mild disposition

vĕnĭa, ae, f. [akin to veneror, q. v.], complaisance, indulgence, kindness, obliging disposition or conduct, mercy, grace, favor (class.; cf. indulgentia), most usual in the phrase veniam dare, to grant a favor, be favorable, to comply, consent.

In gen.: Jane, Juppiter, Mars pater, etc.... vos precor, veneror, veniam peto feroque uti populo Romano Quiritium vim victoriamque prosperetis, an old formula of prayer in Liv. 8, 9, 7:

ab Jove Opt. Max. ceterisque dis pacem ac veniam peto precorque ab iis, ut, etc.,

Cic. Rab. Perd. 2, 5:

quaeso a vobis, ut in hac causā mihi detis hanc veniam, ut, etc.,

id. Arch. 2, 3; cf.:

precor hanc veniam supplici des, ut, etc.,

Liv. 30, 12, 14:

dabis hanc veniam, mi frater, ut, etc.,

Cic. de Or. 1, 6, 23:

Caesar tibi petenti veniam non dedit,

id. Q. Fr. 3, 1, 11:

datur haec venia antiquitati, ut miscendo humana divinis, primordia urbium augustiora faciat, Liv. prooem. § 7: mi gnate, da veniam hanc mihi: reduc illam,

Ter. Hec. 4, 2, 29:

extremam hanc oro veniam, miserere sororis,

Verg. A. 4, 435:

datur petentibus venia,

Caes. B. G. 7, 15:

veniam petenti dedit,

Hirt. B. G. 8, 48; Cic. Att. 5, 21, 12:

veniam quoque a deis spei alicujus audacioris petimus, in sinum spuendo,

Plin. 28, 4, 7, § 35:

veniam mihi quam gravate pater dedit de Chrysalo!

Plaut. Bacch. 3, 6, 3:

cum data esset venia ejus diei,

when indulgence had been granted for that day, Liv. 26, 17, 12:

nobile illud nepenthes oblivionem tristitiae veniamque afferens,

a complaisant, mild disposition, Plin. 25, 2, 5, § 12.—

Permission to do any thing, esp. In phrases: veniam petere (poscere) and veniam dare;

veniā petitā puerum ad canendum ante tibicinem cum statuisset,

Liv. 7, 2, 9:

petere veniam legatis mittendis,

id. 33, 11, 3:

veniam dicendi ante alios exposcere,

Tac. A. 12, 5:

datā veniā seducit filiam ac nutricem,

Liv. 3, 48, 5; cf.

the context: qui censerent, dandam ceteris veniam talium conjugiorum,

Suet. Claud. 26.—

Bonā veniā or cum bonā veniā.

With audire, kindly, with favor, without prejudice:

bonā veniā me audies,

Cic. N. D. 1, 21, 59; cf.:

vos oro atque obsecro, judices, ut attente bonāque cum veniā verba mea audiatis,

id. Rosc. Am. 4, 9:

cum bonā veniā se auditurum,

Liv. 29, 1, 7:

cum bonā veniā, quaeso, audiatis id quod invitus dico,

id. 29, 17, 6.—

With verbs of saying (mostly parenthet.), by your good leave, with your permission, without offence, etc.:

nisi vero (bonā veniā hujus optimi viri dixerim) tu, etc.,

Cic. de Or 1, 57, 242:

bonā hoc tuā veniā dixerim,

id. Div 1, 15, 25:

atqui, frater, bonā tuā veniā dixerim ista sententia maxime fallit imperitos,

id. Leg. 3, 15, 34:

bonā veniā vestrā liceat, etc., Liv 6, 40, 10: primum abs te hoc bonā veniā peto... mihi ut respondeas,

