bellus, a, um, adj. [as if for benulus, from benus = bonus, Prisc. p. 556 P.].
I In gen.
A Of persons, pretty , handsome , charming , fine , lovely , neat , pleasant , agreeable , etc. (of persons, things, actions, etc.; most freq. in the ante-class. per. and in the poets; in Cic. mostly in his epistt.): uxor, Varr. ap. Non. p. 248, 17: nimis bella es atque amabilis, Plaut. As. 3, 3, 84; id. Rud. 2, 5, 6; Cat. 8, 16; 43, 6: puella, id. 69, 8; 78, 4; Ov. Am. 1, 9, 6; Mart. 1, 65; 2, 87: Piliae et puellae Caeciliae bellissimae salutem dices, Cic. Att. 6, 4, 3: fui ego bellus ( civil , courtly , polite ), lepidus, bonus vir numquam, Plaut. Capt. 5, 2, 3: hospes, id. Bacch. 2, 3, 111; Cat. 24, 7; 78, 3; 81, 2: durius accipere hoc mihi visus est quam homines belli solent, Cic. Att. 1, 1, 4: homo et bellus et humanus, id. Fin. 2, 31, 102: Cicero bellissimus tibi salutem plurimam dicit, id. Fam. 14, 7, 3.—Also active , brisk , lively , as the effect of health, etc., Plaut. Curc. 1, 1, 20: fac bellus revertare, Cic. Fam. 16, 18, 1.—
B Of things, places, etc.: socius es hostibus, socius bellum ita geris, ut bella omnia ( every thing beautiful , costly ) domum auferas, Varr. ap. Non. p. 248, 19: unum quicquid, quod quidem erit bellissimum, Carpam, * Ter. Ad. 590: vinum bellissimum, Col. 12, 19, 2: nimis hic bellus atque ut esse maxume optabam locu'st, Plaut. Bacch. 4, 4, 74: illum pueris locum esse bellissimum duximus, Cic. Att. 5, 17, 3: bella copia, id. Rep. 2, 40, 67: recordor, quam bella paulisper nobis gubernantibus civitas fuerit, in what a pleasant condition the State was , id. Att. 4, 16, 10: malae tenebrae Orci, quae omnia bella devoratis, Cat. 3, 14: subsidium bellissimum existimo esse senectuti otium, Cic. de Or. 1, 60, 255: (epistula) valde bella, id. Att. 4, 6, 4: occasio bellissima, Petr. 25: fama, * Hor. S. 1, 4, 114: quam sit bellum cavere malum, how delightful , pleasant it is , Cic. de Or. 1, 58, 247: bellissimum putaverunt dicere amissas (esse litteras), thought it best , i. e. safest , most plausible , id. Fl. 17, 39; cf.: bella haec pietatis et quaestuosa simulatio, fine , plausible , Cic. Verr. 2, 2, 59, § 145: mihi jampridem venit in mentem, bellum esse, aliquo exire, id. Fam. 9, 2, 3; id. Att. 13, 49, 2; Cod. 6, 35, 11.—
II Esp.
A Gallant , etc.: illam esse amicam tui viri bellissimi, Plaut. Merc. 4, 1, 27; cf.: Gallus homo'st bellus: nam dulces jungit amores, Cat. 78, 3.—
B For bonus, good : venio nunc ad alterum genus testamenti, quod dicitur physicon, in quo Graeci belliores quam Romani nostri, Varr. ap. Non. p. 77, 30 (Sat. Menipp. 87, 3).
VII —Hence, bellē , adv., prettily , neatly , becomingly , finely , excellently , well , delightfully , etc.: quare bene et praeclare, quamvis nobis saepe dicatur; belle et festive, nimium saepe nolo, Cic. de Or. 3, 26, 101; cf. id. Quint. 30, 93; so Plaut. Truc. 2, 2, 35; * Lucr. 1, 644; Cic. Att. 1, 1, 5; 16, 3, 4; Quint. 6, 3, 48 al.: quod honeste aut sine detrimento nostro promittere non possumus... belle negandum est, in a courtly , polite manner , Q. Cic. Pet. Cons. 11, 45; so Publ. Syr. ap. Gell. 17, 14, 10: belle se habere, Cic. Att. 12, 37: belle habere (cf.: εὖ, καλῶς ἔχειν), to be in good health , be well , id. Fam. 9, 9, 1; so, bellissime esse, id. Att. 14, 14, 1: facere, in medical lang., to operate well , to have a good effect , Cato R. R. 157; Scrib. Comp. 136; 150 (cf. the uses of bene). —With bellus : i sane, bella belle, Plaut. As. 3, 8, 86; id. Curc. 4, 2, 35 (cf.: καλὴ καλῶς, Av. Ach. 253).—Ellipt., belle, for belle habere: sed ut ad epistolas tuas redeam, cetera belle, illud miror, the others are well or right , Cic. Fam. 7, 18, 2.— Sup. : haec ipsa fero equidem fronte, ut puto, et voltu bellissime, sed angor intimis sensibus, Cic. Att. 5, 10, 3; id. Fam. 14, 14, 1: navigare, id. ib. 16, 9, 1 al. ( comp. perh. not in use).