rivulus

rīvŭlus, i, m. dim. [rivus], a small brook, a rill, rivulet.

I.

Lit.: Almonis, Prud. steph. 10, 160; Vulg. Job, 20, 17:

aquarum,

id. Cant. 5, 12.—

II.

Trop. (only in Cic., who, on the other hand, uses rivus in the lit. sense):

influxit non tenuis quidam e Graeciā rivulus in hanc urbem, sed abundantissimus amnis illarum disciplinarum et artium,

Cic. Rep. 2, 19, 34:

rivulos consectari, fontes rerum non videre,

id. de Or. 2, 27, 117; so (opp. fontes) id. Ac. 1, 2, 8; id. Cael. 8, 19 (but the correct read. is ramuli, Cels. 7, 4, 1).