipiti sententiarum eventu diu sollicitus,

Val. Max. 9, 12, 5 ext. —

With de:

sollicitus eram de rebus urbanis,

Cic. Fam. 2, 12, 1:

de tuā valetudine,

id. ib. 16, 7, 1:

sollicita civitas de Etruriae defectione fuit,

Liv. 27, 21 med.:

sollicitum te esse scribis de judicii eventu,

Sen. Ep. 24, 1:

desii jam de te esse sollicitus,

id. ib. 82, 1.—

With pro:

ne necesse sit unum sollicitum esse pro pluribus,

Cic. Lael. 13, 45.—

With propter: sollicitus propter iniquitatem locorum, Liv. 38, 40, 9; 44, 3, 5 infra.—

With adverb. acc. vicem, for the fate of:

sollicito consuli et propter itineris difficultatem et eorum vicem,... nuntius occurrit,

Liv. 44, 3, 5:

ut meam quoque, non solum reipublicae vicem videretur sollicitus,

id. 28, 43, 9:

clamor undique ab sollicitis vicem imperatoris militibus sublatus,

id. 28, 19, 17.—

With gen.:

non sollicitus futuri, pendet (filius tuus mortuus),

Sen. Cons. Marc. 19, 6.—

With dat. (late Lat.):

ne solliciti sitis animae vestrae, neque corpori vestro,

Vulg. Matt. 6, 25.—

With ex:

ex hoc misera sollicita'st, diem Quia olim in hunc, etc.,

Ter. And. 1, 5, 33:

haec turba sollicita ex temerariā regis fiduciā,

Curt. 3, 1, 17.—

With ne, like verbs of fearing:

(mater) sollicita est ne eundem conspiciat, etc.,

Cic. Mur. 41, 88:

legati Romanorum circuire urbes, solliciti ne Aetoli partis alicujus animos ad Antiochum avertissent,

apprehensive, Liv. 35, 31, 1:

sollicitis populis ne suas operiant terras,

Plin. 11, 29, 35, § 104:

sollicitus Solon, ne tacendo parum reipublicae consuleret,

Just. 2, 7, 9; Front. Strat. 1, 1, 6.—

With interrog.-clause:

solliciti erant quo evasura esset res,

Liv. 30, 21 init.:

quam sim sollicitus, quidnam futurum sit,

Cic. Att. 8, 6, 3.—

In gen., troubled, disturbed, afflicted, grieved; constr. absol., with abl. alone, or with de:

sollicitus mihi nescio quā re videtur,

Plaut. Merc. 2, 3, 30:

neque est consentaneum ullam honestam rem, ne sollicitus sis... deponere,

lest you be troubled by cares, Cic. Lael. 13, 47:

vehementer te esse sollicitum et praecipuo quodam dolore angi,

id. Fam. 4, 3, 1:

vehementer populum sollicitum fuisse de P. Sullae morte,

id. ib. 9, 10, 3:

num eum postea censes anxio animo aut sollicito fuisse,

afflicted by remorse, id. Fin. 2, 17, 55:

hoc genus omne Maestum ac sollicitum est cantoris morte Tigelli,

Hor. S. 1, 2, 3.—

Excited, passionate (rare):

qui, ut sint pudici, solliciti tamen et anxii sunt,

Cic. Tusc. 4, 33, 70:

atqui sollicitae nuntius hospitae, Suspirare Chloen.. Dicens, etc.,

Hor. C. 3, 7, 9; so, = avidus, with gen. or de ( poet. and post-class.):

hominem cuppedinis sollicitum,

Lucr. 5, 46:

de regno sollicitus ( = avidus regni potiundi),

Just. 1, 10, 6.—

Very careful for, concerned in, punctilious, particular about (post-Aug.; freq.); constr. absol., with de, circa, in, or obj.-inf.:

ne decet quidem, ubi maxima rerum monumenta versantur, de verbis esse sollicitum,

Quint. 8, 3, 13:

de quorum sumus judicio solliciti,

for whose judgment we care, id. 10, 7, 24:

dixit Cicero, non se de ingenii famā, sed de fide esse sollicitum,

id. 11, 1, 74:

nec sum in hoc sollicitus, dum res ipsa appareat,

id. 8, 4, 15:

eloquentia non in verba sollicita,

Sen. Ben. 7, 8, 2:

si tamen contingere eloquentia non sollicito potest,

id. Ep. 75, 5:

cur abis, non sollicitus prodesse bonis, nocere malis?

id. Hippol. 976; cf.

in double sense,

Mart. 4, 83, 2 and 5.—

= sollicitatus (v. sollicito; poet.):

solliciti jaceant terrāque premantur iniquā qui, etc.,

without repose, Ov. Am. 2, 16, 15.

