I.to go apart, go away, separate, withdraw (class.; not in Cæs.; but cf. secessio).
I. Lit.
A. In gen., absol.: “secedant improbi, secernant se a bonis,” Cic. Cat. 1, 13, 32; Ov. M. 6, 490: “prosecutus eram viatico secedentem,” Plin. Ep. 3, 21, 2: “abite et de viā secedite,” Plaut. Curc. 2, 3, 2: “de coetu,” Ov. M. 2, 465: “a vestro potui secedere lusu,” Prop. 1, 10, 9: “utinam nostro secedere corpore possem!” Ov. M. 3, 467.—
2. Poet., of inanim. subjects, to remove, withdraw; and in the perf., to be distant: “(luna) quantum solis secedit ab orbe,” Lucr. 5, 705: “ab imis terra,” Ov. F 6, 279: “(villa) decem et septem milibus passuum ab urbe secessit,” Plin. Ep. 2, 17, 2; Claud. Epith. Pall. et Cell. 63.—
B. In partic.
1. To go aside, withdraw, retire: “secede huc nunc jam procul,” Plaut. Capt. 2, 1, 23; so, “huc,” id. Am. 2, 2, 139; id. As. 3, 3, 49; id. Capt. 2, 2, 13: “in abditam partem aedium,” Sall. C. 20, 1: “in utraque latera (cohortes),” Front. Strat. 6, 6, 3: “ad deliberandum,” Liv. 45, 36: “ad consultandum,” Suet. Ner. 15: “lex Spartana vetat secedere amantes,” Prop. 3, 14 (4, 13), 21: “secedit humumque Effodit,” Ov. M. 11, 185. —
b. In post-Aug. authors (esp. in Suet.), to retire from public into private life; absol.: “integrā aetate ac valetudine statuit repente secedere seque e medio quam longissime amovere,” Suet. Tib. 10: “illuc e comitatu suo,” id. Aug. 98; so Plin. Ep. 1, 9, 3: “ab Urbe,” Suet. Gram. 3: “in insulam, etc.,” Quint. 3, 1, 17; Suet. Vesp. 4; id. Gram. 5; cf. “Rhodum,” id. Caes. 4.—
c. To seek the exclusive society of any one, to retire from the world: “ad optimos viros,” Sen. Ot. Sap. 1, 1. —
2. Polit., to separate one's self by rebellion, to revolt, secede (syn.: “deficio, descisco): ut anno XVI. post reges exactos propter nimiam dominationem potentium secederent,” Cic. Corn. 1, p. 450 Orell.: “saepe ipsa plebes armata a patribus secessit,” Sall. C. 33, 3; Suet. Tib. 2: “injussu consulum in Sacrum Montem secessisse,” to have marched out in rebellion, Liv. 2, 32; so, “in Sacrum Montem,” id. 7, 40; Flor. 1, 23: “in Janiculum (plebs),” Plin. 16, 10, 15, § 37.—
II. Trop. (very rare; perh. only poet. and in post-Aug. prose): “antequam ego incipio secedere et aliā parte considere,” to dissent from the opinion, Sen. Ep. 117, 4: “a fesso corpore sensus,” Cat. 64, 189: “qui solitarius separatusque a communi malo civitatis secesserit,” has withdrawn himself, Gell. 2, 12, 1: “cum ad stilum secedet,” shall give himself up to writing, Quint. 1, 12, 12: “in te ipse secede,” retire within yourself, Sen. Ep. 25, 7.