Ter. Phorm. 2, 3, 31:

oravit etiam bonā veniā Quirites, ne quis, etc.,

Liv. 7, 41, 3.—Rarely veniā alone:

neminem ex his, quos eduxeram mecum (veniā sit dicto) ibi amisi,

Plin. Ep. 5, 6, 46.—

In partic., forbearance in view of any wrong that has been done, forgiveness, pardon, remission:

venia est poenae meritae remissio,

Sen. Clem. 2, 7:

errati veniam impetrare,

Cic. Lig. 1, 1:

pacem veniamque impetrare a victoribus,

Liv. 37, 45, 7:

veniam et impunitatem dare,

Cic. Phil. 8, 11, 32; cf.:

cui non apud senatum... maximorum scelerum venia ulla ad ignoscendum duci possit,

id. Pis. 41, 98; id. Part. Or. 37, 131:

cui errato nulla venia, recte facto exigua laus proponitur,

id. Agr. 2, 2, 5:

cede deae, veniamque tuis, temeraria, dictis Supplice voce roga,

Ov. M. 6, 32; Hor. S. 1, 3, 75; id. Ep. 2, 1, 78: aliquem veniā donare [p. 1969] in praeteritum, Suet. Dom. 9:

veniā dignus,

Quint. 1, 5, 11; cf.:

legere cum veniā,

id. 10, 1, 72.

lĕvis, e, adj. [for leg-vis; Sanscr. laghu-s, little; cf. O. H. Germ. ring-i; Germ. gering; Gr. elachus], light in weight, not heavy (opp. gravis).

Lit.:

leviora corpora (opp. graviora),

Lucr. 2, 227:

aether,

id. 5, 459:

aura,

id. 3, 196:

levior quam pluma,

Plaut. Men. 3, 2, 23:

stipulae,

Verg. G. 1, 289: armatura, light armor:

levis armaturae Numidae,

the light-armed Numidians, Caes. B. G. 2, 10; also, by metonymy, lightarmed troops; v. armatura, and cf.:

sed haec fuerit nobis tamquam levis armaturae prima orationis excursio,

Cic. Div. 2, 10 fin.; so,

miles,

a light-armed soldier, Liv. 8, 8; cf.

of clothing: nudi, aut sagulo leves,

Tac. G. 6:

flebis in solo levis angiportu,

Hor. C. 1, 25, 10.—Of the earth upon the dead:

terraque securae sit super ossa levis,

Tib. 2, 4, 50;

esp. freq. on tombstones: sit tibi terra levis (abbreviated, S. T. T. L.): per leves populos,

the shades, bodiless persons, Ov. M. 10, 14:

virgaque levem coerces aurea turbam,

Hor. C. 1, 10, 18.— Poet. with inf.: fessis leviora tolli Pergama Grais, a lighter burden, i. e. easier to be destroyed, Hor. C. 2, 4, 11.—

Transf.

Light of digestion, easy to digest (mostly poet. and post-Aug.):

quae in aqua degunt, leviorem cibum praestant. Inter domesticas quadrupedes levissima suilla est, gravissima bubula,

lightest of digestion, Cels. 1, 18:

leves malvae,

Hor. C. 1, 31, 16 (cf.:

gravi Malvae salubres corpori,

id. Epod. 2, 57).—

Light in motion, swift, quick, fleet, nimble, rapid (syn.:

agilis, alacer, pernix): ipsa (diva) levi fecit volitantem flamine currum (i. e. Argo),

a quick, favorable wind, Cat. 64, 9; cf.:

leves venti,

Ov. M. 15, 346:

flatus,

Sil. 15, 162:

currus,

light, swift, Ov. M. 2, 150:

levi deducens pollice filum,

light, nimble, id. ib. 4, 36; so,

pollex,

id. ib. 6, 22:

saltus,

id. ib. 7, 767;

3, 599: peltam pro parma fecit, ut ad motus concursusque essent leviores,

Nep. Iphicr. 1:

Messapus levis cursu,

Verg. A. 12, 489:

leves Parthi,

id. G. 4, 314:

equus,

Val. Fl. 1, 389:

Nympharumque leves cum Satyris chori,

Hor. C. 1, 1, 31:

quaere modos leviore plectro,

nimbler, gayer, id. ib. 2, 1, 40:

et levis erecta consurgit ad oscula plantā,

Juv. 6, 507.—With inf. ( poet.):

omnes ire leves,

Sil. 16, 488:

exsultare levis,

id. 10, 605:

levior discurrere,

id. 4, 549:

nullo levis terrore moveri,

Claud. IV. Cons. Hon. 514:

hora,

fleeting, Ov. M. 15, 181:

terra,

light, thin soil, Verg. G. 2, 92:

et ubi montana (loca) quod leviora et ideo salubriora,

Varr. R. R. 1, 6, 3;

so (opp graviora),

id. ib. —

Slight, trifling, small (mostly poet.): ignis, Ov. M. 3, 488:

tactus,

a slight, gentle touch, id. ib. 4, 180:

strepitus,

id. ib. 7, 840:

stridor,

id. ib. 4, 413.

Trop.

Without weight, i. e. of no consequence; hence, in gen., light, trifling, unimportant, inconsiderable, trivial, slight, little, petty, easy (class.):

nunquam erit alienis gravis qui suis se concinnat levem,

Plaut. Trin. 3, 2, 58:

grave est nomen imperii atque id etiam in levi persona pertimescitur,

Cic. Agr. 2, 17, 45:

leve et infirmum,

id. Rosc. Com. 2, 6: quae mihi ad spem obtinendae veritatis gravissima sunt;

ad motum animi... leviora,

id. Deiot. 2, 5:

quod alia quaedam inania et levia conquiras,

id. Planc. 26, 63:

auditio,

a light, unfounded report, Caes. B. G. 7, 42:

cui res et pecunia levissima et existimatio sanctissima fuit semper,

something very insignificant, Cic. Rosc. Com. 5, 15:

dolor,

id. Fin. 1, 12, 40:

proelium,

Caes. B. G. 7, 36:

periculum,

id. B. C. 3, 26:

in aliquem merita,

id. ib. 2, 32, 10:

leviore de causa,

id. B. G. 7, 4 fin.:

praecordia levibus flagrantia causis,

Juv. 13, 182:

effutire leves indigna tragoedia versus,

Hor. A. P. 231.—As subst.:

in levi habitum,

was made little of, was regarded as a trifle, Tac. H. 2, 21; id. A. 3, 54:

levia sed nimium queror,

Sen. Herc. Fur. 63:

quid leviora loquor? Petr. poët. 134, 12: non est leve tot puerorum observare manus,

no easy matter, Juv. 7, 240:

quidquid levius putaris,

easier, id. 10, 344.—

With gen. ( poet.):

opum levior,

Sil. 2, 102.—

In disposition or character.

Light, light-minded, capricious, fickle, inconstant, unreliable, false:

homo levior quam pluma,

Plaut. Men. 3, 2, 23:

ne me leviorem erga te putes,

id. Trin. 5, 2, 34:

tu levior cortice,

Hor. C. 3, 9, 22:

vitium levium hominum atque fallacium,

Cic. Lael. 25, 91:

quidam saepe in parva pecunia perspiciuntur quam sint leves,

id. ib. 17, 63:

leves ac nummarii judices,

id. Clu. 28, 75:

sit precor illa levis,

Tib. 1, 6, 56:

levi brachio aliquid agere,

Cic. Att. 4, 16, 6:

quid levius aut turpius,

Caes. B. G. 5, 28 fin.:

auctor,

Liv. 5, 15:

leves amicitiae,

Cic. Lael. 26, 100:

spes,

vain, empty, Hor. Ep. 1, 5, 8:

leviores mores,

Ulp. Fragm. 6, 12.—

Mild, gentle, pleasant (rare):

quos qui leviore nomine appellant, percussores vocant,

Cic. Rosc. Am. 33, 93; and:

levior reprehensio,

id. Ac. 2, 32, 102:

tandem eo, quod levissimum videbatur, decursum est,

the gentlest, mildest, Liv. 5, 23 fin.:

nec leves somnos timor aut cupido Sordidus aufert,

Hor. C. 2, 16, 15; id. Epod. 2, 28:

exsilium,

mild, tolerable, Suet. Aug. 51.—Hence, adv.: lĕ-vĭter, lightly, not heavily.