Of abstr. and inanim. things.

In gen., solicitous, mournful, full of or connected with cares and anxiety, anxious, disturbed (class.;

often approaching the signif. II.): scio quam timida sit ambitio, et quam sollicita sit cupiditas consulatūs,

how full of cares is the desire for the consulship, Cic. Mil. 16, 42:

id est proprium civitatis ut sit libera et non sollicita rei cujusque custodia,

i. e. that nobody be disturbed in the quiet possession of his property, id. Off. 2, 22, 78:

est enim metus futurae aegritudinis sollicita exspectatio,

id. Tusc. 5, 18, 52:

quam sit omnis amor sollicitus et anxius,

fraught with solicitude, id. Att. 2, 24, 1: assentior, sollicitam et periculosam justitiam non esse sapientis, id. Fragm. Rep. ap. Prisc. p. 801 P. (Rep. 3, 27, 39): sollicitam lucem rapuisti Ciceroni, the mournful light, i. e. life, Vell. 2, 66:

in sollicito civitatis statu,

Quint. 6, 1, 16:

Hermagoras, vir diligentiae nimium sollicitae,

evercareful, id. 3, 11, 22:

sollicitum dicendi propositum,

anxiously accurate, id. 11, 1, 32:

sollicita parentis diligentia,

earnest care, id. 6, prooem. 1; so id. 6, 12, 16:

sollicitae actiones,

carefully elaborated, id. 4, 1, 57: causae sollicitae (opp. securae), [p. 1723] very doubtful cases, i. e. in which there is anxious suspense about the issue, id. 11, 3, 151: captarum (ferarum) sollicita possessio;

saepe enim laniant dominos,

Sen. Vit. Beat. 14, 2:

maxima quaeque bona sollicita sunt,

id. ib. 17, 4; id. Ep. 14, 18:

noctes, id. Ira, 2, 20, 1: tutela,

id. Cons. Marc. 11, 3:

sollicitos fecisti, Romule, ludos,

Ov. A. A. 1, 101:

quisque, sibi quid sit Utile, sollicitis supputat articulis,

id. P. 2, 3, 18:

sollicito carcere dignus eras,

a prison carefully guarded, id. Am. 1, 6, 64:

Cressa... sollicito revocavit Thesea filo,

Stat. S. 2, 6, 26:

pudor,

Mart. 11, 45, 7:

amor,

Ov. H. 19 (18), 196:

os,

id. P. 4, 9, 130:

frons,

Hor. C. 3, 29, 16:

manus,

Ov. Tr. 5, 2, 2:

preces,

id. P. 3, 1, 148:

prex,

Hor. C. 1, 35, 5:

vita,

id. S. 2, 6, 62:

lux,

Ov. Tr. 4, 10, 116:

senecta,

id. M. 6, 500:

libelli,

Mart. 9, 58, 5:

saccus,

id. 12, 60 b, 3:

fuga,

Ov. Tr. 4, 1, 50:

sedes,

id. ib. 4, 1, 85:

via,

id. ib. 1, 11, 2:

terrae,

id. M. 15, 786.— Hence,

= sollicitum habens, that causes distress, distressing, trying:

quid magis sollicitum dici potest,

what more distressing fact can be mentioned? Cic. Mil. 2, 5:

in quā (tyrannorum) vitā nulla... potest esse fiducia, omnia semper suspecta atque sollicita,

causing alarm, id. Lael. 15, 52:

sollicitumque aliquid laetis intervenit,

Ov. M. 7, 454:

o mihi sollicitum decus ac suprema voluptas,

Stat. Th. 7, 363; so,

opes,

Hor. S. 2, 6, 79:

aurum,

Sen. Hippol. 519:

pretia,

id. Herc. Fur. 461:

timor or metus,

Ov. H. 1, 12; 8, 76; 13, 124; id. P. 3, 2, 12; id. Tr. 3, 11, 10:

cura,

id. P. 1, 5, 61; Sen. Thyest. 922:

dolor,

Ov. A. A. 3, 374:

taedium,

Hor. C. 1, 14, 17:

fatum,

Ov. P. 4, 10, 11.

