I.easy to be moved, movable; loose, not firm (class.).
I. Lit.: “sum pernix pedibus manibus mobilis,” Plaut. Mil. 3, 1, 36: “mobiles turres,” Curt. 8, 11, 32: “oculi,” Cic. N. D. 2, 57, 142: “supercilia,” Plin. 11, 37, 51, § 138: “penna,” Ov. A. A. 2, 62: “mobilissimus ardor,” Cic. N. D. 2, 11, 30: mobiles res and mobilia bona, in law, movable things, movables, chattels (opp. to lands, houses, fixtures), as cattle, money, clothes, etc., Dig. 6, 1, 1: “remedium ad dentium mobiles firmandos,” loose, Plin. 21, 31, 105, § 180.—
II. Trop.
A. Pliable, pliant, flexible; excitable; nimble, quick, active, agile, rapid, swift, fleet: “dum mobilis aetas,” Verg. G. 3, 165: “populus mobilior ad cupiditatem agri,” Liv. 6, 6: “volat ambiguis mobilis alis hora,” Sen. Hippol. 1141; cf. id. Oedip. 992: “mobile et expeditum agmen,” Curt. 4, 14, 16: “venti,” the fleet winds, Ov. H. 5, 110; cf.: “puncto mobilis horae,” Hor. Ep. 2, 2, 172: “transitus,” Vell. 1, 17, 7: “ingenium,” versatility of talent, Vitr. 5, 7.—
B. In a bad sense, changeable, inconstant, fickle: “nec in te animo fui mobili, sed ita stabili, ut, etc.,” Cic. Fam. 5, 2, 10: Galli sunt in consiliis capiendis mobiles. Caes. B. G. 4, 5; cf. under the adv. 2: “gens ad omnem auram spei mobilis atque infida,” Liv. 29, 3: “ingenium,” Sall. J. 46, 3; 66, 2: “favor,” Sen. Vit. Beat. 1, 5: “mobiles et fluxae res humanae,” Sall. J. 104, 3: “mobilis et varia est ferme natura malorum,” Juv. 13, 237.—Hence,
A. Subst.: mōbĭ-lĭa , ium, n., movable goods, chattels: “mobilia quidem et moventia, quae modo in jus adferri adducive possent,” Gai. Inst. 4, 16.—
B. Adv.: mōbĭlĭter , with rapid motion, rapidly, quickly.
1. Lit . (rare but class.): “mobiliter quae feruntur,” Lucr. 4, 745 cor mobiliter palpitare, Cic. N. D. 2, 9, 24.—Comp.: “reverti mobilius,” Lucr. 5, 635.—*
2. Trop.: “omnes fere Gallos ad bellum mobiliter celeriterque excitari,” hastily, Caes. B. G. 3, 10, 3.
