fābŭlor, ātus (archaic inf. praes. fabularier, Plaut. Am. 1, 1, 46; id. Most. 3, 1, 77; id. Ps. 1, 1, 60; id. Trin. 2, 4, 60; Ter. Hec. 3, 1, 36; also act. form fabulaverit, Afran. ap. Non. 232, 26 dub.: fabulabere, Rib. v. 147: fabulem, Plaut. Mil. 2, 5, 33 Fleck.), 1, v. dep. a. [fabula], to speak, converse, talk, chat (mostly ante- and post-class.; esp. freq. in Plaut.; not in Cic.; syn.: aio, inquam, dico, loquor, etc.).
- A. In gen.: ut pro viribus tacere ac fabulari tute noveris, Enn. ap. Non. 475, 3 (Trag. v. 182 ed. Vahl.): clare advorsum fabulabor, Plaut. Am. 1, 1, 144: reliqua alia, id. Poen. 3, 4, 8: ut aperte tibi nunc fabuler, Ter. Ph. 4, 3, 49: quod omnes homines fabulantur per vias, Mihi esse filiam inventam, Plaut. Cist. 5, 1: aliquid, to say, utter, Liv. 45, 39 fin.: (ars medendi) ictum fulmine Aesculapium fabulata, Plin. 29, 1, 1, § 3: inter sese, Plaut. Ep. 2, 2, 53: cum aliquo, Suet. Calig. 22; id. Dom. 4: stabant Fronto et Festus fabulantes, Gell. 19, 13, 1: inter fabulandum, id. 15, 1, 4.
- B. Esp., to speak a language: qui Obsce et Volsce fabulantur, Titin. Com. v. 104 Rib.