I.difference, diversity, variety (class.; used alike in sing. and plur.): varietas Latinum verbum est, idque proprie quidem in disparibus coloribus dicitur: sed transfertur in multa disparia: varium poëma, varia oratio, varii mores, varia fortuna; “voluptas etiam varia dici solet, cum percipitur ex multis dissimilibus rebus dissimiliter efficientibus voluptates,” Cic. Fin. 2, 3, 10: “florum omnium,” id. Sen. 15, 54: “Asia varietate fructuum facile omnibus terris antecedit,” id. Imp. Pomp. 6, 14: “ut in corporibus magnae dissimilitudines sunt, sic in animis exsistunt majores etiam varietates,” id. Off. 1, 30, 107; cf. id. Div. 2, 44, 92: “varietates vocum,” id. ib. 2, 3, 9: “caeli,” id. ib. 1, 36, 79: “rerum publicarum,” id. Rep. 3, 3, 4: “bellum in multā varietate terrā marique versatum,” i. e. changes, vicissitudes, id. Arch. 9, 21: “(Timaeus) sententiarum varietate abundantissimus,” id. de Or. 2, 14, 58: “esse in varietate ac dissensione,” variety of opinion, id. N. D. 1, 1, 2: “voluntatis,” difference of wish, id. Att. 1, 17, 1: “utilitatis varietates,” id. Rep. 1, 32, 49: “nec varietatem natura patitur,” id. ib. 3, 11, 18: extimescens varietatem atque infidelitatem exercitūs, changeableness, fickleness, inconstancy, Planc. ap. Cic. Fam. 10, 18, 2: “ad varietates annonae horreum fore,” vicissitudes, Liv. 7, 31, 1: “figurarum,” Quint. 10, 2, 1: “juris,” id. 3, 6, 90: “nullum exspirantem versicolori quādam et numerosā varietate spectari proceres gulae narrant,” Plin. 9, 17, 30, § 66: “cum videamus tot varietates circumagi,” fluctuations of fortune, Plin. Ep. 4, 24, 6.—
II. Transf., varied clothing, colored attire: “circumamictā varietate, Aug. Civ. Dei, 17, 16, 2: circumamicta varietatibus,” Vulg. Psa. 44, 15.
