I. In gen.
A. Of persons, pretty, handsome, charming, fine, lovely, neat, pleasant, agreeable, etc. (of persons, things, actions, etc.; most freq. in the ante-class. per. and in the poets; in Cic. mostly in his epistt.): uxor, Varr. ap. Non. p. 248, 17: nimis bella es atque amabilis, Plaut. As. 3, 3, 84; id. Rud. 2, 5, 6; Cat. 8, 16; 43, 6: “puella,” id. 69, 8; 78, 4; Ov. Am. 1, 9, 6; Mart. 1, 65; 2, 87: “Piliae et puellae Caeciliae bellissimae salutem dices,” Cic. Att. 6, 4, 3: fui ego bellus (civil, courtly, polite), lepidus, bonus vir numquam, Plaut. Capt. 5, 2, 3: “hospes,” id. Bacch. 2, 3, 111; Cat. 24, 7; 78, 3; 81, 2: “durius accipere hoc mihi visus est quam homines belli solent,” Cic. Att. 1, 1, 4: “homo et bellus et humanus,” id. Fin. 2, 31, 102: “Cicero bellissimus tibi salutem plurimam dicit,” id. Fam. 14, 7, 3.—Also active, brisk, lively, as the effect of health, etc., Plaut. Curc. 1, 1, 20: “fac bellus revertare,” Cic. Fam. 16, 18, 1.—
B. Of things, places, etc.: socius es hostibus, socius bellum ita geris, ut bella omnia (every thing beautiful, costly) domum auferas, Varr. ap. Non. p. 248, 19: unum quicquid, quod quidem erit bellissimum, Carpam, * Ter. Ad. 4, 2, 51: “vinum bellissimum,” Col. 12, 19, 2: “nimis hic bellus atque ut esse maxume optabam locu'st,” Plaut. Bacch. 4, 4, 74: “illum pueris locum esse bellissimum duximus,” Cic. Att. 5, 17, 3: “bella copia,” id. Rep. 2, 40, 67: “recordor, quam bella paulisper nobis gubernantibus civitas fuerit,” in what a pleasant condition the State was, id. Att. 4, 16, 10: “malae tenebrae Orci, quae omnia bella devoratis,” Cat. 3, 14: “subsidium bellissimum existimo esse senectuti otium,” Cic. de Or. 1, 60, 255: “(epistula) valde bella,” id. Att. 4, 6, 4: “occasio bellissima,” Petr. 25: fama, * Hor. S. 1, 4, 114: “quam sit bellum cavere malum,” how delightful, pleasant it is, Cic. de Or 1, 58, 247: bellissimum putaverunt dicere amissas (esse litteras), thought it best, i. e. safest, most plausible, id. Fl. 17, 39; cf.: “bella haec pietatis et quaestuosa simulatio,” fine, plausible, Cic. Verr. 2, 2, 59, § 145: “mihi jampridem venit in mentem, bellum esse, aliquo exire,” id. Fam. 9, 2, 3; id. Att. 13, 49, 2; Cod. 6, 35, 11.—
II. Esp.
A. Gallant, etc.: “illam esse amicam tui viri bellissimi,” Plaut. Merc. 4, 1, 27; cf.: “Gallus homo'st bellus: nam dulces jungit amores,” Cat. 78, 3.—
B. For bonus, good: venio nunc ad alterum genus testamenti, quod dicitur physicon, in quo Graeci belliores quam Romani nostri, Varr. ap. Non. p. 77, 30 (Sat. Menipp. 87, 3).—Hence, bellē , adv., prettily, neatly, becomingly, finely, excellently, well, delightfully, etc.: quare bene et praeclare, quamvis nobis saepe dicatur; “belle et festive, nimium saepe nolo,” Cic. de Or. 3, 26, 101; cf. id. Quint. 30, 93; so Plaut. Truc. 2, 2, 35; * Lucr. 1, 644; Cic. Att. 1, 1, 5; 16, 3, 4; Quint. 6, 3, 48 al.: “quod honeste aut sine detrimento nostro promittere non possumus... belle negandum est,” in a courtly, polite manner, Q. Cic. Pet. Cons. 11, 45; so Publ. Syr. ap. Gell. 17, 14, 10: “belle se habere,” Cic. Att. 12, 37: belle habere (cf.: εὖ, καλῶς ἔχειν), to be in good health, be well, id. Fam. 9, 9, 1; so, “bellissime esse,” id. Att. 14, 14, 1: “facere, in medical lang.,” to operate well, to have a good effect, Cato, R. R. 157; Scrib. Comp. 136; 150 (cf. the uses of bene). —With bellus: “i sane, bella belle,” Plaut. As. 3, 8, 86; id. Curc. 4, 2, 35 (cf.: καλὴ καλῶς, Av. Ach. 253).—Ellipt., belle, for belle habere: sed ut ad epistolas tuas redeam, cetera belle, illud miror, the others are well or right, Cic. Fam. 7, 18, 2.—Sup.: “haec ipsa fero equidem fronte, ut puto, et voltu bellissime, sed angor intimis sensibus,” Cic. Att. 5, 10, 3; id. Fam. 14, 14, 1: “navigare,” id. ib. 16, 9, 1 al. (comp. perh. not in use).
