I.festive gayety, festivity, mirth, merriment, joy. *
I. Lit.: “jocum, festivitatem, ferias,” Plaut. Capt. 4, 1, 3.—
II. Transf.
A. As a word of endearment (Plautinian): “mi animule, Mea vita, mea festivitas (for which, shortly after: voluptas mea, meus festus dies),” my joy, my delight, Plaut. Cas. 1, 47; 3, 3, 14; id. Poen. 1, 2, 176.—*
B. A pleasant or kind demeanor, kindness: “mei patris festivitas et facilitas,” Ter. Eun. 5, 9, 18; cf. festivus, II. A.—
C. Of speech, humor, pleasantry, jocoseness (Ciceron.; “syn.: facetiae, lepor, sal): cum in illo genere perpetuae festivitatis ars non desideretur,” Cic. de Or. 2, 54, 219: “festivitate et facetiis C. Julius omnibus praestitit,” id. Brut. 48, 177: “nec umquam fuit oratio lepore et festivitate conditior (shortly before: faceta et urbana),” id. de Or. 2, 56, 227: “summa festivitate et venustate,” id. ib. 1, 57, 243; id. Inv. 1, 18, 25: “imago antiquae et vernaculae festivitatis (corresp. to facetiae and lepores),” id. Fam. 9, 15, 2.—In plur.: “Gorgias his festivitatibus insolentius abutitur,” play of words, witticism, Cic. Or. 52, 176; Gell. praef. § 4.—
