stabilis

stăbĭlis, e, adj. [sto, prop. where one can stand; hence, pregn.], that stands firm; firm, steadfast, steady, stable (class.; esp. in the trop. sense; syn.: firmus, constans).

I.

Lit.:

via plana et stabilis (opp. praeceps et lubrica),

Cic. Fl. 42, 105:

locus ad insistendum,

Liv. 44, 5, 10:

solum,

id. 44, 9, 7:

stabulum,

Plaut. Aul. 2, 2, 56:

domus,

id. Merc. 3, 4, 68:

medio sedet insula ponto,

Ov. F. 4, 303:

per stabilem ratem tamquam viam,

Liv. 21, 28, 8:

elephanti pondere ipso stabiles,

id. 21, 28, 12:

stabilior Romanus erat,

was more firm, stood his ground better, id. 44, 35, 19; cf.:

stabili gradu impetum hostium excipere,

id. 6, 12, 8; Tac. H. 2, 35; cf.:

Romani stabili pugnae assueti,

Liv. 28, 2, 7:

pugna,

id. 31, 35, 6:

acies,

id. 30, 11, 9:

proelium,

Tac. A. 2, 21:

quae domus tam stabilis, quae tam firma civitas est, quae? etc.,

Cic. Lael. 7, 23:

stabilis pulsus,

a steady pulse, Plin. 11, 37, 89, § 219:

venae aquarum,

steadily flowing, id. 30, 3, 28, § 48.—

II.

Trop., firm, enduring, durable, stable; immutable, unwavering; steadfast, intrepid (syn.:

firmus, constans, certus): fundamentum,

Lucr. 5, 1121:

amici firmi et stabiles et constantes,

Cic. Lael. 17, 62:

stabilem se in amicitiā praestare,

id. ib. 17, 64:

stabile et fixum et permanens bonum,

id. Tusc. 5, 14, 40:

decretum stabile, fixum, ratum,

id. Ac. 2, 9, 27:

stabilis certaque sententia (opp. errans et vaga),

id. N. D. 2, 1, 2: urbs sedem stabilem non habebit, id. Marcell. 9, 29:

matrimonium stabile et certum,

id. Phil. 2, 18, 44:

stabilis et certa possessio,

id. Lael. 15, 55:

praecepta firma, stabilia,

id. Off. 1, 2, 6:

opinio,

id. N. D. 2, 2, 5:

oratio stabilis ac non mutata,

id. Mil. 34, 92:

nihil est tam ad diuturnitatem memoriae stabile quam, etc.,

id. de Or. 1, 28, 129:

animus stabilis amicis,

id. Inv. 1, 30, 47:

virtus, Quae maneat stabili cum fugit illa (Fortuna) pede,

Ov. Tr. 5, 14, 30.—Of springs:

aquae certae, stabilesque et salubres,

unfailing, perennial, Plin. 31, 3, 28, § 48: eam (summam voluptatem) tum adesse, cum dolor omnis absit: eam stabilem appellas (opp. in motu), i. e. a fixed state or condition, Cic. Fin. 2, 23, 75.—Of feet, syllables, etc., in verse:

spondei,

Hor. A. P. 256; so,

pedes, dochmius, syllabae, etc.,

Quint. 9, 4, 97 sq.: stabilia probant, i. e. consisting of such feet, etc., id. 9, 4, 116.— Comp.:

imperium stabilius,

Ter. Ad. 1, 1, 41.— Sup.: quaestus stabilissimus, Cato, R. R. praef. fin. —

* b.

Stabile est, with subject - clause, like certum est, it is settled, it is decided:

profecto stabile'st, me patri aurum reddere,

Plaut. Bacch. 3, 4, 25.—Hence, adv.: stăbĭlĭter (acc. to I.), firmly, durably, permanently (very rare):

includatur tympanum,

Vitr. 10, 14.— Comp.:

fundare molem,

Suet. Claud. 20.