I.that is turned round or (more freq.) that turns itself round, turning, spinning, whirling, circling, rolling, revolving.
I. Lit.: “buxum,” i. e. a top, Verg. A. 7, 382: “caelum,” Cic. Univ. 6 fin.: “sol,” Prud. Cath. 3 praef.: “nexus (anguis),” Ov. M. 3, 41: “volubilis et rotundus deus,” Cic. N. D. 2, 17, 46: “figurae aquae,” Lucr. 3, 190: “procursus,” id. 2, 455: “aquae,” Hor. C. 4, 1, 40; cf.: “labitur (sc. amnis), et labetur in omne volubilis aevum,” id. Ep. 1, 2, 43: “aurum,” i. e. the golden apple, Ov. M. 10, 667; cf. id. H. 20, 209: “electrum,” Plin. 37, 3, 11, § 42: “pila,” App. M. 2, p. 116.—
II. Trop.
A. Of speech, rapid, fluent, voluble (the figure taken from rolling waters): “vis volubilis orationis,” Auct. Her. 3, 14, 25: “oratio,” Cic. Brut. 28, 108: “rotunda volubilisque sententia,” Gell. 11, 13, 4.—Transf., of the speaker: “homo volubilis quādam praecipiti celeritate dicendi,” Cic. Fl. 20, 48; id. Brut. 27, 105; id. Fragm. ap. Prisc. p. 617 P.—
B. Of fate, changeable, mutable: “vaga volubilisque fortuna,” Cic. Mil. 26, 69; cf.: “cum videamus tot varietates tam volubili orbe circumagi,” Plin. Ep. 4, 24, 6: “fortunae volubiles casus,” Amm. 22, 1, 1: “volubilium casuum diritas,” id. 26, 1, 3.—Adv.: vŏlūbĭ-lĭter .
1. Swiftly rolling, spinning, Amm. 20, 11, 26; cf. Non. p. 4, 1.—
2. Trop., of speech, rapidly, fluently, volubly: “funditur numerose et volubiliter oratio,” Cic. Or. 62, 210.
