I.light in weight, not heavy (opp. gravis).
I. Lit.: “leviora corpora (opp. graviora),” Lucr. 2, 227: “aether,” id. 5, 459: “aura,” id. 3, 196: “levior quam pluma,” Plaut. Men. 3, 2, 23: “stipulae,” Verg. G. 1, 289: armatura, light armor: “levis armaturae Numidae,” the light-armed Numidians, Caes. B. G. 2, 10; also, by metonymy, lightarmed troops; v. armatura, and cf.: “sed haec fuerit nobis tamquam levis armaturae prima orationis excursio,” Cic. Div. 2, 10 fin.; so, “miles,” a light-armed soldier, Liv. 8, 8; cf. “of clothing: nudi, aut sagulo leves,” Tac. G. 6: “flebis in solo levis angiportu,” Hor. C. 1, 25, 10.—Of the earth upon the dead: “terraque securae sit super ossa levis,” Tib. 2, 4, 50; “esp. freq. on tombstones: sit tibi terra levis (abbreviated, S. T. T. L.): per leves populos,” the shades, bodiless persons, Ov. M. 10, 14: “virgaque levem coerces aurea turbam,” Hor. C. 1, 10, 18.—Poet. with inf.: fessis leviora tolli Pergama Grais, a lighter burden, i. e. easier to be destroyed, Hor. C. 2, 4, 11.—
B. Transf.
1. Light of digestion, easy to digest (mostly poet. and post-Aug.): “quae in aqua degunt, leviorem cibum praestant. Inter domesticas quadrupedes levissima suilla est, gravissima bubula,” lightest of digestion, Cels. 1, 18: “leves malvae,” Hor. C. 1, 31, 16 (cf.: “gravi Malvae salubres corpori,” id. Epod. 2, 57).—
2. Light in motion, swift, quick, fleet, nimble, rapid (syn.: “agilis, alacer, pernix): ipsa (diva) levi fecit volitantem flamine currum (i. e. Argo),” a quick, favorable wind, Cat. 64, 9; cf.: “leves venti,” Ov. M. 15, 346: “flatus,” Sil. 15, 162: “currus,” light, swift, Ov. M. 2, 150: “levi deducens pollice filum,” light, nimble, id. ib. 4, 36; so, “pollex,” id. ib. 6, 22: “saltus,” id. ib. 7, 767; “3, 599: peltam pro parma fecit, ut ad motus concursusque essent leviores,” Nep. Iphicr. 1: “Messapus levis cursu,” Verg. A. 12, 489: “leves Parthi,” id. G. 4, 314: “equus,” Val. Fl. 1, 389: “Nympharumque leves cum Satyris chori,” Hor. C. 1, 1, 31: “quaere modos leviore plectro,” nimbler, gayer, id. ib. 2, 1, 40: “et levis erecta consurgit ad oscula plantā,” Juv. 6, 507.—With inf. (poet.): “omnes ire leves,” Sil. 16, 488: “exsultare levis,” id. 10, 605: “levior discurrere,” id. 4, 549: “nullo levis terrore moveri,” Claud. IV. Cons. Hon. 514: “hora,” fleeting, Ov. M. 15, 181: “terra,” light, thin soil, Verg. G. 2, 92: “et ubi montana (loca) quod leviora et ideo salubriora,” Varr. R. R. 1, 6, 3; “so (opp graviora),” id. ib.—
3. Slight, trifling, small (mostly poet.): ignis, Ov. M. 3, 488: “tactus,” a slight, gentle touch, id. ib. 4, 180: “strepitus,” id. ib. 7, 840: “stridor,” id. ib. 4, 413.
