2. vŏlo, āvi, ātum (part. gen. plur. volantūm, Verg. A. 6, 728; Lucr. 2, 1083), 1, v. n. [Sanscr. val-, to turn one’s self, etc.; cf.: vŏlucer, vēlox, and vol- in velivolus], to fly.
- I. Lit.: ex alto … laeva volavit avis, Enn. ap. Cic. Div. 1, 48, 107 (Ann. v. 95 Vahl.): aves, Lucr. 6, 742: accipitres, id. 4, 1010: corvi, id. 2, 822: altam supra volat ardea nubem, Verg. G. 1, 364: volat ille per aëra magnum Remigio alarum, id. A. 1, 300: columbae venere volantes, id. ib. 6, 191; Prop. 2, 30 (3, 28), 30; Juv. 8, 251: apes, Ov. A. A. 1, 96; cf. Plin. 10, 38, 54, § 112: volasse eum (Antonium), non iter fecisse diceres, Cic. Phil. 10, 5, 11.
Prov.: sine pennis volare haud facile est, Plaut. Poen. 4, 2, 49.
- 2. P. a. as subst.: vŏlantes, ĭum, comm., the birds (poet.), Lucr. 2, 1083; Verg. A. 6, 239; 6, 728.
- II. Transf., to fly, i. e. to move swiftly like one flying, to fleet, speed, hasten along: i sane … vola curriculo, Plaut. Pers. 2, 2, 17; cf.: per summa levis volat aequora curru, Verg. A. 5, 819: medios volat ecce per hostes Vectus equo spumante Saces, id. ib. 12, 650: illa (Argo) volat, Ov. H. 6, 66: currus, Verg. G. 3, 181: axis, id. ib. 3, 107: nubes, Lucr. 5, 254: fulmina, id. 2, 213: tempestates, id. 6, 612: telum, id. 1, 971; cf. Sall. J. 60, 2; Verg. A. 9, 698; Liv. 26, 44, 7 al.: litterae Capuam ad Pompeium volare dicebantur, Cic. Att. 2, 19, 3: volat aetas, id. Tusc. 1, 31, 76: hora, Sen. Hippol. 1141: fama, Verg. A. 3, 121: et semel emissum volat irrevocabile verbum, Hor. Ep. 1, 18, 71.
Poet., with inf.: ast Erebi virgo ditem volat aethere Memphim Praecipere et Phariā venientem pellere terrā, Val. Fl. 4, 407.