I.to swim, float.
I. Lit.: alter nare cupit: alter pugnare paratu'st, Enn. ap. Paul. ex Fest. p. 166 Müll. (Ann. v. 258 Vahl.): “pueris, qui nare discunt, scirpea induitur ratis,” Plaut. Aul. 4, 1, 9; cf. “below,” Hor. S. 1, 4, 120: “pinus Dicuntur liquidas Neptuni nāsse per undas,” Cat. 64, 1: “nat lupus,” Ov. M. 1, 304: “nantem delphina per undas,” id. H. 19, 199: “piger ad nandum,” id. ib. 18, 210: “ars nandi,” id. Tr. 2, 486: “nat tibi linter,” Tib. 1, 5, 76; Luc. 8, 374.—Prov.: nare sine cortice, to swim without corks, i. e. to be able to do without a guardian (cf. above the passage in Plaut. Aul. 4, 1, 9), Hor. S. 1, 4, 120.—
II. Poet., transf., to sail, flow, fly, etc.: cum juventus Per medium classi barbara navit Athon, Cat. 66, 45: “(undae) nantes refulgent,” id. 64, 274: “nare per aestatem liquidam suspexeris agmen (apium),” Verg. G. 4, 59.—Of the eyes of drunken persons, to swim: “nant oculi,” Lucr. 3, 480; v. nato.— Hence, nans , antis, P. a., swimming, floating: “nantes scaphae,” Gell. 10, 26, 10; as subst., a swimmer; hence, nantes , ĭum, f., swimming fowls, i. e. geese, ducks, etc.: “greges nantium,” Col. 8, 14, 1.
