vărĭus, a, um, adj., diverse, different, manifold, changing, varying, various (cf.: diversus, distinctus).
I Lit.
A Of color, etc., variegated , party-colored , mottled , etc.: arietis lingua nigra aut varia, vestis, Varr. R. R. 2, 2, 4: variā veste exornatus fuit, Ter. Eun. 683; so of color: uvae, Cato R. R. 33, 4; 33, 73: lynces, Verg. G. 3, 264: serpens, Ov. M. 6, 114: anguis, id. ib. 4, 619: pica, Petr. 28 fin. : flores, Tib. 1, 7, 45; Ov. M. 10, 123: plumae, Hor. A. P. 2: lapides, id. S. 2, 4, 83: columnae, of variegated marble , id. Ep. 1, 10, 22: auctumnus purpureo colore, id. C. 2, 5, 12: colores, Ov. M. 1, 270; cf.: vestra latera loris faciam ut valide varia sint, i. e. black and blue , Plaut. Ps. 1, 2, 12; id. Mil. 2, 2, 61: tergum varium, Pomp. ap. Non. 19, 31 (Com. Rel. v. 139 Rib.): sparsa quoque in vario passim miracula caelo videt, diversified , i. e. with constellations of various forms , Ov. M. 2, 193.—
2 Subst.: vărĭa , ae, f. (i. e. bestia, a mottled animal).
a A panther , Plin. 8, 17, 23, § 63 sq.—
b A kind of magpie , Plin. 10, 29, 41, § 78.—
B In rural lang.: terra, wet above and dry beneath , Col. 2, 4, 5: sulcus, Cato R. R. 61, 2; Plin. 18, 19, 49, § 174.—
II Trop., diverse , different , manifold , changing , varying , changeable , various , etc.: varium poëma, varia oratio, varii mores, varia fortuna; voluptas etiam varia dici solet, Cic. Fin. 2, 3, 10: (qualitates) variae et quasi multiformes, id. Ac. 1, 7, 26: et ea, quae videntur acerba, quae multa et varia in hominum vitā fortunāque versantur, id. Off. 1, 20, 67: curricula multiplicium variorumque sermonum, id. Or. 3, 12: res varia et multiplex, id. Fl. 3, 6: multae, copiosae variaeque rationes, id. de Or. 1, 51, 222; cf.: varia et diversa genera et bellorum et hostium, id. Imp. Pomp. 10, 28; cf. id. de Or. 3, 16, 61; 1, 61, 262: varium jus et dispar condicio, id. Verr. 2, 5, 19, § 49: eventus varii fortunae, Caes. B. G. 2, 22: victoria, wavering , = anceps, Sall. J. 5, 1; Liv. 2, 6, 10; so, bellum, Flor. 4, 12, 26. —Of opinions: varias esse opiniones intellego: sunt qui putant, etc., i. e. divergent opinions , differences where there is yet substantial agreement (while diversae opiniones are opposite views), Cic. Fam. 1, 9, 25. —
2 Varium est, with a rel.-clause : quales sint (dii), varium est, various opinions prevail , Cic. N. D. 2, 5, 13.—
B Esp., of persons, etc.
1 Of abilities, versatile : Plato et varius et multiplex et copiosus fuit, Cic. Ac. 1, 4, 17; cf.: antequam scirem quam varium, quam flexibile quam multiplex (ejus ingenium) esset, Plin. Ep. 1, 16, 1: Antonius ingenio varius, Flor. 4, 3, 4.—
2 Of character, fickle , inconstant , changeable , untrustworthy : miror quid sit, quod pater tuus, homo constantissimus, te nobis varium reliquit ( beaten black and blue , and fickle-minded ,) Cic. Fragm. ap. Quint. 6, 3, 48: animus audax, subdolus, varius, Sall. C. 5, 4: varius incertusque agitabat, id. J. 74, 1: voltu et oculis pariter atque animo varius, agitated , irresolute , id. ib. 113, 3: Pausanias magnus homo, sed varius in omni genere vitae fuit, Nep. Paus. 1, 1; cf.: varium et mutabile semper Femina, a fickle thing , Verg. A. 4, 569.—Hence, adv.: vărĭē .
A Lit., with diverse colors , in a variegated manner : mithrax gemma multicolor, contra solem varie refulgens, Plin. 37, 10, 63, § 173: smaragdi Cyprii varie glauci, id. 37, 5, 18, § 67. —
B Trop., variously , changeably , diversely , differently , in various ways : varie moveri, Cic. Div. 2, 42, 89: qui (sermones) ab his, qui illum audierunt, perscripti varie et copiose sunt, id. Ac. 1, 4, 16: numerus hujus generis late et varie diffusus est, id. Sest. 45, 97: varie sum affectus tuis litteris, id. Fam. 16, 4, 1: postea decernitur, ac non varie, sed prope cunctis sententiis, id. Verr. 2, 4, 65, § 145: ita varie per omnem exercitum laetitia, maeror, luctus atque gaudia agitabantur, Sall. C. 61, 9: in Aequis varie bellatum, Liv. 5, 28, 5: agere varie, rogando alternis suadendoque coepit, id. 2, 2, 9: hiemem aut negotia varie causari, Tac. A. 1, 47: sagittarios varie passimque collocare, Auct. B. Afr. 60: disserere, Tac. A. 1, 11.—With a punning allusion to 1. Varia: Ep. Perpetuon' valuisti? Th. Varie. Ep. Qui varie valent, caprigenum hominum non placet mihi neque pantherinum genus, Plaut. Ep. 1, 1, 15.