I.v. n., to flow or run together (class. in prose and poetry).
I. Prop.: “materies umoris,” Lucr. 6, 637: “in imum,” id. 5, 498: “copia materiai Undique confluxet ad imum,” id. 1, 987: “confluat aër,” id. 1, 389 al.: “Fibrenus divisus aequaliter in duas partes cito in unum confluit,” Cic. Leg. 2, 3, 6: “ibi Isara Rhodanusque amnes ... confluunt in unum,” Liv. 21, 31, 4: “qui (portus) cum diversos inter se aditus habeant, in exitu conjunguntur et confluunt,” Cic. Verr. 2, 4, 52, § 117: “vasti amnes e diverso in Phasin confluunt,” Plin. 6, 4, 4, § 13: “qualis et in curvum pontus confluxerit orbem,” Tib. 4, 1, 20: “Panticapen confluere infra Olbiam cum Borysthene,” Plin. 4, 12, 26, § 83: a confluente Rhodano castra movi, i. e. where it unites with the Saōne, Lepidus ap. Cic. Fam. 10, 34, 1: “aqua in rivum confluit,” Dig. 8, 3, 20, § 1.—Hence,
B. conflŭens , entis, or conflŭentes , ium, subst. m., the place where two rivers unite, the confluence: “cum ad confluentem Mosae et Rheni pervenissent,” Caes. B. G. 4, 15.—In sing., Plin. 6, 26, 30, § 122: “a confluente supra dicto,” id. 3, 26, 29, § 149; Just. 32, 3, 8: “ubi Anienem transiit, ad confluentes collocat castra,” at the confluence of the Anio with the Tiber, Liv. 1, 27, 4; 4, 17, 2; id. Epit. 137; Plin. 6, 26, 31, § 126; Tac. H. 2, 40 al.—Hence, κατ̓ ἐξοχήν, Conflŭentes , ium, the town of Coblentz, situated at the confluence of the Moselle with the Rhine, Suet. Calig. 8; Flor. 4, 6, 3; Amm. 16, 3, 1.—
II. Trop., of other objects, esp. of a great multitude, to flock or crowd together, to come together in multitudes: “multi confluxerunt et Athenas et in hanc urbem,” Cic. Brut. 74, 258: “perfugarum magnus ad eum cotidie numerus confluebat,” Caes. B. G. 7, 44: “ut ad ejus triremem vulgus conflueret,” Nep. Alcib. 6, 1: “ad spectacula,” Suet. Caes. 39: “Neapolin,” id. Ner. 20: “plures ad haec studia,” Cic. Tusc. 2, 2, 6: “undique ad eum auxiliis confluentibus,” Vell. 2, 55, 2; 2, 80, 4.—Absol.: “multitudo confluens,” Suet. Caes. 16: “turba undique confluentis fluctuantisque populi,” Gell. 10, 6, 2: “ut nos dicamur duo Omnium dignissimi quo cruciatus confluant,” Plaut. As. 2, 2, 48; cf. id. Ep. 4, 1, 3.—
b. With abstr. subjects: “maeror,” Lucr. 6, 1260: “ad ipsos laus, honos, dignitas confluit,” Cic. Inv. 1, 4, 5: “ut ad nos pleraeque (causae) confluant, etc.,” id. Planc. 34, 84; Ov. M. 9, 741; Suet. Tib. 10.