I.v.a. and n. varius.
I. Act., to diversify, variegate, change (class.).
A. Lit.: “(principia) omne genus gignunt variantque colores,” Lucr. 2, 759: “maculis ortum (sol),” Verg. G. 1, 441: “caeruleis corpora guttis,” Ov. M. 4, 578: “tempora cani,” id. ib. 12, 465: “capillos (gemma),” id. Am. 1, 2, 41: “ubi caeruleum variabunt sidera caelum,” id. F. 3, 449: “variare virgis et loris,” to beat of all colors, black and blue, Plaut. Poen. prol. 26: “putrida pectora palmis,” Cat. 64, 352: “vestes picto auro,” Val. Fl. 3, 11: “variante se uvā,” becoming colored, turning, Plin. 17, 22, 35, § 189; for which mid.: “simulatque uva variari coeperit,” Col. Arb. 12, 1.—In part. perf.: “vestis priscis hominum variata figuris,” variegated, embroidered, Cat. 64, 50: “pluribus ille (anguis) notis variatam pingitur alvum,” Luc. 9, 713: “arcus vix ullā variatus luce colorem,” id. 4, 79: “eluere calculos nigros paulum candore variatos,” Plin. 34, 16, 47, § 157.—Poet.: formas variatus in omnes, changed, metamorphosed, Ov. M. 12, 559.—
B. Trop., to cause to change, make different or various; to alter, change, vary, interchange, cause to alternate, etc.: “vocem variare et mutare,” Cic. Or. 18, 59; so, “aliquid (with mutare),” Gell. 14, 1, 9: “orationem variare et distinguere,” Cic. de Or. 2, 9, 36: “ergo ille variabit (vocem) et mutabit,” id. Or. 18, 59: “voluptatem (with distinguere),” id. Fin. 1, 11, 38: “qui variare cupit rem prodigialiter unam,” Hor. A. P. 29: “in oratione multa summittere, variare, disponere,” Quint. 2, 12, 10; cf. id. 2, 13, 8; 11, 3, 152: “cum timor atque ira in vicem sententias variassent,” Liv. 2, 57, 2: “vices,” Verg. A. 9, 164: “bellum variante fortunā eventum ferre,” with varying success, Liv. 23, 5, 8: “et variebant secundae adversaeque res non fortunam magis quam animos hominum,” id. 25, 1, 6: “fremitus variantis multitudinis fuit partim adsensu partim indignatione,” id. 35, 31, 13: “ex vernā intemperie variante calores frigoraque,” id. 22, 2, 10: “laborem otio, otium labore,” Plin. Ep. 8, 8, 4: “variatis hominum sententiis,” i. e. various, at variance, Cic. Mil. 3, 8: “quae de Marcelli morte variant auctores,” report differently, vary, Liv. 27, 27, 12; cf.: “certe variata memoria actae rei,” id. 21, 28, 5.—Impers. pass.: “sitne ea (beata vita) in potestate sapientis, an, etc. ... in eo nonnumquam variari inter eos et dubitari videtur,” Cic. Fin. 5, 5, 12: senatus consuli coeptus; “ibi cum sententiis variaretur,” were of different opinions, Liv. 22, 60, 3; cf.: “variatum deinde proeliis,” fought with varying success, Vell. 2, 51, 3: “nisi de familiae condicione variatum esset,” i. e. differently reported, Suet. Vit. 1.—
II. Neutr., to be diversified, variegated; to change, alter, waver, vary, etc.
A. Lit.: “prima mihi variat liventibus uva racemis,” becomes variegated, colored, Prop. 4 (5), 2, 13. “bacae,” Col. 12, 52, 9: “variant ostrea coloribus,” are different, Plin. 32, 6, 21, § 60: “universitas (arietum) tergoris maculis,” Col. 7, 3, 2: “inter se multum variare figurae Non possunt,” Lucr. 2, 484; cf. id. 4, 648: “variantes edere formas,” id. 5, 722; cf.: “volucres variantibu' formis,” id. 5, 825: “non ita Carpathiae variant Aquilonibus undae,” fluctuate, Prop. 2, 5, 11.—
B. Trop., to be various or different; to change, vary; absol.: “variante fortunā,” Liv. 23, 5, 8: “inpatiens variantis caeli,” Plin. 14, 2, 4, § 28: “sic abeunt redeuntque mei variantque timores,” Ov. Tr. 2, 153: “dissidet et variat sententia,” id. M. 15, 648: “ita fama variat, ut, etc.,” Liv. 27, 27, 14. —With abl.: “haec de tanto viro, quamquam et opinionibus et monumentis litterarum variarent, proponenda erant,” Liv. 38, 57, 8: “si (lex) nec causis nec personis variet,” id. 3, 45, 2.—Impers.: “ibi si variaret,” if there were a difference of opinion, Liv. 1, 43, 11; cf.: “nec variatum comitiis est,” id. 7, 22, 10.—With adverb. acc.: “si nunc quoque fortuna aliquid variaverit,” Liv. 23, 13, 4.—Of differences in the text of an author (late Lat.): “ipsi codices Graeci variant,” Aug. in Psa. 118, 7: “nulla in eo variat codicum auctoritas,” id. C. Faust. 11, 4.—Hence, P. a.: vărĭans , antis, varied, manifold: “(terra) fudit aërias volucres variantibus formis,” Lucr. 5, 822: “variantis edere formas,” id. 5, 720: “astra,” Manil. 2, 466.