Lit. (rare):

armati,

light-armed, Curt. 4, 13.—Of the blow of a weapon:

levius casura pila sperabat,

Caes. B. C. 3, 92, 2.—

Trop.

Slightly, a little, not much, somewhat:

leviter densae nubes,

Lucr. 6, 248:

inflexum bacillum,

Cic. Div. 1, 17, 30:

genae leviter eminentes (al. leniter),

id. N. D. 2, 57, 143:

qui (medici) leviter aegrotantes leniter curant, gravioribus autem morbis, etc.,

id. Off. 1, 24, 83:

saucius,

id. Inv. 2, 51, 154:

non leviter lucra liguriens,

id. Verr. 2, 3, 76, § 177:

agnoscere aliquid,

id. Fin. 2, 11, 33:

eruditus,

id. de Or. 3, 6, 24.— Comp.:

quanto constantior idem In vitiis, tanto levius miser,

so much less, Hor. S. 2, 7, 18:

dolere,

Ov. P. 1, 9, 30.— Sup.:

ut levissime dicam,

to express it in the mildest manner, Cic. Cat. 3, 7 fin. —

Easily, lightly, without difficulty, with equanimity:

id eo levius ferendum est, quod, etc.,

Cic. Fam. 4, 3, 2; cf.:

sed levissime feram, si, etc.,

id. Prov. Cons. 20, 47; Liv. 29, 9.— Comp.:

levius torquetis Arachne,

more dexterously, Juv. 2, 56.

lēvis (erroneously laevis), e, adj. [Gr. leios, leuros], smooth, smoothed, not rough, opp. asper (class.).

Lit.

In gen.:

corpuscula quaedam levia, alia aspera, etc.,

Cic. N. D. 1, 24, 66:

in locis (spectatur): leves an asperi,

id. Part. Or. 10, 36:

Deus levem eum (mundum) fecit et undique aequabilem,

id. Univ. 6:

pocula,

smooth, shining, Verg. A. 5, 91:

pharetrae,

id. ib. 5, 558:

brassica,

Cato, R. R. 15, 7:

levissima corpora,

Lucr. 4, 659:

coma pectine levis,

Ov. M. 12, 409:

nascunturque leves per digitos umerosque plumae,

Hor. C. 2, 20, 11:

levior assiduo detritis aequore conchis,

Ov. M. 13, 792: inimicus pumice levis, rubbed (cf. pumicatus), Juv. 9, 95.— Poet.: levi cum sanguine Nisus labitur infelix, slippery, [p. 1055] Verg. A. 5, 328:

levis Juventas ( = imberbis),

smooth, without hair, beardless, Hor. C. 2, 11, 6; so,

ora,

Tib. 1, 9 (8), 31:

crura,

Juv. 8, 115:

sponsus,

id. 3, 111:

caput,

id. 10, 199; 2, 12; hence, also, poet. for youthful, delicate, beautiful:

pectus,

Verg. A. 11, 40:

frons,

id. E. 6, 51:

umeri,

id. A. 7, 815:

colla,

Ov. M. 10, 698.—Also, finely dressed, spruce, effeminate:

vir,

Ov. A. A. 3, 437; Pers. 1, 82: argentum, smooth, not engraved or chased, Juv. 14, 62.—In neutr. absol.:

externi ne quid valeat per leve morari,

smoothness, Hor. S. 2, 7, 87; so,

per leve,

Pers. 1, 64:

per levia,

Aus. Idyll. 16, 4.—

Transf., rubbed smooth, ground down, softened, soft (rare), Scrib. Comp. 228; Cels. 2, 8.—

Trop., of speech, smooth, flowing (rare but class.):

oratio (opp. aspera),

Cic. Or. 5 fin.; so,

levis verborum concursus (opp. asper),

id. de Or. 3, 43, 171:

levis et aspera (vox),

Quint. 11, 3, 15:

levis et quadrata compositio,

id. 2, 5, 9:

levia ac nitida,

id. 5, 12, 18:

(aures) fragosis offenduntur et levibus mulcentur,

id. 9, 4, 116.— Adv. does not occur.