Of animals (rare): sollicitum animal (canis) ad nocturnos strepitus, very attentive to, i. e. watchful, Liv. 5, 47, 3; so Ov. M. 11, 599:

solliciti terrentur equi,

id. F. 6, 741:

lepus,

timid, id. ib. 5, 372.

Comp.: sollicitior (mostly post-Aug.; for which Cic. has magis sollicitus; v. III. 2. supra) homo, Planc. ap. Cic. Fam. 10, 18, 3:

nos circa lites raras sollicitiores,

too particular about, Quint. 7, 1, 43:

sollicitior rei familiaris diligentia,

id. 12, 1, 6:

innocentiam sollicitiore habituri loco,

Sen. Ben. 3, 13, 1:

(pauperes) sollicitiores divitibus,

id. Cons. Helv. 12, 1:

quod est sollicitius,

id. Tranq. 1, 15:

qui non sollicitior de capitis sui decore sit quam de salute,

id. Brev. Vit. 12, 3:

pro vobis sollicitior,

Tac. H. 4, 58.— Sup. (post-Aug. and rare):

illorum brevissima ac sollicitissima aetas est,

Sen. Brev. Vit. 16, 1.— Adv.: sollĭcĭtē (post-Aug.).

Carefully, punctiliously, anxiously: vestis nec servata, nec sumenda sollicite, Ser. Samm. ap. Sen. Tranq. 1, 5:

in conviviis lingua sollicite etiam ebriis custodienda est,

Sen. Clem. 1, 26, 2:

recitare,

Plin. Ep. 6, 15, 4:

exspectatus,

Front. Strat. 3, 12, 1; id. Aquaed. 103:

sollicitius et intentius,

Plin. Ep. 1, 4, 2:

custodiendus est honor,

id. ib. 1, 19, 4:

cavere,

App. Mag. p. 274, 35.— Sup.:

urbis curam sollicitissime agere,

Suet. Claud. 18.—

With grief, solicitude (class.:

sollicito animo): sollicite possidentur,

their possession is connected with solicitude, Sen. Ep. 76, 30:

laetus,

Sil. 6, 572.— Sup., Sen. Ep. 93, 12.

* * *

ambĭtĭōsus, a, um, adj. [ambitio].

(Very rare and mostly poet.) Going round, encompassing; poet., embracing, twining round:

lascivis hederis ambitiosior,

Hor. C. 1, 36, 20 (cf.:

undique ambientibus ramis,

Curt. 4, 7, 16).—Of a river, making circuits, having many windings:

Jordanes amnis ambitiosus,

Plin. 5, 15, 15, § 71.— Of oratorical ornament, excessive, superfluous:

vir bonus ambitiosa recidet Ornamenta,

Hor. A. P. 447.—

Transf.

That asks for a thing fawningly; esp., that solicits the favor, good-will, etc., of any one, in a good and bad sense, honor-loving, ambitious, courting favor; vain, vainglorious, conceited, etc.:

qui ita sit ambitiosus, ut omnes vos nosque cotidie persalutet,

Cic. Fl. 18:

homo minime ambitiosus, minime in rogando molestus,

id. Fam. 13, 1:

ne forte me in Graecos tam ambitiosum factum esse mirere,

desirous of the favor of the Greeks, id. Q. Fr. 1, 2, 2:

pro nostris ut sis ambitiosa malis, Ov P. 3, 1, 84: pro nato caerula mater Ambitiosa suo fuit,

i.e. begs fawningly of Vulcan for weapons for her son, id. M. 13, 289:

malis artibus ambitiosus,

seeking to ingratiate one's self, Tac. H. 2, 57:

salubris magis princeps quam ambitiosus,

Suet. Aug. 42 al. —

Pass., that is willingly solicited or entreated, ambitious; much sought, honored, admired:

ambitiosus et qui ambit et qui ambitur,

Gell. 9, 12:

turba caelestes ambitiosa sumus,

Ov. F. 5, 298:

sexus muliebris saevus, ambitiosus, potestatis avidus,

Tac. A. 3, 33: si locuples hostis est, avari;

si pauper, ambitiosi,

id. Agr. 30:

nota quidem sed non ambitiosa domus,

not sought after, Ov. Tr. 1, 9, 18 Jahn: ambitiosae pulchritudinis scortum. Just. 30, 2. —

