Lewis & Short

1. vărĭus, a, um, adj., diverse, different, manifold, changing, varying, various (cf.: diversus, distinctus).

  1. I. Lit.
    1. 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. 4, 4, 16; 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.
      1. 2. Subst.: vărĭa, ae, f. (i. e. bestia, a mottled animal).
        1. a. A panther, Plin. 8, 17, 23, § 63 sq.
        2. b. A kind of magpie, Plin. 10, 29, 41, § 78.
    2. 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.
  2. 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.
      1. 2. Varium est, with a rel.-clause: quales sint (dii), varium est, various opinions prevail, Cic. N. D. 2, 5, 13.
    1. B. Esp., of persons, etc.
      1. 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. 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.
    1. 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.
    2. 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.