I.“fluctuatur, fluctuat,” Quint. 9, 3, 7), v. n. fluctus, to move in the manner of waves, i. e. to wave, rise in waves, undulate, to move to and fro, be driven hither and thither (class.; esp. freq. in the trop. signif.; cf.: fluo, fluito).
I. Lit.
(α).
Form fluctuo: “nunc valide fluctuat mare,” Plaut. Rud. 2, 1, 14: “ita fluctuare video vehementer mare,” id. ib. 4, 1, 12; “4, 2, 11: quadriremem in salo fluctuantem reliquerat,” Cic. Verr. 2, 5, 35, § 91: “quid tam commune quam mare fluctuantibus, litus ejectis?” id. Rosc. Am. 26, 72: “agebatur huc illuc Galba vario turbae fluctuantis impulsu,” Tac. H. 1, 40; cf. Gell. 10, 6, 2: “fluctuet aër,” Lucr. 6, 367: directaeque acies ac late fluctuat omnis Aere renidenti tellus, waves (in the light) with gleaming brass, Verg. G. 2, 281: “fluctuant insulae,” Plin. 2, 95, 96, § 209: “seges,” Sen. Herc. Fur. 699.—In mal. part., Arn. 2, 73; Auct. Priap. 19, 4; cf. fluctus, I. —
(β).
Form fluctuor: “deprehensi in mari Syrtico modo in sicco relinquuntur, modo fluctuantur,” are driven about by the waves, Sen. Vit. Beat. 14: “Delos diu fluctuata,” Plin. 4, 12, 22, § 66: “quaedam insulae semper fluctuantur,” id. 2, 94, 95, § 209 Jan.: “lignum in longitudinem fluctuatur,” i. e. floats about, id. 16, 38, 73, § 186: “lapidem e Scyro insula integrum fluctuari tradunt, eundem comminutum mergi,” id. 36, 16, 26, § 130.—
II. Trop., to be restless, unquiet, uncertain, doubtful; to rage, swell; to waver, hesitate, vacillate, fluctuate.
(α).
Form fluctuo: Eu. Potin, ut animo sis tranquillo? Ch. Quid si animus fluctuat? Plaut. Merc. 5, 2, 49; cf.: “animo nunc huc, nunc fluctuat illuc,” Verg. A. 10, 680: “mens animi tantis fluctuat ipsa malis,” Cat. 65, 4: “magnis curarum fluctuat undis,” id. 64, 62; cf.: “magnoque irarum fluctuat aestu,” Verg. A. 4, 532; Anthol. Lat. 1, 178, 150: “fluctuat ira intus,” Verg. A. 12, 527: “irarum fluctuat aestu,” id. ib. 4, 564; so, curarum, 8, 19; Lucr. 4, 1077; Cat. 64, 62: “ingenti Telamon fluctuat ira,” Val. Fl. 3, 637: “fluctuante rege inter spem metumque,” Liv. 42, 59, 8: “totam aciem suo pavore fluctuantem, etc.,” Curt. 3, 10, 6: “in suo decreto,” Cic. Ac. 2, 9, 29: “fluctuantem sententiam confirmare,” id. Att. 1, 20, 2: “genus orationis, quod appellamus fluctuans et dissolutum, eo quod sine nervis et articulis fluctuat huc et illuc,” Auct. Her. 4, 11, 16: “omnia et citata et fluctuantia,” Sen. Contr. 3, 19.—
(β).
Form fluctuor: “utrius populi mallet victoriam esse, fluctuatus animo fuerat,” Liv. 23, 33, 3: “fluctuatus animo est, utrum, etc.,” id. 32, 13, 4; 36, 10, 4; Curt. 4, 12, 21; Val. Max. 8, 1, 2: vita fluctuatur per adversa et difficilia, Sen. Ep. 111: semper inter spem et metum fluctuari, Aug. ap. Suet. Claud. 4: “ambrosia (herba) vagi nominis est et circa alias herbas fluctuati,” Plin. 27, 4, 11, § 28.
