I.“simplice,” Lucr. 1, 1013), adj. sim-; cf. Sanscr. sam, Gr. ἅμα, with Lat. sin-guli, semel, sem-per; and plico.
I. In gen., simple, plain, uncompounded, unmixed, = ἁπλοῦς (cf.: “sincerus, purus): aut simplex est natura animantis, ut vel terrena sit, vel ignea, etc. ... aut concreta est ex pluribus naturis,” Cic. N. D. 3, 14, 34: “natura (opp. mixta, conexa, etc.),” Lucr. 3, 231; Cic. N. D. 2, 11, 29; id. Sen. 21, 78: “si unum ac simplex (genus inperii) probandum sit, regium probem,” id. Rep. 1, 35, 54; cf. id. ib. 2, 23, 43: “finis bonorum, qui simplex esse debet, ex dissimillimis rebus misceri et temperari potest,” id. Off. 3, 33, 119: “(comoedia) Duplex quae ex argumento facta'st simplici,” Ter. Heaut. prol. 6: “(auditus) iter simplex et directum (opp. flexuosum),” Cic. N. D. 2, 57, 144: “simplex est manere, illud (in Hispaniam ire) anceps,” free from risk, id. Att. 12, 7, 1: “unum est et simplex aurium judicium,” free from complication, id. Font. 10, 22 (6, 12): “necessitudines,” unqualified, absolute, id. Inv. 2, 57, 171; cf.: “simplex officium atque una est bonorum omnium causa,” id. Sull. 3, 9: “nihil simplici in genere omnibus ex partibus perfectum natura expolivit,” id. Inv. 2, 1, 3: “res aperta ac simplex,” id. Caecin. 2, 5: “ratio veritatis,” id. de Or. 1, 53, 229; Quint. 8, 3, 87: “decem regii lembi simplici ordine intrarunt urbem,” i. e. one by one, Liv. 44, 12, 6; Tac. H. 5, 23; cf.: simplici directā acie, simplicibus ordinibus, single, Auct. B. Alex. 37, 3 sq.: “acies,” id. B. Afr. 13, 2: “simplex acies media, cornibus duplex,” id. ib. 59, 2: “simplici caule,” Plin. 25, 7, 36, § 74: cum in eo ne simplici quidem genere mortis contenti inimici fuissent, i. e. not with his simple death, but must have torture, Liv. 40, 24, 8: “qui necem suam per venenum inimicis promiserat, non gravius quam simplici morte puniit,” Suet. Caes. 74: “qui proculcari nepotem, quam simplici morte interfici maluit,” Just. 44, 4, 4 al.: “nec via mortis erat simplex,” they died in various ways, Verg. G. 3, 482; cf.: “ne simplici quidem morte moriebantur, Sall. ap. Serv. ad Verg. l. l. (H. 3, 25 Dietsch ad loc.): nec modus inserere atque oculos inponere simplex,” Verg. G. 2, 73: “vulnus,” Ov. M. 6, 254: “(tibia) tenuis simplexque foramine pauco,” Hor. A. P. 203: “simplici myrto nihil allabores,” id. C. 1, 38, 5: “esca,” id. S. 2, 2, 73: “jus,” id. ib. 2, 4, 64: “cibus,” Plin. 11, 53, 117, § 282: “aqua,” Ov. Am. 2, 6, 32; Tac. G. 23: “arces dejecit plus vice simplici,” more than once, Hor. C. 4, 14, 13: “verba,” uncompounded, Quint. 1, 5, 3: “voces,” id. 1, 5, 65; but: ornatus verborum duplex, unus simplicium, alius conlocatorum, single, Cic. Or. 24, 80; cf.: “quaedam sunt in rebus simplicia, quaedam complicata,” id. Fat. 13, 30.—Comp.: “quantitas simplicior,” Quint. 11, 3, 15.—Sup.: “ex simplicissimā quāque materiā (opp. multiplex),” Quint. 10, 5, 10: “res,” id. 10, 2, 10.—
