I.of or pertaining to war, war-, military.
I. In gen.
A. Lit.: “ars duellica,” Plaut. Ep. 3, 4, 14: “bellicam rem administrari majores nostri nisi auspicato noluerunt,” Cic. Div. 2, 36, 76; Hor. C. 4, 3, 6; Suet. Calig. 43: “disciplina,” Cic. N. D. 2, 64, 161: “jus,” id. Off. 3, 29, 107: “virtus,” id. Mur. 10, 22: “laus,” military glory, id. Brut. 21, 84; Caes. B. G. 6, 24: “laudes,” Cic. Off. 1, 22, 78: “gloria,” Tac. A. 1, 52: “caerimoniae,” Liv. 1, 32, 5: “certamina,” Flor. 4, 12, 58: “ignis,” proceeding from the enemy, Liv. 30, 5, 8: “tubicen,” Ov. M. 3, 705: “rostra,” Tib. 2, 3, 40: “navis,” Prop. 2 (3), 15, 43. “turba,” id. 3 (4), 14, 13: “parma,” id. 2 (3), 25, 8: nomina, appellatives obtained by valorous deeds in war (as Africanus, Asiaticus, Macedonicus, etc.), Flor. 3, 8, 1: “nubes,” the misfortune of war, Claud. Laus. Seren. 196: columella. Fest. p. 27; cf. Bellona.— Hence, subst.: bellĭcum , i, n., a signal for march or for the beginning of an attack (given by the trumpet); always in the connection bellicum canere, to give the signal for breaking up camp, for an attack, for commencing hostilities: Philippum, ubi primum bellicum cani audisset, arma capturum, at the first signal will be ready to take arms, etc., Liv 35, 18, 6: “simul atque aliqui motus novus bellicum canere coepit,” causes the war-trumpet to sound, Cic. Mur. 14, 30; Just. 12, 15, 11; App de Mundo, p. 71, 37.—
B. Trop.: idem bellicum me cecinisse dicunt. aroused, incited, Cic. Phil. 7, 1, 3.—And of fiery, inflammatory discourse: “alter (Thucydides) incitatior fertur et de bellicis rebus canit etiam quodammodo bellicum,” sounds the alarm, Cic. Or 12, 39: “non eosdem modos adhibent, cum bellicum est canendum, et cum posito genu supplicandum est,” Quint. 9, 4, 11; 10, 1, 33. —
II. Transf., poet., = bellicosus, warlike, fierce in war: “Pallas,” Ov. M. 5, 46: “dea,” id. ib. 2, 752; id. F. 3, 814: “virgo,” id. M. 4, 754: “Mars,” id. F. 3, 1: “deus,” i.e. Romulus, id. ib. 2, 478: “civitas,” devoted to war, Vell. 2, 38, 3.—Of animals: equorum duellica proles, * Lucr. 2, 661.