1. secta — Lewis & Short
secta, ae, f.part. perf. of seco, sc. via, v. seco, I. C. 2., and II. B. fin.; prop.,
I a trodden or beaten way, a path; footsteps; hence, trop., a (prescribed) way, mode, manner, method, principles of conduct or procedure (syn.: ratio, via, etc.); most freq. in the phrase sectam (alicujus) sequi (persequi, etc.), to follow in the footsteps (of any one); hence, also, sectam (alicujus) secuti, a party, faction, sect.
I In gen.:
nos, qui hanc sectam rationemque vitae, re magis quam verbis, secuti sumus,mode of life, Cic. Cael. 17, 40; so,
vitae,Quint. 3, 8, 38; 12, 2, 6; Plin. Pan. 45, 4; cf. id. ib. 85, 7:
horum nos hominum sectam atque instituta persequimur,Cic. Verr. 2, 5, 70, § 181; cf.:
cujus sectam sequi, cujus imperio parere potissimum vellet,id. Rab. Perd. 8, 22:
sequi ejus auctoritatem, cujus sectam atque imperium secutus est,id. Fam. 13, 4, 2:
omnis natura habet quasi viam quandam et sectam quam sequatur,id. N. D. 2, 22, 57:
negant se pro Vitruvio sectamque ejus secutis precatum venisse,Liv. 8, 19; cf. id. 29, 27; 35, 49; 36, 1;
42, 31: juvenes hortatur, ut illam ire viam pergant et eidem incumbere sectae,Juv. 14, 121 sq.:
divitioris sectam plerumque secuntur Quamlibet et fortes,follow, adhere to, Lucr. 5, 1114:
gallae sectam meam exsecutae, mihi comites, etc.,Cat. 63, 15 et saep.—
II In partic., doctrines, school, sect (not freq. until the post-Aug. per.; syn.: schola, disciplina).
A In philosophic lang.:
quo magis tuum, Brute, judicium probo, qui eorum philosophorum sectam secutus es,Cic. Brut. 31, 120; cf.:
inter Stoicos et Epicuri sectam secutos pugna perpetua est,Quint. 5, 7, 35.— Plur.:
ad morem certas in philosophia sectas sequendi,Quint. 3, 1, 18:
neque me cujusdam sectae velut quādam superstitione imbutus addixi,id. 3, 1, 22:
assumptā Stoicorum arrogantiā sectāque,Tac. A. 14, 57:
Demetrio Cynicam sectam professo,id. H. 4, 40:
auctoritatem Stoicae sectae praeferebat,id. A. 16, 32; 6, 22:
inter duos diversarum sectarum velut duces,Quint. 5, 13, 59. —
B In jurisprudence:
hi duo primum veluti diversas sectas fecerunt,schools, Dig. 1, 2, 2, § 47.—
C In medicine, a school:
alia est Hippocratis secta, alia Asclepiadis,Sen. Ep. 95, 9.—
D In religion, a sect, Cod. Just. 1, 9, 3:
plurimae sectae et haereses,Lact. 4, 30, 2:
Nazaraenorum,Vulg. Act. 24, 5.—
E Rarely of a class or guild of men:
sincera et innoxia pastoriae illius sectae integritas,Flor. 3, 12, 2.—
F In Appul., a band of robbers, App. M. 4, pp. 150, 29, and 153, 22.