II. In partic., simple in a moral sense, without dissimulation, open, frank, straightforward, direct, guileless, artless, honest, sincere, ingenuous, etc. (cf. candidus).—Of persons: “cum de viro bono quaeritur, quem apertum et simplicem volumus esse, non sunt in disputando vafri, non veteratores, non malitiosi,” Cic. Rep. 3, 16, 26; id. Off. 1, 19, 63: “simplicem et communem et consentientem ... eligi par est (opp. multiplex ingenium et tortuosum),” id. Lael. 18, 65; id. Ac. 2, 35, 112: “tuum hominis simplicis pectus vidimus,” id. Phil. 2, 43, 111; Liv. 24, 10; Hor. S. 1, 3, 52; 2, 2, 68; id. C. 2, 8, 14; Ov. H. 12, 90; 16, 285: “credebant simplices ac religiosi homines,” Liv. 24, 10, 6.—Of things: “fidelis et simplex et fautrix suorum regio,” Cic. Planc. 9, 22: “animal sine fraude dolisque, Innocuum, simplex,” Ov. M. 15, 121: animus, Matius ap. Cic. Fam. 11, 28, 8: “nihil simplex, nihil sincerum,” Cic. Att. 10, 6, 2: “virtus,” Vell. 2, 129, 1: “verba,” Suet. Tib. 61: “cogitationes,” Tac. G. 22.—Comp.: “simplicior quis,” too straightforward, too blunt, Hor. S. 1, 3, 63.—Sup.: “simplicissimi omnium habentur iracundi,” Sen. Ira, 2, 16, 3: “dux,” Vell. 2, 116, 4: “mens,” Petr. 101, 3.—Hence, adv.: simplĭcĭter (acc. to I.), simply, plainly, straightforwardly, naturally, directly, utterly, without reserve, = ἁπλῶς: “quorum (verborum) primum nobis ratio simpliciter videnda est, deinde conjuncte,” Cic. de Or. 3, 37, 149: “quaedam genera causarum simpliciter ex suā vi considerantur,” id. Inv. 2, 33, 102: “ipsa inventa exponentur simpliciter sine ullā exornatione,” id. ib. 2, 3, 11: “locuti sunt simpliciter et splendide,” id. de Or. 2, 16, 68: “aut simpliciter quaeritur aut comparate,” id. Top. 22, 84: “si est simpliciter breviterque dicendum,” id. Off. 2, 9, 31; so (with breviter) id. Arch. 12, 32: “illud nomen simpliciter positum, hoc ad aliquid esse,” Quint. 1, 6, 13: “frondes Simpliciter positae, scaena sine arte fuit,” Ov. A. A. 1, 106; Tac. G. 5; cf. comp.: “brevius ac simplicius tradi,” Quint. 8, prooem. § 1: “ ignorare se dixit, quidnam perplexi sua legatio haberet, cum simpliciter ad amicitiam petendam venissent,” simply, purely, only, Liv. 34, 57, 6: “quidam ludere eum simpliciter, quidam haud dubie insanire, aiebant,” merely, only, id. 41, 20, 4: “Cyrenaica philosophia, quam ille et ejus posteri simpliciter defenderunt,” Cic. de Or. 3, 17, 62: “in sententiā simpliciter e re publicā ferendā,” id. Red. ad Quir. 10, 24 B. and K.—Comp.: “molluscum simplicius sparsum,” Plin. 16, 16, 27, § 68.—
2. (Acc. to II.) Plainly, openly, frankly, artlessly, ingenuously, uprightly, honestly, candidly: simpliciter et candide, Cael. ap. Cic. Fam. 8, 6, 1: “simpliciter scripserat quae sentiebat,” Curt. 7, 2, 36: “simpliciter et libere (opp. dissimulanter et furtim),” Plin. Ep. 1, 13, 2: “simpliciter et palam lusit,” Suet. Aug. 71: “me amice simpliciterque reprehenderent,” Plin. Ep. 5, 3, 1: “qui se simpliciter credunt amicis,” id. ib. 6, 22, 1.—Comp.: “simultates simplicius nutrire (opp. callide),” Tac. H. 3, 53 fin.: “quo simplicius tibi confitebor,” Plin. Ep. 5, 19, 1; Quint. 1, 13, 2; Tac. H. 3, 53. —Sup.: “simplicissime loqui,” Tac. H. 1, 15 fin.—
3. In the singular number: “dicere,” Hier. in Matt. 1, 2 fin.