vŏlĭto, āvi, ātum, 1
* V. freq. n. [2. volo], to fly to and fro, to fly or flit about, to flutter (class.).
* 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.
* 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.
* 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.