mŏdŭlor — Lewis & Short
mŏdŭlor, ātus, 1, v. dep.modulus,
I to measure off properly, to measure; to manage properly, to regulate.
I In gen. (only post-Aug.):
in modulanda statūs longitudinisque ejus praestantiā,Gell. 1, 1, 1; cf.:
quanta longinquitas corporis ei mensurae conveniret, modificatus est,id. ib. fin.:
ita modulante naturā,Plin. 2, 54, 55, § 142.—
II In partic., of singing, speaking, dancing, etc., to measure rhythmically; to modulate; hence, transf., to dance, to represent by dancing; to sing, to play (class.):
ipsa natura, quasi modularetur hominum orationem, in omni verbo posuit acutam vocem,Cic. Or. 18, 58; cf.:
hominum aures vocem naturā modulantur,modulate, id. de Or. 3, 48, 185:
insulae, Saliares dictae, quoniam in symphoniae cantu ad ictus modulantium pedum moventur,Plin. 2, 95, 96, § 209.—
B Transf.:
virgines sonum vocis pulsu pedum modulantes incesserunt,beating time to, accompanying with the dance, Liv. 27, 37 fin.:
(carmina) pastoris Siculi modulabor avenā,Verg. E. 10, 51:
carmina descripsi, et modulans alterna notavi,id. ib. 5, 14:
verba fidibus modulanda Latinis,Hor. Ep. 2, 2, 143:
lyram,Tib. 3, 4, 39 —Hence, mŏdŭlātus, a, um, Part. and P. a., in pass. signif.
A Played upon, made by playing, played.
1 Of an instrument:
dic Latinum, Barbite, carmen Lesbio primum modulate civi,Hor. C. 1, 32, 5.—
2 Of a song, tune, etc., sung:
carmina,Suet. Aug. 57:
a canticis ad aliorum similitudinem modulatis,Quint. 9, 2, 35.—
B Properly measured, in due measure, in time, melodious, musical (poet. and in postAug. prose):
ipso modulata dolore Verba fundebat,Ov. M. 14, 428:
sonus,Plin. 10, 29, 43, § 81; § 85.—Comp.:
ut moderatiores modulatioresque fierent animi,more harmonious, Gell. 1, 11, 1:
lingua,id. 1, 15, 14:
orationem modulatiorem aptioremque reddit,id. 13, 24, 9.—Sup.:
modulatissimus cantus,Flor. 2, 7, 15.—Hence, adv.: mŏ-dŭlātē, measuredly, according to measure, in time, melodiously: modulate canentes tibiae, * Cic. N. D. 2, 8, 22:
haec tu quam perite, quam concinne, quam modulate enuntiāsti,Aus. Ep. 19.—Comp.:
ars modulatius incedendi,Amm. 16, 5, 10:
verba modulatius collocata,Gell. 11, 13, 2.