I. The inner bark of a tree, used for writing-tablets: levis in aridulo malvae descripta libello (carmina), Cinna ap. Isid. Orig. 6, 12. —
II. Transf., a little book, pamphlet, esp. a book written in pages, and not in long rolls: “epistulae, quas primus videtur ad paginas et formam memorialis libelli convertisse (opp. transversa charta),” Suet. Caes. 56.
A. In gen.: “scripsi etiam illud quodam in libello,” Cic. de Or. 1, 21, 94: “in quodam joculari libello,” Quint. 8, 6, 73; 2, 13, 15: “quoi dono lepidum novum libellum,” Cat. 1, 1: “horribilis et sacer,” id. 14, 12: “quicquid hoc libelli est,” id. 1, 8: “libellis eum (Scipionem) palaestraeque operam dare,” to books, Liv. 29, 19 fin.: “nostri farrago libelli,” Juv. 1, 86.—Of a single satire, Hor. S. 1, 10, 92.—
2. In plur., poet., a bookseller's shop: “te (quaesivimus) in omnibus libellis,” Cat. 55, 4 (dub.; al. labellis); Mart. 5, 20, 8.—
B. In partic., a writing of any kind.
1. A memorandumbook, journal, diary: “si quid memoriae causā retulit in libellum,” Cic. Phil. 1, 8, 19: “in commentariolis et chirographis et libellis,” id. ib. 1, 7, 16; Quint. 12, 8, 5; cf. id. 10, 7, 31; 11, 3, 142; 6, 2, 5.—
2. A memorial: “non illi in libellis laudationum decreta miserunt,” Cic. Clu. 69, 197.—
3. A petition: “Atticus libellum composuit: eum mihi dedit, ut darem Caesari,” Cic. Att. 16, 16, A, 4: “libellum alicui porrigere,” Suet. Aug. 53: “supplices libelli,” Mart. 8, 31, 3: “vitem posce libello,” Juv. 14, 193: libellos signare, subnotare, to answer petitions: “libellos signare,” Suet. Aug. 50: “subnotare libellos,” Plin. Ep. 1, 10, 9; so, “ad libellum rescribere, Mos. et Rom. Leg. Coll. 3, 3, 5: libellos agere,” to have the charge of answering petitions, Dig. 20, 5, 12: a libellis, the officer charged with receiving petitions: “Epaphroditum a libellis capitali poena condemnavit,” Suet. Dom. 14; Inscr. Grut. 587, 9: “A LIBELLIS ADIVTOR,” ib. 587, 7.—
4. A note of invitation, to hear a lecture, see a play, etc., a notice, programme: “gladiatorum libellos venditare,” Cic. Phil. 2, 38, 97: “domum mutuatur et subsellia conducit et libellos dispergit,” Tac. Or. 9: munerarius, the programme of a festival, Treb. Claud. 5.—
5. A public notification, announcement, placard, handbill: “edere per libellos,” Suet. Caes. 41: “libellos Sex. Alfenus, procurator P. Quincti, deicit,” tears down the auction handbills, Cic. Quint. 6, 27: “suspensum amici bonis libellum,” Sen. Ben. 4, 12: “vestitur tota libellis porticus,” Juv. 12, 100.—
6. A letter: “(laetitias) in libello hoc opsignato quas tuli pausillulo,” Plaut. Ps. 2, 4, 16 (cf. epistulam, id. ib. v. 26): “libellum ipsius habeo in quo, etc.,” Cic. Att. 6, 1, 5: ut ex libellis ejus animadverti, Brut. ap. Cic. Fam. 11, 11, 1.—
7. A libel, lampoon, pasquinade (post-Aug.): “libellos aut carmina ad infamiam cujuspiam edere,” Suet. Aug. 55; id. Caes. 80; id. Vit. 14: “sparsos de se in Curia famosos libellos,” id. Aug. 55: “sive quis ad infamiam alicujus libellum aut carmen scripserit,” Gai. Inst. 3, 220: “injuriam patimur ... famosis libellis,” Paul. Sent. 5, 4, 1.—
8. A written accusalion or complaint (post-Aug.): “componunt ipsae per se formantque libellos,” Juv. 6, 244; Dig. 48, 2, 3.—
9. A lawyer's brief: “quid causidicis praestent magno comites in fasce libelli?” Juv. 7, 107.—
10. An attestation, certificate: “significent id libello manu sua subscripto,” Dig. 39, 4, 4.
