comperiō

I. to disclose wholly, lay open (a fact), without the access. idea of communicating the thing disclosed (which aperio expresses; v. aperio); to obtain a knowledge of a thing, to find out with certainty, to have or gain certain information, to ascertain, learn, etc. (class. in prose and poetry): certo comperi, Ter. Eun. 5, 1, 9: cum indicia mortis se comperisse manifesto et manu tenere diceret, Cic. Brut. 80, 277: hoc, Nep. Eum. 8, 4: stellarum ortus, Cat. 66, 2: de amore hoc comperit, Ter. And. 1, 3, 6: nihil de hoc (Sullā) consul comperi, Cic. Sull. 31, 86; Sall. J. 68, 1: postquam de scelere filii comperit, Nep. Paus. 5, 3; Suet. Dom. 6 al.—With inf. and acc., Ter. And. 1, 1, 63: posteaquam comperit eum posse vivere, Cic. Rosc. Am. 12, 33: hanc gentem Clusium inde venisse comperio, Liv. 5, 35, 3; Quint. 1, 7, 24: diram qui contudit hydram, comperit invidiam supremo fine domari, * Hor. Ep. 2, 1, 12: ubi comperi ex eis qui, etc., Ter. Heaut. 1, 1, 69: aliquid ex multis, Cic. Clu. 68, 192: ex litteris, Nep. Paus. 4, 5: per exploratores, Caes. B. G. 4, 19; 6, 28; Nep. Alcib. 8, 6: certis auctoribus, Cic. Att. 14, 8, 1: nihil testibus, nihil tabulis, nihil aliquo gravi argumento, id. Clu. 45, 126; Caes. B. C. 2, 37: a quo ut rem gestam comperit, Nep. Dat. 3, 4: quae ex fratre compererat nuntiari regi jubet, Curt. 6, 7, 18: ut postea ex captivis comperit, Caes. B. G. 1, 22; Hirt. B. G. 8, 17; 8, 36.—Cicero, on account of the frequent repetition of the phrase omnia comperi, in the trial of Catiline, was often bantered by his contemporaries; hence: (Clodius) me tantum comperisse omnia criminabatur, Cic. Att. 1, 14, 5; cf. id. Fam. 5, 5, 2.—With depend. question: dolo an vere cunctatus, parum comperimus, Sall. J. 113, 1; 67, 3.—

(b). Esp. freq. in part. perf. pass.: Oppianici facinus manifesto compertum atque deprehensum, Cic. Clu. 14, 43: non ego haec incertis jacta rumoribus adfero ad vos, sed comperta et explorata, Liv. 42, 13, 1; cf. id. 29, 18, 7; 29, 21, 13: sintne haec investigata, comperta, patefacta per me, Quint. 9, 3, 49: pecuniam ex aerario scribae viatoresque aedilicii clam egessisse per indicem comperti, discovered, Liv. 30, 39, 7: compertus adulterare matronas, Suet. Aug. 67: uxorem in stupro generi compertam, detected, id. Tib. 35.—Also with the gen. of the crime: compertus stupri, Liv. 22, 57, 2; Just. 11, 11, 5: probri, Liv. 7, 4, 4: sacrilegii, id. 32, 1, 8: flagitii, Tac. A. 1, 3; 4, 11: de his haud facile compertum narraverim, give certain information, Sall. J. 17, 2: qui ex fratre comperta ipsi nuntiasset, Curt. 6, 8, 11: haec ex vate comperta nuntiabat, id. 7, 7, 22.— In abl. absol.: comperto lege Gabiniā Bithyniam et Pontum consuli datam, Sall. H. Fragm. ap. Prisc. p. 1130 P.; so Liv. 31, 39, 4 and 7; 33, 5, 4; Tac. A. 1, 66; 4, 36; 11, 13 fin.; 14, 57.—So, also, compertum habeo and compertum mihi est, I know full well: quod de his duobus habuerint compertum, Cic. Clu. 45, 127; so Sall. C. 2, 2; 22 fin.: pro comperto polliceri, as certain, Suet. Ner. 31.—Hence, compertē, adv., on good authority; only Gell. 1, 22, 9; and in comp., id. 1, 11, 12.