simplĭcĭtas, ātis, f. [simplex].
I In gen., simpleness , simplicity (not freq. till after the Aug. period, esp. in the signif. II.; not found in Cic.; cf.: candor, sinceritas): sunt solida primordia simplicitate, Lucr. 1, 609 sq.; so id. 1, 574; 2, 157: indigesta (ligni), i. e. plainness , straightness of grain , Plin. 13, 15, 30, § 97.—
II In partic., in a moral sense, plainness , frankness , openness , artlessness , innocence , honesty , candor , simplicity , directness , ingenuousness , naturalness , etc.: juvenis incauti, Liv. 40, 23: puerilis, id. 40, 8; Vell. 2, 10, 3; 2, 43, 3 al.; Plin. 35, 10, 36, § 70; Ov. H. 2, 64; id. Am. 2, 4, 18: sermo antiquae simplicitatis, Liv. 40, 47: vir simplicitatis generosissimae, of the noblest honesty , candor , Vell. 2, 125 fin. : prudens, Mart. 10, 47, 7: Romana, id. 11, 21, 10: callidissima simplicitatis imitatio, Quint. 4, 2, 57: rarissima, Ov. A. A. 1, 242 al.: vitii, Quint. 11, 1, 21; 9, 4, 20.