scăteo, ēre (ante-class. also scatit, Lucr. 5, 40; 6, 891; and scatĕre, Enn. ap. Cic. Tusc. 1, 28, 69, or Trag. v. 196 Vahl.; Lucr. 5, 598; 5, 952; 6, 896; perf. and sup. wanting), v. n. [etym. dub.; cf. Lith. skas-, leap], to bubble, gush, well, spring, or flow forth (poet.; not before the Aug. period in prose).
I Lit.: fontes scatere, Enn. l. l.; cf.: fons dulcis aquaï qui scatit et salsas circum se dimovet undas, Lucr. 6, 891 sq.; and (with erumpere) id. 5, 952; 5, 598.—
II Transf., = abundo.
A To be plentiful; to swarm , abound : cuniculi scatent in Hispaniă, Plin. 8, 58, 83, § 226; cf. Lucr. 6, 896.—
B With abl. (once also with gen. and with an acc. of respect ), to gush forth with , i.e. to be full of; to swarm or abound with , to be rich in or crowded with any thing, etc.
1 Lit. ( a ) With abl.: vino scatet, Plaut. Aul. 3, 6, 22: arx (Corinthi) scatens fontibus, Liv. 45, 28: scatentem Beluis pontum, Hor. C. 3, 27, 26; cf.: Nilus scatet piscibus, Mel. 1, 9, 3; so, tota ferme Hispania metallis, Plin. 3, 3, 4, § 30: Terracina silvis nucum, id. 16, 32, 59, § 138: scatere vermibus, Vulg. Exod. 16, 20: gentes tigri ferā. Plin. 6, 20, 23, § 73.—
β With gen.: terra ferarum scatit, Lucr. 5, 40; cf. id. 6, 891 supra.—
2 Trop.: qualibus ostentis Aristandri volumen sca-tet, Plin. 17, 25, 38, § 243; cf.: sic videas quosdam scatere verbis, ut, etc., Gell. 1, 15, 2; 17, 8, 4: (urtica) vel plurimis scatet remediis, Plin. 22, 13, 15, § 31.—With acc. respect : amas pol, misera: id tuos scatet animus, Plaut. Pers. 2, 1, 9.