năto — Lewis & Short
năto, āvi, ātum, 1,
I v. freq. n. and a. [no], to swim, to float.
I Lit.:
qui neque in Oceano natare volueris studiosissimus homo natandi,Cic. Fam. 7, 10, 2:
natant pisces aequore,Ov. P. 2, 7, 28: canis, per flumen, carnem dum ferret, natans, Phaedr. 1, 4, 2:
natat uncta carina,floats, Verg. A. 4, 398:
crura natantia,palmated feet, Ov. M. 14, 551; cf.:
apta natando crura,id. ib. 15, 376.—Of storm-tossed or shipwrecked persons, to float about, be tossed about:
naufragus natans,Cic. Inv. 2, 51, 163; cf.
trop.: et natat exuviis Graecia pressa tuis,Prop. 4 (5), 1, 115.
cum saepe in portu fracta carina natet,id. 2, 25, 24 (3, 20, 24):
Ithacum lugere natantem,Juv. 10, 257.—
(b) Poet., with acc.:
nocte natat caecā serus freta,swims across, Verg. G. 3, 260:
aquas,to swim in, Mart. 14, 196, 2:
Tiberinum,to swim across, Juv. 8, 265.—Hence, also, pass.:
quot piscibus unda natatur,Ov. Tr. 5, 2, 25. —
B Transf.
1 To swim or spread about (poet.):
quā Tiberinus campo liberiore natat,Ov. F. 4, 291:
natantibus radicibus,Col. Arb. 6; Prop. 2, 12, 52 (3, 7, 52):
ingens medio natat umbra profundo,Stat. Th. 2, 42:
niveo natat ignis in ore,id. Achill. 1, 161.—
2 To swim or overflow with any thing, to be overflowed (mostly poet.).
(a) With abl.:
natabant pavimenta vino,Cic. Phil. 2, 41, 105:
plenis Rura natant fossis,are inundated, Verg. G. 1, 372:
sanieque aspersa natarent Limina,id. A. 3, 625:
fletibus ora natant,Stat. Th. 2, 337:
carmina in ipse ore natant,id. S. 2, 1, 18.—
(b) Absol.:
exspectant imbres, quorum modo cuncta natabant Impulsu,Luc. 4, 330:
plana natant,Sil. 4, 751.—
3 Of the eyes, to swim (of drunken or dying persons), to be feeble, failing (poet.):
vinis oculique animique natabant,Ov. F. 6, 673:
moriens oculis natantibus Circumspexit Athin,id. M. 5, 72; Sil. 2, 122; cf.:
ante oculos natant tenebrae,Ov. M. 12, 136:
oculi natantes et quādam voluptate suffusi,Quint. 4, 3, 76.—
4 To move to and fro, not stand still:
nec vagus in laxā pes tibi pelle (i. e. calceo) natet,Ov. A. A. 1, 516; Calp. Ecl. 6, 43; Nemes. Cyn. 170.—
5 Of birds, to fly:
ardea sublimis pennae confisa natanti,Luc. 5, 554.—
II Trop., to fluctuate, waver, be uncertain ( = titubare, huc atque illuc ferri):
in quo quidem magis tu mihi natare visus es quam ipse Neptunus,Cic. N. D. 3, 24, 62:
mutatio voluntatis indicat animum natare,Sen. Ep. 35, 4:
pars multa (hominum) natat, modo recta capessens, Interdum pravis obnoxia,Hor. S. 2, 7, 6; Sil. 7, 726; Manil. 4, 256: vitreoque natant praetoria ponto, float or waver reflected in the water, Stat. S. 2, 2, 49.—Hence, nătans, antis, P. a., swimming; hence, nătantes, ūm, poet. for fishes:
genus omne natantum,Verg. G. 3, 541; Cael. Aur. Tard. 3, 2, § 31.