I. Pertaining to the air, aërial (a poet. word, which Cic. uses only in higher flights of speech): “volucres,” Lucr. 5, 825; Cic. Univ. 10: “volatus avium atque cantus,” id. Top. 20: “aërias vias carpere,” their way in the air, Ov. A. A. 2, 44: aërias tentăsse domos, the heavens, * Hor. C. 1, 28, 5 al.—Hence aërium mel, because the bee was believed to collect its honey from falling dew, Verg. G. 4, 1. —
II. Rising aloft, airy, high.—So esp. of mountains: “Alpes,” Verg. G. 3, 474; Ov. M. 2, 226: “aërio vertice Taurus,” Tib. 1, 7, 15 (aetherio, Müll.): “cacumen,” Cat. 64, 240 al. —Of trees: “quercus,” Verg. A. 3, 680: “ulmus,” id. E. 1, 59.—Of other things: “arces,” Verg. A. 3, 291: “(capra) cornibus aëriis,” Ov. F. 5, 119.—*
B. Aëria spes, airy, i. e. quickly flying away, vain, fleeting, transitory, Arn. 2, p. 86.
