I.“mollirier for molliri,” Ter. Phorm. 4, 3, 27), v. a. mollis, to make soft, pliant, flexible, or supple, to soften (class.).
I. Lit.: “frigoribus durescit umor, et idem vicissim mollitur tepefactus,” Cic. N. D. 2, 10, 26: “lanam trahendo,” by spinning, Ov. M. 2, 411: “artus oleo,” Liv. 21, 55: “dum ferrum molliat ignis,” Hor. S. 1, 4, 20: “ceram,” Ov. M. 8, 198: “semina,” id. ib. 7, 123: “humum foliis,” id. ib. 4, 741: “glebas,” id. ib. 6, 220: “ventrem,” to relax, purge moderately, Plin. 20, 5, 20, § 43: “duritias,” id. 28, 17, 70, § 34: “agri molliti,” softened, loosened, Cic. N. D. 2, 50, 130.—
II. Trop.
A. To soften, moderate, mitigate; to tame, restrain, check; to render easier, lighter, pleasanter, or less disagreeable: “Hannibalem juveniliter exsultantem patientiā suā molliebat,” Cic. Sen. 4, 10: quā mons mollibat mare, broke the violence of the sea, Att. ap. Non. 347, 16: “iras,” Liv. 1, 9: “impetum,” id. 3, 35: “indocili numero cum grave mollit opus,” Ov. Tr. 4, 1, 6: “poenam,” id. ib. 3, 5, 53: “clivum,” to make the ascent of a hill easier, Caes. B. G. 7, 46: “clivos,” Liv. 21, 37, 3: “verba usu,” Cic. N. D. 1, 34, 95: “translationem,” id. de Or. 3, 41, 165: “fructus feros colendo,” to render milder, Verg. G. 2, 36: “caelum,” Plin. 2, 47, 47, § 124: “lacrimae meorum me interdum molliunt,” overcome me, Cic. Att. 10, 9, 2: “Deus mollivit cor meum,” softened, Vulg. Job, 23, 16.—
B. To soften, render effeminate or unmanly: “legionem,” Cic. Phil. 12, 3, 8: “animos,” id. Tusc. 2, 11, 27: vocem, to make soft or womanish, Quint. 11, 3, 24: “puerum,” to unman, Stat. S. 3, 4, 68.
