something trifling

floccus, i, m., a lock or flock (of wool, on clothes, in fruits, etc.).

Lit.:

ne qui flocci intereant,

Varr. R. R. 2, 11, 8:

pomis substrati flocci,

id. ib. 1, 59, 3:

in veste floccos legere fimbriasve diducere,

Cels. 2, 6:

pilulae intus habentes floccos molles,

Plin. 16, 7, 10, § 28.—

Transf., something trifling, insignificant, of no account (most freq., esp. with negatives, and in the phrase flocci facere, to make no account of, to care not a straw for; v. the foll.).

With a neg.:

ceterum qui sis, qui non sis, floccum non interduim,

Plaut. Trin. 4, 2, 152 (Ritschl, ciccum; cf.:

eluas tu an exungare, ciccum non interduim,

id. Rud. 2, 7, 22):

neque ego illum maneo, neque flocci facio,

id. Men. 2, 3, 69:

is leno flocci non fecit fidem,

id. Rud. prol. 47:

ego, quae tu loquere, flocci non facio,

id. ib. 3, 5, 3:

prorsus aveo scire, nec tamen flocci facio,

Cic. Att. 13, 50, 3:

totam rem publicam flocci non facere,

id. ib. 4, 15, 4: quare, ut opinor, philosophêteon, id quod tu facis, et istos consulatus non flocci facteon, id. ib. 1, 16, 13 Orell. N. cr. (but here Ernesti reads eateon):

satin abiit, neque quod dixi flocci existimat!

Plaut. Most. 1, 1, 73: invidere omnes mihi, Mordere clanculum;

ego non flocci pendere,

Ter. Eun. 3, 1, 21.—

Without a neg. (ante-class.), to account of slight value, of small importance:

rumorem, famam flocci fecit, Cato ap. Fest. s. v. obstinato, p. 193, 11 Müll.: tu istos minutos cave deos flocci feceris,

Plaut. Cas. 2, 5, 24:

flocci facere,

id. Most. 3, 2, 121; id. Men. 5, 7, 5; id. Ep. 3, 2, 12; id. Trin. 4, 2, 150; Ter. Eun. 2, 3, 11.— In pass.: flocci fiet. Culi cultor, Titin. ap. Non. 131, 33: rogata fuerit nec ne, flocci aestimo, Plaut. Fragm. ap. Fest. s. v. muneralis, p. 143 Müll.: flocci pendo, quid rerum geras, Plaut. Fragm. ap. Fulg. Exp. Serm. p. 565, 5.

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.

nĕbŭla, ae, f. [like nubes; Sanscr. nabhas; Lat. aër, caelum; Gr. nephelê], mist, vapor, fog, smoke, exhalation (syn.: nubes, nimbus).

Lit.: fluviis ex omnibus et simul ipsa Surgere de terrā nebulas aestumque videmus, etc., Lucr. 6, 477; Verg. A. 8, 258:

tenuem exhalat nebulam,

id. G. 2, 217. — Poet., of the clouds:

nebulae pluviique rores,

Hor. C. 3, 3, 56; Verg. A. 1, 412; 439 (for which, nubes, id. ib. 587; Ov. M. 6, 21. —Of smoke, Ov. Tr. 5, 5, 31.—Of any thing soft or transparent:

nebula haud est mollis, atque hujus est,

Plaut. Cas. 4, 4, 21:

desine Inter ludere virgines Et stellis nebulam spargere candidis,

Hor. C. 3, 15, 6.—

Prov.: nebulae cyathus, of any thing worthless, trifling,

Plaut. Poen. 1, 2, 62.—

—Personified = Nephele,

Hyg. Fab. 2 and 3.—

Transf., a foggy mist, a vapor, cloud:

pulveris nebula,

Lucr. 5, 253:

nebulae dolia summa tegunt,

Ov. F. 5, 269:

pinguem nebulam vomuere lucernae,

Pers. 5, 181; Sil. 6, 281: per nebulam audire, aut scire aliquid, to hear or know a thing indistinctly, Plaut. Ps. 1, 5, 47; id. Capt. 5, 4, 26 (for which:

quasi per caliginem videre,

Cic. Phil. 12, 2, 2).—

A thin, transparent substance; of a thin garment: aequum est induere nuptam ventum textilem, Palam prostare nudam in nebulā lineā, Laber. ap. Petr. 55;

of a thin plate of metal,

Mart. 8, 33, 3.—

Trop., darkness, obscurity:

erroris nebula,

Juv. 10, 4:

nebulae quaestionum,

obscure, puzzling questions, Gell. 8, 10 in lemm.:

suspicionum nebulae,

vague suspicions, Amm. 14, 1, 4.—Of something empty, trifling, worthless:

grande locuturi nebulas Helicone legunto,

Pers. 5, 7 (for which:

nubes et inania captare,

Hor. A. P. 230).