Of things, vain, ostentatious:

amicitiae,

founded merely on the desire to please, interested, Cic. Att. 1, 18:

rogationes,

id. Fam. 6, 12; so id. ib. 6, 6:

gloriandi genus,

Quint. 11, 1, 22:

preces,

urgent, Tac. H. 2, 49:

sententiae,

Suet. Dom. 8: mors, ambitious, i. e. to obtain fame, Tac. Agr. 42:

medicina ars,

boastful, Plin. 29, 1, 8, § 20:

et quaesitorum pelago terrāque ciborum Ambitiosa fames,

Luc. 4, 376:

atria,

splendid, gorgeous, Mart. 12, 69:

ambitiosis utilia praeferre,

Quint. 1, 2, 27:

ambitiosius id existimans quam domi suae majestas postularet,

more condescending, submissive, Suet. Aug. 25.—

In rhet.: orator ambitiosus, who seeks to rouse attention by obsolete or unusual expressions:

antigerio nemo nisi ambitiosus utetur,

Quint. 8, 3, 26.—Hence, adv.: ambĭtĭōsē, ambitiously, ostentatiously, etc.:

de triumpho ambitiose agere,

Cic. Att. 15, 1:

ambitiose regnum petere,

Liv. 1, 35: amicitias ambitiose colere, Tac. [p. 103] H. 1, 10 al.— Comp., Cic. Fam. 3, 7.— Sup., Quint. 6, 3, 68.

ambĭtĭōsus, a, um, adj. [ambitio].

(Very rare and mostly poet.) Going round, encompassing; poet., embracing, twining round:

lascivis hederis ambitiosior,

Hor. C. 1, 36, 20 (cf.:

undique ambientibus ramis,

Curt. 4, 7, 16).—Of a river, making circuits, having many windings:

Jordanes amnis ambitiosus,

Plin. 5, 15, 15, § 71.— Of oratorical ornament, excessive, superfluous:

vir bonus ambitiosa recidet Ornamenta,

Hor. A. P. 447.—

Transf.

That asks for a thing fawningly; esp., that solicits the favor, good-will, etc., of any one, in a good and bad sense, honor-loving, ambitious, courting favor; vain, vainglorious, conceited, etc.:

qui ita sit ambitiosus, ut omnes vos nosque cotidie persalutet,

Cic. Fl. 18:

homo minime ambitiosus, minime in rogando molestus,

id. Fam. 13, 1:

ne forte me in Graecos tam ambitiosum factum esse mirere,

desirous of the favor of the Greeks, id. Q. Fr. 1, 2, 2:

pro nostris ut sis ambitiosa malis, Ov P. 3, 1, 84: pro nato caerula mater Ambitiosa suo fuit,

i.e. begs fawningly of Vulcan for weapons for her son, id. M. 13, 289:

malis artibus ambitiosus,

seeking to ingratiate one's self, Tac. H. 2, 57:

salubris magis princeps quam ambitiosus,

Suet. Aug. 42 al. —

Pass., that is willingly solicited or entreated, ambitious; much sought, honored, admired:

ambitiosus et qui ambit et qui ambitur,

Gell. 9, 12:

turba caelestes ambitiosa sumus,

Ov. F. 5, 298:

sexus muliebris saevus, ambitiosus, potestatis avidus,

Tac. A. 3, 33: si locuples hostis est, avari;

si pauper, ambitiosi,

id. Agr. 30:

nota quidem sed non ambitiosa domus,

not sought after, Ov. Tr. 1, 9, 18 Jahn: ambitiosae pulchritudinis scortum. Just. 30, 2. —