II. Trop.
A. Without weight, i. e. of no consequence; hence, in gen., light, trifling, unimportant, inconsiderable, trivial, slight, little, petty, easy (class.): “nunquam erit alienis gravis qui suis se concinnat levem,” Plaut. Trin. 3, 2, 58: “grave est nomen imperii atque id etiam in levi persona pertimescitur,” Cic. Agr. 2, 17, 45: “leve et infirmum,” id. Rosc. Com. 2, 6: quae mihi ad spem obtinendae veritatis gravissima sunt; “ad motum animi ... leviora,” id. Deiot. 2, 5: “quod alia quaedam inania et levia conquiras,” id. Planc. 26, 63: “auditio,” a light, unfounded report, Caes. B. G. 7, 42: “cui res et pecunia levissima et existimatio sanctissima fuit semper,” something very insignificant, Cic. Rosc. Com. 5, 15: “dolor,” id. Fin. 1, 12, 40: “proelium,” Caes. B. G. 7, 36: “periculum,” id. B. C. 3, 26: “in aliquem merita,” id. ib. 2, 32, 10: “leviore de causa,” id. B. G. 7, 4 fin.: “praecordia levibus flagrantia causis,” Juv. 13, 182: “effutire leves indigna tragoedia versus,” Hor. A. P. 231.—As subst.: “in levi habitum,” was made little of, was regarded as a trifle, Tac. H. 2, 21; id. A. 3, 54: “levia sed nimium queror,” Sen. Herc. Fur. 63: “quid leviora loquor? Petr. poët. 134, 12: non est leve tot puerorum observare manus,” no easy matter, Juv. 7, 240: “quidquid levius putaris,” easier, id. 10, 344.—
B. In disposition or character.
1. Light, light-minded, capricious, fickle, inconstant, unreliable, false: “homo levior quam pluma,” Plaut. Men. 3, 2, 23: “ne me leviorem erga te putes,” id. Trin. 5, 2, 34: “tu levior cortice,” Hor. C. 3, 9, 22: “vitium levium hominum atque fallacium,” Cic. Lael. 25, 91: “quidam saepe in parva pecunia perspiciuntur quam sint leves,” id. ib. 17, 63: “leves ac nummarii judices,” id. Clu. 28, 75: “sit precor illa levis,” Tib. 1, 6, 56: “levi brachio aliquid agere,” Cic. Att. 4, 16, 6: “quid levius aut turpius,” Caes. B. G. 5, 28 fin.: “auctor,” Liv. 5, 15: “leves amicitiae,” Cic. Lael. 26, 100: “spes,” vain, empty, Hor. Ep. 1, 5, 8: “leviores mores,” Ulp. Fragm. 6, 12.—
2. Mild, gentle, pleasant (rare): “quos qui leviore nomine appellant, percussores vocant,” Cic. Rosc. Am. 33, 93; and: “levior reprehensio,” id. Ac. 2, 32, 102: “tandem eo, quod levissimum videbatur, decursum est,” the gentlest, mildest, Liv. 5, 23 fin.: “nec leves somnos timor aut cupido Sordidus aufert,” Hor. C. 2, 16, 15; id. Epod. 2, 28: “exsilium,” mild, tolerable, Suet. Aug. 51.—Hence, adv.: lĕ-vĭter , lightly, not heavily.
1. Lit. (rare): “armati,” light-armed, Curt. 4, 13.—Of the blow of a weapon: “levius casura pila sperabat,” Caes. B. C. 3, 92, 2.—
2. Trop.
a. Slightly, a little, not much, somewhat: “leviter densae nubes,” Lucr. 6, 248: “inflexum bacillum,” Cic. Div. 1, 17, 30: “genae leviter eminentes (al. leniter),” id. N. D. 2, 57, 143: “qui (medici) leviter aegrotantes leniter curant, gravioribus autem morbis, etc.,” id. Off. 1, 24, 83: “saucius,” id. Inv. 2, 51, 154: “non leviter lucra liguriens,” Cic. Verr. 2, 3, 76, § 177: “agnoscere aliquid,” id. Fin. 2, 11, 33: “eruditus,” id. de Or. 3, 6, 24.—Comp.: “quanto constantior idem In vitiis, tanto levius miser,” so much less, Hor. S. 2, 7, 18: “dolere,” Ov. P. 1, 9, 30.—Sup.: “ut levissime dicam,” to express it in the mildest manner, Cic. Cat. 3, 7 fin.—
b. Easily, lightly, without difficulty, with equanimity: “id eo levius ferendum est, quod, etc.,” Cic. Fam. 4, 3, 2; cf.: “sed levissime feram, si, etc.,” id. Prov. Cons. 20, 47; Liv. 29, 9.—Comp.: “levius torquetis Arachne,” more dexterously, Juv. 2, 56.
