I. The quality of one blandus; a caressing, flattering, flattery (mostly in an honorable sense; cf. on the contrary, assentatio and adulatio; class in prose and poetry; most freq. in plur.).
(α).
Sing.: “haec meretrix meum erum blanditiā intulit in pauperiem,” Plaut. Truc. 2, 7, 21: “viscus merus vostra'st blanditia,” id. Bacch. 1, 1, 16: “in cive excelso atque homine nobili blanditiam, ostentationem, ambitionem notam esse levitatis,” Cic. Rep. 4, 7, 7 (ap. Non. p. 194, 27): “nullam in amicitiā pestem esse majorem quam adulationem, blanditiam, adsentationem,” id. Lael. 25, 91: “occursatio et blanditia popularis,” id. Planc. 12, 29; cf. Q. Cic. Petit. Cons. 11, 41; Prop. 1, 16, 16 al. —
(β).
Plur., flatteries, blandishments, allurements, = blandimenta: puerique parentum blanditiis facile ingenium fregere superbum, caresses, * Lucr. 5, 1018; Plaut. Poen. 1, 1, 8: “quot illic (sc. in amore) blanditiae, quot illic iracundiae sunt!” id. Truc. 1, 1, 7: “ut blanditiis suis suam voluptatem expleat,” Ter. Hec. 1, 1, 11: “quam (benevolentiam civium) blanditiis et adsentando conligere turpe est,” Cic. Lael. 17, 61: “tantum apud te ejus blanditiae flagitiosae voluerunt, ut, etc.,” Cic. Verr. 2, 3, 26, § 65: “hereditates... malitiosis blanditiis quaesitae,” id. Off. 3, 18, 74; id. Q. Fr. 1, 2, 2, § 5: “blanditiis ab aliquo aliquid exprimere,” id. Att. 1, 19, 9: “muliebres,” Liv. 24, 4, 4: “virorum factum purgantium,” id. 1, 9, 16: “fallaces,” Tac. A. 14, 56: “verniles,” id. H. 2, 59; Suet. Aug. 53 al.; cf. also Tib. 1, 1, 72; 1, 2, 91; 1, 4, 71; 1, 9, 77; Prop. 4 (5), 6, 72; Ov. Am. 1, 4, 66; id. M. 1, 531; 4, 70; 6, 626; 6, 632; 6, 685; 7, 817; 10, 259; 12, 407; 14, 19; id. H. 13, 153; Plin. 8, 5, 5, § 14.—
II. Trop., pleasure, delight, enticement, charm, allurement (cf. blandus, II. A., and blandior, II. B.): “blanditiis praesentium voluptatum deliniti atque corrupti,” Cic. Fin. 1, 10, 33: attrita cotidiano actu forensi ingenia optime rerum talium blanditia (i. e. lectione poëtarum) reparantur. Quint. 10, 1, 27.
