vŏlĭto, āvi, ātum, 1, v. freq. n. [2. volo], to fly to and fro, to fly or flit about, to flutter (class.).
I Lit.: aves volitare, Cic. de Or. 2, 6, 23: (volucris) propter humum volitat, Ov. M. 8, 258: volitant alii (scarabaei) magno cum murmure, Plin. 11, 28, 34, § 98. —
B Transf., to fly , hasten , or hover about; to flutter , float about : volitans totā acie, Liv. 4, 19, 2: mediis in millibus ductores, Verg. A. 12, 126: volitabit et vagabitur in foro, Auct. Her. 4, 39, 51; cf.: totā Asiā vagatur, volitat ut rex, Cic. Phil. 11, 2, 6: volitare in foro, id. de Or. 1, 38, 173: volitat ante oculos istorum Jubae regis filius, id. Agr. 2, 22, 59: pacatum volitant per mare navitae, Hor. C. 4, 5, 19: tribuni praefectique cum terrore et armatorum catervis volitabant, Tac. H. 2, 88 fin. ; cf. Cic. Sest. 1, 1. —Of things concr. and abstr.: quae (rerum simulacra) quasi membranae summo de corpore rerum Dereptae volitant ultro citroque per auras, Lucr. 4, 32; cf. id. 4, 62: solidissima materiaï Corpora perpetuo volitare, hover , float about , id. 1, 952; so of atoms, id. 2, 380; 3, 33; Cic. N. D. 1, 20, 54: stellae, id. Arat. 180: atra favilla in nimbo, Verg. A. 5, 666: umbrae inter vivos, Lucr. 4, 38: circum litora, Verg. A. 6, 329: et tenues animae volitare silentum, Ov. M. 14, 411: voces per auras, Lucr. 4, 221.—
II Trop., to fly , fly or flutter about , fly to and fro , etc.: nemo me lacrimis decoret nec funera fletu Faxit. Cur? Volito vivu' per ora virūm, Enn. ap. Cic. Tusc. 1, 15, 34; cf. id. Sen. 20, 73 (Epigr. v. 4, p. 162 Vahl.): speremus nostrum nomen volitare et vagari latissime, Cic. Rep. 1, 17, 26: si nostri animi ... gestiant ac volitare cupiant vacui curā ac labore, to wander about , id. de Or. 2, 6, 23: valebis apud hominem volitantem gloriae cupiditate, vir moderatus et constans, soaring , aspiring , id. Pis. 25, 59; cf.: cupis volitare per auras, Mart. 1, 4, 11: nec volitabo in hoc insolentius, fly into a passion , Cic. Fl. 16, 38: (Clodius) volitat, furit, id. Att. 2, 22, 1.