Of things, vain, ostentatious:

amicitiae,

founded merely on the desire to please, interested, Cic. Att. 1, 18:

rogationes,

id. Fam. 6, 12; so id. ib. 6, 6:

gloriandi genus,

Quint. 11, 1, 22:

preces,

urgent, Tac. H. 2, 49:

sententiae,

Suet. Dom. 8: mors, ambitious, i. e. to obtain fame, Tac. Agr. 42:

medicina ars,

boastful, Plin. 29, 1, 8, § 20:

et quaesitorum pelago terrāque ciborum Ambitiosa fames,

Luc. 4, 376:

atria,

splendid, gorgeous, Mart. 12, 69:

ambitiosis utilia praeferre,

Quint. 1, 2, 27:

ambitiosius id existimans quam domi suae majestas postularet,

more condescending, submissive, Suet. Aug. 25.—

In rhet.: orator ambitiosus, who seeks to rouse attention by obsolete or unusual expressions:

antigerio nemo nisi ambitiosus utetur,

Quint. 8, 3, 26.—Hence, adv.: ambĭtĭōsē, ambitiously, ostentatiously, etc.:

de triumpho ambitiose agere,

Cic. Att. 15, 1:

ambitiose regnum petere,

Liv. 1, 35: amicitias ambitiose colere, Tac. [p. 103] H. 1, 10 al.— Comp., Cic. Fam. 3, 7.— Sup., Quint. 6, 3, 68.

ambītus, a, um, Part. of ambio.

ambĭtus, ūs, m. [ambio].

Lit. A going round, a moving round about, a revolution:

cum se octo ambitus ad idem caput rettulerint,

Cic. Tim. 9:

aquae per amoenos ambitus agros,

Hor. A. P. 17 (cf. ambio, II. A.):

alligata mutuo ambitu (i. e. amplexu) corpora,

Petr. 132:

ambitu breviore luna currit quam sol,

Plin. 2, 23, 21, § 86:

saeculorum,

Tac. A. 6, 28:

verborum (i. e. ambages),

Suet. Tib. 71.—

Transf.

Abstr. pro concr., a circuit, circle, circumference, periphery, edge of a circular object:

ambitus parmae,

Plin. 36, 5, 4, § 4:

folia ambitu serrato,

id. 25, 6, 30, § 66:

castra lato ambitu,

Tac. A. 1, 61; 4, 49:

ambitus lacus,

Suet. Claud. 21.— Trop., of discourse, periphrasis, circumlocution, = ambages:

multos circa unam rem ambitus facere,

Liv. 27, 27.—Hence, the open space left round a house:

ambitus est quod circumeundo teritur,

Varr. L. L. 5, § 22 Müll.:

P. Scaevola id solum esse ambitus aedium dixerit, quo etc.,

Cic. Top. 4: ambitus proprie dicitur inter vicinorum aedificia locus duorum pedum et semipedis ad circumeundi facultatem relictus, Paul. ex Fest. p. 16 Müll. —Also, the small space around sepulchres, Dig. 47, 12, 5.—

An unlawful striving for posts of honor, or canvassing for office; esp. by bribery (cf. ambitio, I.), prohibited by the Lex Calpurnia, Caecilia, Fabia, Julia, Licinia, Tullia de ambitu, against bribery, corruption, etc.:

legem ambitus flagitāsti,

Cic. Mur. 23:

punire ambitum,

id. ib. 32, 67; cf. Sall. C. 18, 2 Kritz:

accusare aliquem ambitus,

Cic. Clu. 41:

deferre nomen alicujus de ambitu,

id. Cael. 31:

interrogare aliquem legibus ambitus,

Sall. C. 18, 2:

damnatus ambitus,

Cic. Clu. 41:

condemnare de ambitu,

Suet. Caes. 41 al.:

effusae ambitus largitiones,

Nep. Att. 6.—

In gen., the desire to make a display, ostentation, vanity, show, parade:

relinque ambitum: tumida res est vana, ventosa,

Sen. Ep. 84:

proprius quidam intellegendi ambitus,

Quint. 12, 10, 3.—Of speech, bombastic fulness, parade:

imagine et ambitu rerum,

Quint. 10, 1, 16 Fr.; id. Decl. 4 fin. —

In rhet., a period:

comprehensio et ambitus ille verborum (si sic periodum appellari placet),

Cic. Brut. 44, 162; id. Or. 12; so id. ib. 50.