I.per diaeresin ēvŏlŭam, Cat. 66, 74: “ēvŏlŭisse,” Ov. H. 12, 4), v. a., to roll out, roll forth; to unroll, unfold (class.).
I. Lit.: “(vis venti) Arbusta evolvens radicibus haurit ab imis,” Lucr. 6, 141; cf. “silvas,” Ov. M. 12, 519: “cadavera turribus,” Luc. 6, 171: “montes corpore,” Ov. M. 5, 355: “saxa nudis lacertis,” Luc. 3, 481: “intestina,” Cels. 7, 16 et saep.: “vestes,” to open, unfold, Ov. M. 6, 581: “volumen epistolarum,” to open, Cic. Att. 9, 10, 4: “panicum furfure,” i. e. to cleanse, purge, Col. 2, 9 fin.: “quae postquam evolvit,” unfolds, evolves, Ov. M. 1, 24 et saep.: “amnis prorutam in mare evolvendo terram praealtas voragines facit,” Liv. 44, 8; cf. “aquas (Araxes),” Curt. 5, 4, 7.—
b. Evolvere se, or mid. evolvi, to roll out, roll forth, glide away: “evolvere posset in mare se Xanthus,” discharge itself, Verg. A. 5, 807; cf.: “Danubius in Pontum vastis sex fluminibus evolvitur,” empties, Plin. 4, 12, 24, § 79: “species (anguis) evoluta repente,” Liv. 26, 19, 7: “per humum evolvuntur,” roll themselves along, Tac. G. 39.—
B. Transf.
1. To unroll and read a book: “evolve diligenter ejus eum librum qui est de animo,” Cic. Tusc. 1, 11, 24: “volumina,” Quint. 2, 15, 24: “fastos,” Hor. S. 1, 3, 112; Ov. F. 1, 657: “versus,” id. Tr. 2, 307: “jocos,” id. ib. 2, 238; cf. “transf.: poëtas,” Cic. Fin. 1, 21, 72; cf. “auctores,” Suet. Aug. 89: “auctores penitus,” Quint. 12, 2, 8: “antiquitatem,” Tac. Or. 29 fin.—
2. To draw out a thread, i. e. to spin, said of the Fates: “quae seriem fatorum pollice ducunt Longaque ferratis evolvunt saecula pensis,” Claud. Rapt. Pros. 1, 53; and pregn., to spin out, i. e. to spin to an end, said of the Fates: “tunc, quae dispensant mortalia fata, sorores Debuerant fusos evoluisse meos,” Ov. H. 12, 4.—
3. To obtain, raise: “in hoc triduo Aut terra aut mari alicunde aliqua evolvam argentum tibi,” Plaut. Ps. 1, 3, 83.—
II. Trop.
A. In gen.: si qui voluerit animi sui complicatam notionem evolvere, to unroll, i. e. to clear up (the figure being taken from a book), Cic. Off. 3, 19, 76; cf.: “exitum criminis,” id. Cael. 23: “promissa evolvit somni,” i. e. turns over, revolves, Sil. 3, 216; cf.: “secum femineos dolos,” Sen. Agam. 116: “evolutus integumentis dissimulationis (with nudatus),” unwrapped, stripped, Cic. de Or. 2, 86, 350: “evolutus bonis,” robbed, Sen. Ep. 74; cf.: “sede patria rebusque summis,” Tac. A. 13, 15: “ex praeda clandestina,” driven away, Liv. 6, 15: “nullo possum remedio me evolvere ex his turbis,” Ter. Ph. 5, 4, 5: “se omni turba,” id. Eun. 4, 4, 56.—
B. In partic., to unfold, disclose, narrate: “naturam rerum omnium,” Cic. Ac. 2, 36: oras belli, Enn. ap. Macr. S. 6, 1 (Ann. v. 178 ed. Vahl.): “totam deliberationem accuratius,” Cic. Att. 9, 10, 7: “rem propositam,” Quint. 1, 1, 20: “condita pectoris,” Cat. 66, 74: “seriem fati,” Ov. M. 15, 152: “haec,” Verg. G. 4, 509 et saep.; cf. with a rel.-clause, Lucr. 1, 954.—
C. To roll away, of time, i. e. to pass, elapse: “evolutis multis diebus,” Vulg. Gen. 38, 12: “cum evolutus esset annus,” id. 2 Par. 24, 23: “evoluto tempore,” id. Esth. 2, 15.
