bĕnignus, a, um, adj. [as if benigenus, from bonus genus, anal. with malignus and privignus], of a good kind or nature, beneficent, kind.
I Of feeling or deportment towards others, kind , good , friendly , pleasing , favorable , benignant : nam generi lenonio, Numquam ullus deus tam benignus fuit qui fuerit propitius, Plaut. Pers. 4, 4, 34: benignus et lepidus et comis, Ter. Hec. 837: boni et benigni, id. Phorm. 767: comes, benigni, faciles, suaves homines esse dicuntur, Cic. Balb. 16, 36: Apelles in aemulis benignus, Plin. 35, 10, 36, § 88; id. praef. § 21: divi, Hor. C. 4, 2, 52: numen, id. ib. 4, 4, 74; cf. Plaut. Pers. 4, 4, 34 al.—
B Of things, friendly , favorable , pleasant , mild : animus, Ter. Hec. 472: oratio, Cic. Off. 2, 14, 48: sociorum comitas vultusque benigni, Liv. 9, 6, 8; 30, 14, 3; Hor. Ep. 1, 11, 20: verba, Prop. 1, 10, 24: benigniora verba, Liv. 21, 19, 11.—In the jurists, interpretatio, a mild , favorable interpretation (opp. dura, which follows the strictness of the letter; cf. Cic. Off. 1, 10, 31 sq.), Dig. 39, 5, 16: semper in dubiis benigniora praeferenda sunt, ib. 50, 17, 56: benignior sententia, ib. 37, 6, 8.—
C Poet., = faustus, lucky , propitious , favorable : dies, Stat. S. 5, 1, 108: nox, id. Th. 10, 216.—
II More freq. of action, beneficent , obliging , that gives or imparts freely , liberal , bounteous , etc.: erga te benignus fui, atque opera mea Haec tibi sunt servata, Plaut. Rud. 5, 3, 33; id. Trin. 3, 3, 12; 2, 4, 58: fortuna ... Nunc mihi, nunc alii benigna, Hor. C. 3, 29, 52: qui benigniores volunt esse, quam res patitur, peccant, Cic. Off. 1, 14, 44: qui liberalis benignusque dicitur, id. Leg. 1, 18, 48: facilius in timore benigni quam in victoriā grati reperiuntur, id. ad Brut. 1, 15, 8.—Poet., with gen.: vini somnique benignus, a hard drinker and a lover of sleep , Hor. S. 2, 3, 3.—Opp. to bonae frugi = prodigus, prodigal , lavish : est benignus potius quam bonae frugi, Plaut. Truc. 1, 1, 20.—
B Of things (mostly poet. or in post-Aug. prose; cf. malignus), yielding liberally , abundant , fruitful , fertile , copious , rich : et magnas messes terra benigna daret, Tib. 3, 3, 6: ager, Ov. Am. 1, 10, 56: tellus, Plin. 18, 1, 1, § 1: vepres, Hor. Ep. 1, 16, 8: cornu, id. C. 1, 17, 15: egens benignae Tantalus semper dapis, id. Epod. 17, 66: ingenī Benigna vena est, id. C. 2, 18, 10: praeda, Ov. F. 5, 174: benigna materia gratias agendi Romanis, Liv. 42, 38, 6: quem (ordinem) persequi longa est magis quam benigna materia, fruitful , or suitable for exhibition , Mel. prooem. § 1; so Seneca: primus liber .. benigniorem habuit materiem, Sen. Ira, 2, 1, 1: ipse materiā risūs benignissima, id. Const. 18, 1 (cf. also in Gr. ἄφθονος): aestivam sermone benigno tendere noctem, Hor. Ep. 1, 5, 11 (sermone multo et liberali et largo, Lamb.): benignissimum inventum, i. e. beneficentissimum, Plin. 35, 2, 2, § 11. —Hence, adv.: bĕnignē (ante-class. collat. form bĕnignĭter ).
1 In a friendly manner , kindly , benevolently , courteously , benignly : benigne et amice facere, Plaut. Cist. 1, 1, 109: me benignius Omnes salutant quam salutabant prius, id. Aul. 1, 2, 36: ecquid ego possiem Blande dicere aut benigne facere, Ter. Ad. 878: viam monstrare, courteously , politely , Cic. Balb. 16, 36: salutare, id. Phil. 13, 2, 4: audire, id. Clu. 3, 8: polliceri, id. Fam. 4, 13, 3: servire alicui, Cat. 76, 3: respondere, Sall. J. 11, 1; Liv. 27, 4, 7: milites adpellare, Sall. J. 96, 2: habere, id. ib. 113, 2: alloqui, Liv. 1, 28, 1: audire aliquem, id. 1, 9, 4: excipere aliquem, id. 2, 35, 6; 21, 19, 7; Tac. A. 1, 57: arma capere, readily , willingly , Liv. 3, 26, 1: audire, Suet. Aug. 89.—In the ante-class. form benigniter, Titin. ap. Non. p. 510, 13, and Prisc. p 1010 P.—
b Mildly , indulgently (in jurid. Lat.): in poenalibus causis benignius interpretandum est, Dig. 50, 17, 155; ib. 44, 7, 1, § 13: benignissime rescripserunt, ib. 37, 14, 4.—
c Benigne dicis, or absol. benigne, used in colloquial lang. in thanking one for something, both when it is taken and when it is refused (the latter a courtly formula like the Gr. αἰνῶ σε, ζηλῶ σε, καλῶς, κάλλιστα; cf. recte), you are very kind , I thank you very much , am under great obligation; no , I thank you.
α In receiving: As. Peregre cum advenis, cena detur. Di. Benigne dicis, Plaut. Truc. 1, 2, 27; Ter. Phorm. 1051.—
β In declining: frumentum, inquit, me abs te emere oportet. Optime. Modium denario. Benigne ac liberaliter: nam ego ternis HS non possum vendere, etc., Cic. Verr. 2, 3, 85, § 196: dic Ad cenam veniat.. Benigne Respondet. Neget ille mihi? etc., Hor. Ep. 1, 7, 62; id. ib. 1, 7, 16 Schmid.—
2 Abundantly , liberally , freely , generously : pecuniam praebere, Plaut. Curc. 4, 2, 37; id. Aul. 4, 4, 20; Ter. Hec. 767; Cic. Off. 2, 15, 52 and 53; Sall. J. 68, 3; Liv. 9, 31, 5; 9, 32. 2: benignius Deprome quadrimum, Hor. C. 1, 9, 6: paulo benignius ipsum Te tractare voles, id. Ep. 1, 17, 11. —
b Benigne facere alicui = bene facere, to do a favor , to show favor , Ter. Ad. 878 Ruhnk.; Cat. 73, 3: qui plurimis in istā provinciā benigne fecisti, Cic. Fam. 13, 67, 1; id. Off. 1, 14, 42; id. Inv. 1, 55, 109; Liv. 4, 14, 5; 28, 39, 18; Gell. 17, 5, 10 al.; cf. Rutil. Lup. p. 127 Ruhnk. (175 Frotscher).