vestigo
τί δ' ἢν ῥαφανιδωθῇ πιθόμενός σοι τέφρᾳ τε τιλθῇ, ἕξει τινὰ γνώμην λέγειν τὸ μὴ εὐρύπρωκτος εἶναι; → What if he should have a radish shoved up his ass because he trusted you and then have hot ashes rip off his hair? What argument will he be able to offer to prevent himself from having a gaping-anus | but suppose he trusts in your advice and gets a radish rammed right up his arse, and his pubic hairs are burned with red-hot cinders. Will he have some reasoned argument to demonstrate he's not a loose-arsed bugger
Latin > English (Lewis & Short)
ve-stīgo: no
I perf. and sup., āre, 1, v. a. etym. dub.; perh. Sanscr. vahis (bahis), out, and stigh-, to climb; cf. Gr. στίχος>, a row, etc.; Angl. -Sax. stīgan; Germ. steigen, to climb.
I Prop., to follow in the track of; to track, trace out (cf.: rimor, indago, scrutor): germana soror, errare videbar, Tardaque vestigare et quaerere te, Enn. ap. Cic. Div. 1, 20, 40 (Ann. v. 43 Vahl.): feras vestigat (sc. canis), Sen. Thyest. 496.—With abl.: fertur (sc. tigris) praeceps, odore vestigans (sc. raptorem), Plin. 8, 18, 25, § 66. —
II Transf.
A To find out by tracing, to trace out, discover.
1 With abl.: perfugas et fugitivos, quos inquirendo vestigare potuerint, reddidisse, Liv. 31, 19, 2: (cervi) vestigant cavernas (serpentium), Plin. 8, 32, 50, § 118: omnis enim jacens piscis magis naribus escam, quam oculis, vestigat, Col. 8, 17, 14.—
2 Absol.: dimissis deinde per agros, qui vestigarent, Liv. 32, 26, 13 dub.; cf. Weissenb. ad loc.—
B To search after; to seek out: ceterum Alexander, quam regionem Dareus petisset, omni curā vestigans, tamen explorare non poterat, Curt. 4, 6, 5: adeo sicca lacuna, ut vestigantium sitim falleret, id. 4, 16, 14: equum vestigari jubet, id. 6, 5, 19: ergo alte vestiga (sc. ramum) oculis, riteque repertum Carpe manu, Verg. A. 6, 145.—
III Trop.
A To inquire into, investigate (class.).
1 In simple constr.: causas rerum, Cic. de Or. 2, 39, 166.—
2 With abl.: quā (sc. ratione) omnes illorum conatūs vestigare, Cic. Verr. 1, 16, 48.—
3 With cum: quod cum desidiosā delectatione vestiges, Cic. de Or. 3, 23, 88.—
B To discover, find out: grave imperium regum nihil inexploratum, quod vestigari volunt, efficit, Liv. 39, 51, 6.
