dī-lābor, lapsus, 3, v. dep. n., to fall asunder, go to pieces, melt away, dissolve (class.).
I Lit.
A In gen.: glacies liquefacta et dilapsa, Cic. N. D. 2, 10, 26; cf. nix, Liv. 21, 36, 6: nebula, id. 41, 2, 4: calor, Verg. A. 4, 705: Vulcanus (i. e. ignis), Hor. S. 1, 5, 73: aestus, Tac. A. 14, 32 et saep.—Of a river, to flow apart, flow away , hoc quasi rostro finditur Fibrenus, et divisus aequaliter ... rapideque dilapsus cito in unum confluit, Cic. Leg. 2, 3, 6: amnis presso in solum alveo dilabitur, Curt. 5, 4, 8; cf. Mütz. ad h. 1.—Poet.: ungula in quinos dilapsa ungues, divided , Ov. M. 1, 742: (Proteus) in aquas tenues dilapsus abibit, melting , Verg. G. 4, 410.—
B In partic.
1 In the historians, of persons, esp. of soldiers, to move away in different directions, to flee, escape, scatter, disperse : exercitus amisso duce brevi dilabitur, Sall. J. 18, 3; so, absol ., id. C. 57, 1; Nep. Eum. 3, 4; Liv. 9, 45; Front. Strat. 2, 1, 18 al.— With ab : ab signis, Liv. 23, 18; cf. id. 37, 20.—With ex or e , Liv. 6, 17; 24, 46, 4.— With in : in oppida, Liv. 8, 29; cf. id. 21, 32; 40, 33; Front. Strat. 3, 8, 3.—With ad , Suet. Calig. 48; Front. Strat. 3, 6, 3: domum, id. ib. 2, 12 fin. : ab eo, desert , Vulg. 1 Reg. 13, 8.—
2 Pregn., to tumble down , i. e. to fall to pieces, go to decay : monumenta virum dilapsa, Lucr. 5, 312; so of buildings, Liv. 4, 20 Drak.; Tac. A. 4, 43; id. H. 1, 68; 86 fin. al.: navis putris vetustate, Liv. 35, 26: supellex, Col. 12, 3, 5: cadavera tabo, Verg. G. 3, 557; cf.: corpora foeda, Ov. M. 7, 550: fax in cineres, Hor. C. 4, 13, 28 et saep.
II Trop. (acc. to I. B. 2.), to go to decay, go to ruin, perish, be lost : male parta male dilabuntur, like our light come, light go , Poëta ap. Cic. Phil. 2, 27 (for which, disperire, Plaut. Poen. 4, 2, 22): ne omnia dilabantur, si unum aliquod effugerit, Cic. Tusc. 4, 5, 10: praeclarissime constituta, respublica, id. Off. 2, 23, 80: res familiaris, id. ib. 2, 18, 64: divitiae, vis corporis, etc., Sall. J. 2, 2: res maxumae (opp. crescere), id. ib. 10, 6: omnis invidia, id. ib. 27, 2: tempus, i. e. to slip away , id. ib. 36, 4: vectigalia publica negligentiā, i. e. to fall into confusion , Liv. 33, 46 fin. : curae inter nova gaudia, to vanish , Ov. P. 4, 4, 21 et saep.: sunt alii plures fortasse, sed meā memoriā dilabuntur, vanish , Cic. Phil. 13, 5, 11.—
2 Of time, to glide away, pass : dilapso tempore, Sall. J. 36, 4.