dĕcōrus, a, um, adj. [decor], Gr. εὐπρεπής.
I Becoming, fitting, seemly, proper, suitable, decorous (class.).
α With dat.: QVAE QVOIQVE DIVO DECORAE GRATAEQVE SINT HOSTIAE PROVIDENTO, Cic. Leg. 2, 8, 20: color albus praecipue decorus deo est, id. ib. 2, 18, 45: quod virginitati decorum, Liv. 2, 13; Quint. 11, 3, 101; cf. ib. § 104, and 11, 1, 33 al.: decorum erat tum ipsis capessere pugnam ducibus, Liv. 2, 6; cf. Tac. A. 1, 12. —*
β With abl. (after the analogy of dignus): (facinora puerilia) neque te decora neque tuis virtutibus, Plaut. Mil. 3, 1, 24 (cf. id. Aul. 2, 2, 43).—*
γ With ad (after the analogy of aptus, accommodatus, etc.): nos auri venas invenimus et ad usum aptas et ad ornatum decoras, Cic. N. D. 2, 60, 151.—
δ With pro : decorum pro causa ratus, Tac. H. 3, 7.—
ε Absol. : decorus est senis sermo, quietus et remissus, Cic. de Sen. 9, 28; cf.: vox et actio, Quint. 10, 1, 17: silentium, Hor. Od. 4, 1, 35 et saep.: nihil nisi quod honestum decorumque sit admirari, Cic. Off. 1, 20, 66: omnino si quicquam est decorum, nihil est profecto magis, quam aequabilitas universae vitae, id. ib. 1, 31, 111; Quint. 5, 10, 40 al.: actuariis minutis Patras accedere ... non satis visum est decorum, Cic. Att. 5, 9; so with a subject-clause , id. ib. 4, 16, 3: dulce et decorum est pro patria mori, Hor. Od. 3, 2, 13; Ov. M. 9, 6 (opp. turpe); cf. ib. 13, 309 al.—
B Subst.: dĕ-cōrum , i, n., in Cic. for the Gr. πρέπον, that which is seemly, suitable; seemliness, fitness, propriety, decorum (for which Quint. uses decor; cf.: decus init. ): ut in vita, sic in oratione nihil est difficilius quam quid deceat videre. Πρέπον appellant hoc Graeci: nos dicamus sane decorum; Cic. Or. 21, 70; cf.: id, quod Graece πρέπον dicitur, decorum dici Latine potest, etc., id. Off. 1, 27 sq.; cf. id. ib. 1, 35; Tac. H. 1, 71.— Plur. : vota pro reditu ejus et alia decora, id. ib. 3, 47: plura tribuere, id. ib. 3, 5.
II Absol., decorated, ornamented, adorned; elegant, fine, beautiful, handsome (not so in Cic.; but freq. in the poets and historians, esp. in Hor. and Tacit.): delubra deum, * Lucr. 2, 352; cf.: aedes, Hor. Od. 1, 30, 3; and: supplicationes et alia decora, Tac. A. 3, 47: galeae ensesque, Verg. A. 11, 194: insigne clipei, id. ib. 2, 392: arma, Sall. C. 7, 4 al.: membra juventae, Verg. A. 4, 559; cf.: oculi, id. ib. 11, 480: pectus, id. ib. 4, 589: os, Hor. S. 1, 8, 21: facies, id. ib. 1, 2, 87; Sall. J. 6, 1: caput, Ov. M. 6, 167: juventa, Tac. H. 1, 53: genus, id. A. 6, 27 al.: palaestra, noble, skilful , Hor. Od. 1, 10, 3: verba, id. S. 2, 7, 41; id. Ep. 2, 1, 73: temporibus Augusti dicendis non defuere decora ingenia, Tac. A. 1, 1.— Sup. : Zeus decorissimus, Apul. Mag. 4, p. 276, 4.—
β With abl., adorned with any thing; shining, beautiful with any thing: ductores ostro decori, Verg. A. 5, 133; cf. id. ib. 12, 126: Phoebus fulgente arcu, Hor. Carm. Sec. 61: Bacchus aureo cornu, id. C. 2, 19, 30: Medi pharetrā, id. ib. 2, 16, 2: dea formāque armisque, Ov. M. 2, 773: satis decorus etiam Graeca facundia, Tac. H. 2, 80.— With ab : voces decorae ab aspectu, Col. 6, 1.Adv.: dĕcōrē .
1 (Acc. to no. I.) Suitably, properly, decorously : ut ea si non decore, at quam minime indecore facere possimus, Cic. Off. 1, 31 fin. ; cf. id. de Or. 1, 32, 144; 3, 47, 182; Sall. J. 100 fin. —*
2 (acc. to no. II.), elegantly, charmingly, beautifully : formata d. Jovis species, Cic. poët. Div. 1, 12, 20 (cf. above, decora delubra deum).