Charlton T. Lewis, Charles Short, A Latin Dictionary

I.keeping due measure, moderate; esp. in behavior, modest; as respects anger, calm, gentle, dispassionate; towards others, kind, forbearing, temperate, mild; in morals, honest, virtuous, sober, discreet, moral (class.): “vir modestus et frugi,” unassuming, modest, Cic. Att. 13, 29, 1: “adulescentuli modestissimi pudor,” id. Planc. 11, 27: “plebs modestissima (opp. seditiosa),” id. Agr. 2, 31, 84: “epistula ut adversus magistrum morum modestior,” id. Fam. 3, 13, 2: “oculi,” Ov. Am. 2, 4, 11: “vultus,” id. ib. 1, 4, 15: “lingua,” id. H. 18 (19), 63: “verba,” id. Am. 3, 14, 16: “o modestum ordinem,” kind, gentle, mild, Cic. Verr. 2, 1, 47, § 124: “in ea (urbe) isti vestri satellites modesti insolentiam suam continebunt,” id. Agr. 1, 6, 18: “mendicis modesti,” kind, friendly, Plaut. Trin. 4, 1, 12: “mulier proba et modesta,” modest, Ter. Ad. 5, 8, 7; cf.: “videas, dolere rebus flagitiosis modestos,” Cic. Lael. 13, 47: “modestissimi mores,” id. Planc. 1, 3: “ingenui parum modesti,” Quint. 1, 2, 4: “servitia,” Tac. A. 4, 7: “vultus modesto sanguine fervens,” Juv. 10, 300.—Hence, adv.: mŏdestē , with moderation, moderately, temperately, discreetly, modestly (class.): “modice et modeste vitam vivere,” Plaut. Pers. 3, 1, 18: “ea quae, etiam ... cum modeste fiunt, tamen ipsa per se molesta sunt,” Cic. Att. 9, 19, 1: “rebus secundis modeste ac moderate uti,” Liv. 30, 42: “hosti intrepide modesteque obviam ire,” quietly, Gell. 9, 11, 6: modestissime vivere, Varr. ap. Non. 1, 274: “qui modeste paret,” Cic. Leg. 3, 2, 5: “intueri,” Ter. Eun. 3, 5, 32: “parcius et modestius praetentare misericordiam judicis,” Quint. 4, 1, 28: “si ille Romam modeste venturus est,” without hostile violence, Cic. Fam. 14, 14, 1.