I.to change in shape, to transform, transfigure, metamorphose (post-Aug.; cf.: verto, muto).
I. Lit.: “puerum in muliebrem naturam,” Suet. Ner. 28: “in simiae speciem transfiguratus,” id. ib. 46: “in lupum,” Plin. 8, 22, 34, § 81: “in scorpiones,” id. 9, 31, 51, § 99: “in pumicem (al. mutantur),” id. 13, 25, 50, § 139: “et qui corpora prima transfigurat,” i. e. Ovid in the Metamorphoses, Stat. S. 2, 7, 78: “amygdalae ex dulcibus transfigurantur in amaras,” Plin. 17, 24, 37, § 237: “aede Castoris et Pollucis in vestibulum transfigurata,” Suet. Calig. 22; Vulg. Matt. 17, 2; id. Marc. 9, 1. —With se: Satanas transfigurat se in angelum lucis. Vulg. 2 Cor. 11, 14.—
II. Trop., to change, transform: “judicum animos in eum quem volumus habitum formare et velut transfigurare,” Quint. 6, 2, 1: intellego, non emendari me tantum, sed transfigurari, Sen. Ep. 6, 1.—
B. Esp.
1. With se, to assume to be, pretend to be: “transfigurantes se in apostolos,” Vulg. 2 Cor. 11, 13.—
2. To express under a figure of speech: “haec transfiguravi in me et Apollo propter vos,” Vulg. 1 Cor. 4, 6.
