E. Cobham Brewer 1810–1897. Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 1898.
Des’ultory.
Those who rode two or more horses in the circus of Rome, and used to leap from one to the other, were called desulto’res; hence desultor came in Latin to mean one inconstant, or who went from one thing to another; and desultory means after the manner of a desultor.
