I.that stands firm; firm, steadfast, steady, stable (class.; esp. in the trop. sense; syn.: firmus, constans).
I. Lit.: “via plana et stabilis (opp. praeceps et lubrica),” Cic. Fl. 42, 105: “locus ad insistendum,” Liv. 44, 5, 10: “solum,” id. 44, 9, 7: “stabulum,” Plaut. Aul. 2, 2, 56: “domus,” id. Merc. 3, 4, 68: “medio sedet insula ponto,” Ov. F. 4, 303: “per stabilem ratem tamquam viam,” Liv. 21, 28, 8: “elephanti pondere ipso stabiles,” id. 21, 28, 12: “stabilior Romanus erat,” was more firm, stood his ground better, id. 44, 35, 19; cf.: “stabili gradu impetum hostium excipere,” id. 6, 12, 8; Tac. H. 2, 35; cf.: “Romani stabili pugnae assueti,” Liv. 28, 2, 7: “pugna,” id. 31, 35, 6: “acies,” id. 30, 11, 9: “proelium,” Tac. A. 2, 21: “quae domus tam stabilis, quae tam firma civitas est, quae? etc.,” Cic. Lael. 7, 23: “stabilis pulsus,” a steady pulse, Plin. 11, 37, 89, § 219: “venae aquarum,” steadily flowing, id. 30, 3, 28, § 48.—
II. Trop., firm, enduring, durable, stable; immutable, unwavering; steadfast, intrepid (syn.: “firmus, constans, certus): fundamentum,” Lucr. 5, 1121: “amici firmi et stabiles et constantes,” Cic. Lael. 17, 62: “stabilem se in amicitiā praestare,” id. ib. 17, 64: “stabile et fixum et permanens bonum,” id. Tusc. 5, 14, 40: “decretum stabile, fixum, ratum,” id. Ac. 2, 9, 27: “stabilis certaque sententia (opp. errans et vaga),” id. N. D. 2, 1, 2: urbs sedem stabilem non habebit, id. Marcell. 9, 29: “matrimonium stabile et certum,” id. Phil. 2, 18, 44: “stabilis et certa possessio,” id. Lael. 15, 55: “praecepta firma, stabilia,” id. Off. 1, 2, 6: “opinio,” id. N. D. 2, 2, 5: “oratio stabilis ac non mutata,” id. Mil. 34, 92: “nihil est tam ad diuturnitatem memoriae stabile quam, etc.,” id. de Or. 1, 28, 129: “animus stabilis amicis,” id. Inv. 1, 30, 47: “virtus, Quae maneat stabili cum fugit illa (Fortuna) pede,” Ov. Tr. 5, 14, 30.—Of springs: “aquae certae, stabilesque et salubres,” unfailing, perennial, Plin. 31, 3, 28, § 48: eam (summam voluptatem) tum adesse, cum dolor omnis absit: eam stabilem appellas (opp. in motu), i. e. a fixed state or condition, Cic. Fin. 2, 23, 75.—Of feet, syllables, etc., in verse: “spondei,” Hor. A. P. 256; so, “pedes, dochmius, syllabae, etc.,” Quint. 9, 4, 97 sq.: stabilia probant, i. e. consisting of such feet, etc., id. 9, 4, 116.—Comp.: “imperium stabilius,” Ter. Ad. 1, 1, 41.—Sup.: quaestus stabilissimus, Cato, R. R. praef. fin.—*
b. Stabile est, with subject - clause, like certum est, it is settled, it is decided: “profecto stabile'st, me patri aurum reddere,” Plaut. Bacch. 3, 4, 25.—Hence, adv.: stăbĭlĭter (acc. to I.), firmly, durably, permanently (very rare): “includatur tympanum,” Vitr. 10, 14.—Comp.: “fundare molem,” Suet. Claud. 20.
