volūbilis, e, adj. volvo, that is turned round or (more freq.) that turns itself round, turning, spinning, whirling, circling, rolling, revolving. 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.

— Trop. 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.

— 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.: volūbi-liter. Swiftly rolling, spinning, Amm. 20, 11, 26; cf. Non. p. 4, 1.

— Trop., of speech, rapidly, fluently, volubly: funditur numerose et volubiliter oratio, Cic. Or. 62, 210.