caelestis (coel-), e (gen. sing. CAELESTAE, Inscr. Neapol. 2602; abl. sing. regularly, caelesti: caeleste, Ov. H. 16, 277; id. M. 15, 743; cf.: bimestris, cognominis, perennis, patruelis, etc.; gen. plur. caelestum, but caelestium, Enn. Epigr. v. 9 Vahl.; Att. ap. Cic. N. D. 3, 26, 68, or id. Trag. Rel. v. 209 Rib.; Varr. L. L. 6, § 53 Müll.; Lucr. 6, 1274; Cat. 64, 191; 64, 205; Verg. A. 7, 432; Ov. M. 1, 150), adj. [caelum],
I pertaining to heaven or to the heavens , found in heaven , coming from heaven , etc., heavenly , celestial (class. and very freq.): ignis fulminis, Lucr. 2, 384; cf.: turbine correptus et igni, id. 6, 395: flammae, id. 5, 1093: urbes igne caelesti flagrasse, Tac. H. 5, 7: arcus, the rainbow , Plin. 11, 14, 14, § 37; Suet. Aug. 95: nubes, Ov. A. A. 2, 237: aqua, rain , Hor. C. 3, 10, 20; cf. aquae, id. Ep. 2, 1, 135; Liv. 4, 30, 7; Col. 3, 12, 2; 7, 4, 8; Plin. 17, 2, 2, § 14; Dig. 39, 3, 1: imbres, Col. 3, 13, 7: templa, Lucr. 5, 1203; 6, 388; 6, 671: solum, Ov. M. 1, 73: plagae, id. ib. 12, 40 al.: astra, id. ib. 15, 846: aërii mellis dona, Verg. G. 4, 1: prodigia, Liv. 1, 34, 9; cf. minae, Tac. H. 1, 18: caelestia auguria vocant cum fulminat aut tonat, Paul. ex Fest. p. 64, 8 Müll.: fragor, Quint. 12, 10, 4: orbes, quorum unus est caelestis, Cic. Rep. 6, 17, 17.—Subst.: caelestĭa , ĭum, n., the heavenly bodies : cogitantes supera atque caelestia, haec nostra, ut exigua et minima, contemnimus, Cic. Ac. 2 ( Luc. ), 41, 127; Tac. H. 5, 4; id. A. 4, 58.—
II Meton.
A Divine; and subst., the deity (most freq. like caeles in plur.), the gods.
1 Adj., numen, Cat. 66, 7; Tib. 3, 4, 53; Ov. M. 1, 367: animi, Verg. A. 1, 11: aula, Ov. F. 1, 139: irae, Liv. 2, 36, 6: ira, Sen. Herc. Oet. 441: origo, Verg. A. 6, 730: ortus, Quint. 3, 7, 5: stirps, Ov. M. 1, 760; cf. species, id. ib. 15, 743: nectar, id. ib. 4, 252; cf. pabula, id. ib. 4, 217: sapientia, Hor. Ep. 1, 3, 27: auxilium, of the gods , Ov. M. 15, 630: dona, id. ib. 13, 289 al.: cognitio caelestium et mortalium, Quint. 1, 10, 5; cf. id. 10, 1, 86.— * Comp neutr. : nihil est caelesti caelestius, Sen. Ep. 66, 11—
2 Subst.: caelestis , is, m., a deity : quicumque dedit formam caelestis avarae, Tib 2, 4, 35.—Mostly plur., the gods : divos et eos qui caelestes semper habiti colunto, Cic. Leg. 2, 8, 19: caelestum templa, Lucr. 6, 1273: in concilio caelestium, Cic. Off. 3, 5, 25; so id. Phil. 4, 4, 10; Liv. 1, 16, 7; 9, 1, 3; Tac. G. 9; id. H. 4, 84; Cat. 64, 191; 64, 205; 68, 76; Tib. 1, 9, 5; Verg. A. 1, 387; 7, 432; Ov. M. 1, 150; 4, 594; 6, 72; 6, 171.—
3 Caelestis , is, f., a female divinity in Carthage , Tert. Apol. 24, Capitol. Pert. 4, 2; Macrin. 3, 1; Treb. Pol. Trig. Tyr. 29, 1.—
4 caelestĭa , ĭum, n., heavenly objects , divine things : haec caelelestia semper spectato, illa humana con-t emnito, Cic. Rep. 6, 19, 20: sapientem non modo cognitione caelestium vel mortalium putant instruendum, Quint. 1, 10, 5; Tac. H. 5, 5.—
B As in most languages, an epithet of any thing splendid or excellent, celestial , divine , god-like , magnificent , preeminent , etc. (so most freq. since the Aug. per., esp. as a complimentary term applied to eminent persons and their qualities; in Cic. only once): caelestes divinaeque legiones, Cic. Phil. 5, 11, 28: quem prope caelestem fecerint, Liv. 6, 17, 5: ingenium, Ov. A. A. 1, 185: mens, id. F. 1, 534: in dicendo vir (sc. Cicero), Quint. 10, 2, 18; cf.: caelestissimum os (Ciceronis), Vell. 2, 66, 3: ju dicia, Quint. 4, prooem. § 2 Spald.: praecepta, Vell. 2, 94, 2: anima, id. 2, 123: animus, id. 2, 60, 2: caelestissimorum ejus operum, id. 2, 104, 3: quos Elea domum reducit Palma caelestes, glorified , like the gods , Hor. C. 4, 2, 18.—Adv. not in use.