caeco, āvi, ātum, 1, v. a. id., to make blind, to blind. Lit.: sol caecat, Lucr. 4, 325 (300); Paul. Nol. Carm. Nat. S. Fel. 20, 7; 20, 292: unde caecatus est (Appius Claudius), Aur. Vict. Vir. Ill. 34, 3.

—Hence, in gardening: oculum, to destroy, Col. 4, 9, 2; 4, 24, 16; cf. caecus, I. C., and oculus.

— Trop.: qui largitione caecarunt mentes imperitorum, Cic. Sest. 66, 139: ut (animi acies) ne caecetur erroribus, id. Tusc. 5, 13, 39: caecati libidinibus, id. ib. 1, 30, 72: cupiditate, id. Dom. 23, 60: caecata mens subito terrore, Liv. 44, 6, 17: pectora... serie caecata laborum, Ov. P. 2, 7, 45: caecabitur spes vindemiae, Pall. 1, 6, 11: timidos artus, to make senseless, Verg. Cul. 198.

— Transf., to make dark, to obscure: caecantur silvae, Avien. Per. 504.

— Trop., of discourse: celeritate caecata oratio, rendered obscure, Cic. Brut. 76, 264.