vŏlūmen, ĭnis, n. [volvo; a thing that is rolled or wound up; hence],
- I. A roll of writing, a roll, book, volume (the predom. signif. of the word; cf.: codex, liber): volumen plenum querelae iniquissimae, Cic. Fam. 3, 7, 2: tuis oraculis Chrysippus totum volumen implevit, id. Div. 2, 56, 115: volumen explicare, id. Rosc. Am. 35, 101: caeleste Epicuri de regulā et judicio, id. N. D. 1, 16, 43: evolvere volumen, id. Att. 9, 10, 4: hic plura persequi magnitudo voluminis prohibet, Nep. praef. § 8: illa uberius volumine amplecti, Plin. Ep. 3, 18, 1.
Plur.: evolvere volumina, Quint. 2, 15, 24: volumina ἀποφθεγμάτων, Cic. Fam. 9, 16, 4: pontificum libros, annosa volumina vatum, etc., Hor. Ep. 2, 1, 26: signata volumina, id. ib. 1, 13, 2; Dig. 32, 1, 52.
- B. In partic., like liber, of a separate portion of a work, a part, book: quoniam duobus superioribus (libris) de morte et de dolore dictum est, tertius dies disputationis hoc tertium volumen efficiet, Cic. Tusc. 3, 3, 6: sedecim volumina epistularum ad Atticum missarum, Nep. Att. 16, 3; Auct. Her. 1, 17, 27; Plin. 6, 29, 34, § 171; Plin. Ep. 3, 5, 5; Col. 3, 21, 11; Ov. Tr. 3, 14, 19 al.
- II. A roll, whirl, wreath, fold, eddy, etc. (only poet. and in post-Aug. prose): (anguis) sinuat immensa volumine terga, Verg. A. 2, 208; cf. id. ib. 5, 85; 11, 753; Ov. M. 4, 599; 15, 721: crurum (equi), bendings, joints, Verg. G. 3, 192: fumi, wreath, whirl, Ov. M. 13, 601; Luc. 3, 505: undae, id. 5, 565: siderum, revolution, Ov. M. 2, 71.
- * B. Trop., revolution, alteration, change: sortis humanae volumina, Plin. 7, 45, 46, § 147.