I.a choosing or picking out, a selecting; a selection, choice, distinction (freq. and class.).
I. In gen.: “utrimque tibi nunc dilectum para,” Plaut. Ps. 1, 3, 157: “mihi quidem etiam lautius videtur, quod eligitur, et ad quod delectus adhibetur,” Cic. Fin. 5, 30, 90: earum rerum hic tenetur a sapiente delectus, ut, etc. (shortly before: cum soluta nobis est eligendi optio), id. ib. 1, 10, 33: “in hoc verborum genere propriorum delectus est quidam habendus,” id. de Or. 3, 37, 150; so, verborum, Caes. ap. Cic. Brut. 72, 253; Quint. 12, 9, 6; cf.: “rerum verborumque agendus,” id. 10, 3, 5: “verbis delectum adhibere,” Tac. Or. 22: cujus (εὐφωνίας) in eo dilectus est, ut, etc., Quint. 1, 5, 4: “judicum,” Cic. Phil. 5, 5, 13: “omnium rerum delectum atque discrimen pecunia sustulisset,” Cic. Verr. 2, 2, 50; “so with discrimen,” id. Fin. 4, 25, 69: “magnus hominum et dignitatum,” id. Rep. 1, 34: “dignitatis,” id. Clu. 46; id. Off. 1, 14, 45: “acceptorum beneficiorum sunt delectus habendi,” id. ib. 1, 15, 49: “non delectu aliquo aut sapientia ducitur ad judicandum,” id. Planc. 4: “sine ullo delectu, sine populi Rom. notione, sine judicio senatus,” id. Agr. 2, 21 fin.; cf. Ov. M. 10, 325; “and on the contrary, cum delectu,” making a selection, Plin. 7, 53, 54, § 180; Plin. Ep. 2, 13, 18.—
II. Milit. t. t., a levy, a recruiting: “per legatos delectum habere,” Caes. B. G. 6, 1; so, delectum habere, a standing phrase for recruiting, id. ib. 7, 1; id. B. C. 1, 2; 1, 6; Cic. Phil. 5, 12; Sall. C. 36, 3; Liv. 2, 28; Tac. A. 13, 35 al.; cf. “the postAug. agere,” Quint. 12, 3, 5; Plin. 7, 29, 30, § 107; Tac. H. 2, 16; Suet. Calig. 43 al.: “conficere,” Liv. 25, 5: “quas (legiones) ex novo delectu confecerat,” Caes. B. C. 1, 25: “exercitus superbissimo delectu collectus,” Cic. Prov. Cons. 2 fin.: “provincialis,” made in the province, provincial, id. Fam. 15, 1 fin.: “in bella,” Plin. 6, 19, 22, § 66.—
B. Meton. (abstr. pro concreto), the men levied, a levy: “e Britannico delectu octo milia sibi adjunxit,” Tac. H. 2, 57.
