I.to tear asunder, tear in pieces (class.).
I. In gen. (rarely): “Pentheum diripuisse aiunt Bacchas,” Plaut. Merc. 2, 4, 1: “Hippolytum (equi),” Ov. A. A. 1, 338; id. F. 5, 310: “nec opinantes (leae),” Lucr. 5, 1319: “membra manibus nefandis,” Ov. M. 3, 731 et saep.: “venti diripiunt fretum,” Stat. Th. 5, 367. —
II. In partic.
A. Milit. t. t., to lay waste, ravage, spoil, plunder an enemy's territory or possessions (so most freq.): “bona alicujus,” Caes. B. G. 7, 3, 1; 7, 42, 3; 7, 43, 2: “magnum numerum frumenti commeatusque,” id. ib. 7, 38, 9: “impedimenta,” id. ib. 2, 17, 3: “naves more praedonum,” id. B. C. 3, 112, 3: “praedas bellicas,” Sall. J. 41, 7 et saep.: “oppidum,” Caes. B. C. 1, 21, 2; 3, 80 fin.: “urbes,” Liv. 37, 32 fin.: “tecta,” id. 5, 41: “templa hostiliter,” id. 37, 21; cf.: “castra hostiliter,” id. 2, 14; and: “oppida hostiliter,” Suet. Caes. 54: “civitates,” Caes. B. C. 3, 31 fin.: “provincias,” Cic. de Imp. Pomp. 19, 57: “patriam,” id. Att. 8, 2, 3 et saep.—
b. With personal objects: “Eburones,” Caes. B. G. 6, 34, 8; 6, 35, 4: “Lusitanos,” Nep. Cato, 3, 4: “ab hostibus diripi,” Caes. B. G. 7, 8, 4; cf. id. B. C. 2, 12, 4 al.—
2. Transf. beyond the milit. sphere, to destroy, to rob: “(Harpyiae) diripiunt dapes,” Verg. A. 3, 227: “supellectilem,” Suet. Ner. 11.—
B. To struggle, strive, contend for a thing (post-Aug.): “talos jecit in medium, quos pueri diripere coeperant,” Quint. 6, 1, 47: editum librum, to buy up rapidly, Suet. Vita Pers. fin.—Of persons: “diripitur ille toto foro patronus,” Sen. Brev. Vit. 7; so, “Timagenem, id. de Ira, 3, 23: Homerum (urbes),” Stat. Silv. 5, 3, 131: “matrem avidis complexibus ambo,” id. Th. 5, 722: “te potentiores per convivia,” Mart. 7, 76.—
C. To tear away, snatch away: “direpto ex capite regni insigni et lacerata veste,” Curt. 7, 5, 24: “ferrum a latere,” Tac. A. 1, 35; Hor. C. 3, 5, 21 Stallb. (al. derepta). —
III. Trop., of the mind and feelings, to distract, distress: “differor, distrahor, diripior,” Plaut. Cist. 2, 1, 5.