to return a gentler answer

mollis, e, adj. [Gr. malakos, amalos, môlus; cf. blêchros, perh. Lat. mulier (mollior)], easily movable, pliant, flexible, supple; soft, tender, delicate, gentle, mild, pleasant (class.; syn.: tener, facilis, flexibilis, lentus).

Lit.:

mollis juncus,

Verg. E. 2, 72:

comam mollis... hyacinthi,

id. G. 4, 137:

aurum,

flexible, id. A. 10, 818:

tiliae,

Ov. M. 10, 92:

crura,

Verg. G. 3, 76:

colla,

id. A. 11, 622:

bracchia,

Ov. A. A. 1, 595:

cervix,

id. F. 4, 185:

commissurae,

Cic. N. D. 2, 60:

molle litus,

of soft sand, Caes. B. G. 5, 9:

harena,

Ov. M. 2, 577:

aqua,

id. A. A. 1, 476:

fraga,

id. M. 13, 816:

castaneae,

Verg. E. 1, 82:

mollissima vina ( = mitissima, lenissima),

id. G. 1, 341; cf.:

molli mero,

Hor. C. 1, 7, 19; and:

molle Calenum,

Juv. 1, 69:

alvus,

relaxed, open bowels, Cels. 3, 12:

cibus,

mild, not sharp, id. 4, 4, 4:

ovum,

soft, id. 4, 4, 5:

prata,

Verg. G. 2, 384:

gramen,

Ov. F. 6, 328:

humus,

id. A. A. 3, 688:

lana,

id. F. 2, 742:

torus,

id. Am. 2, 4, 14:

arcus,

slack, unbent, unstrung, id. H. 4, 92:

feretrum,

made soft by a layer of leaves, Verg. A. 11, 64:

mollissima cera,

Cic. de Or. 3, 45, 177:

mollia panis,

the soft part of bread, the crumb, id. 13, 12, 26, § 82:

molles genae,

soft, delicate, Ov. H. 10, 44:

capilli,

id. P. 3, 3, 17:

manus,

id. Am. 1, 4, 24:

latus,

id. M. 14, 710:

molles Zephyri,

soft, gentle, id. A. A. 3, 728; so,

hiems,

Stat. S. 3, 5, 83:

aestas,

Verg. G. 1, 312:

caelum,

Flor. 1, 16, 3; 4, 12, 27:

Euphrates mollior undis,

gentler, calmer, Verg. A. 8, 726:

aditus,

easy, Sil. 4, 491; so,

iter,

Quint. 4, 2, 46:

via,

id. 1, 6, 22:

fastigium,

gentle, not steep, Caes. B. C. 2, 10:

clivus,

Verg. E. 9, 8:

modicis et mollibus clivis,

Curt. 8, 39, 6:

jugum montis,

Tac. G. 1:

trames,

Ov. F. 3, 13.—Prov.: molli bracchio objurgare aliquem, with a gentle arm, i. e. in a forbearing manner, Cic. Att. 2, 1, 6:

in molli carne vermes nascuntur,

it is the soft flesh that breeds the worms, Petr. 57.— Subst.: mollia, ĭum, n., a kind of fishes, mollusks, Plin. 11, 51, 112, § 267.—

Trop.

Tender, delicate, susceptible:

mollibus annis,

in tender youth, Ov. H. 1, 111:

os molle,

easily blushing, id. Tr. 4, 3, 70:

mollissima corda,

Juv. 15, 131:

mollissimae aures,

modest, Plin. Pan. 68.—

In a bad sense, soft, effeminate, unmanly, weak (syn. effeminatus):

philosophus tam mollis, tam languidus, tam enervatus,

Cic. de Or. 1, 52, 226:

Sabaei,

Verg. G. 1, 57:

viri molles, i. e. pathici,

Liv. 33, 28; Sen. Ep. 87:

disciplina,

effeminate, Cic. Fin. 1, 11, 37:

delicatior... molliorque ratio,

id. ib. 5, 5, 12:

vita,

Ov. Tr. 5, 3, 9: desine mollium querellarum, Hor. C. 2, 9, 17:

mollis teneraque vox,

Quint. 11, 3, 23:

educatio,

id. 1, 2, 6:

actio,

id. 11, 3, 128:

Gallorum mens est mollis ac minime resistens ad calamitates perferendas,

Caes. B. G. 3, 19:

sententiae,

Cic. Cat. 1, 12, 30:

si taedio laboris longaeque viae, ut est mollis ad talia gens (Gallorum), dilaberentur,

Liv. 22, 2, 4:

Romanos molliores facere ad paciscendum,

id. 42, 62, 6; cf.:

sunt qui in rebus contrariis parum sibi constent, voluptatem severissime contemnant, in dolore sint molliores, etc.,

Cic. Off. 1, 21, 71:

molles in aure fenestrae,

Juv. 1, 104.—

Soft, pleasant, mild, easy:

orationem mollem teneramque reddidit,

soft, pleasant, Cic. Brut. 9, 38:

mollis et jucunda senectus,

id. Sen. 1, 2:

ita eum placidum mollemque reddidi, ut, etc.,

calm and gentle, id. Caecil. 10, 28:

verba,

Hor. Epod. 5, 83:

mollia jussa,

mild, easy, Verg. G. 3, 41:

vincuntur molli pectora dura prece,

soft, tender, touching, Tib. 3, 4, 76:

sic accensum sed molliora referre jussum dimittit,

to return a gentler answer, Tac. H. 4, 32 fin.:

saepius molliora respondens,

id. A. 12, 46: mollis versus, an elegiac or amatory poem, Ov. Tr. 2, 307; Prop. 1, 7, 19 (opp. durus versus, a heroic poem, id. 2, 1, 41):

ridere mollia,

to smile gently, Ov. A. A. 3, 513:

cuncta tamen ad imperatorem in mollius relata,

in a milder, more favorable light, Tac. A. 14, 39:

pilenta,

having a gentle motion, Verg. A. 8, 666; id. G. 2, 389:

mollissima fandi tempora,

id. A. 4, 293:

hora mollior,

more favorable, Ov. P. 3, 3, 84:

signa,

Cic. Brut. 18, 70:

duriora Callon, jam minus rigida Calamis, molliora adhuc supra dictis Myron fecit,

more agreeable, Quint. 12, 10, 7:

mollis animus et ad accipiendam et ad deponendam offensionem,

Cic. Att. 1, 17, 2:

in inimicitiis auricula infima mollior,

id. Q. Fr. 2, 13 (15), 4.— Subst.: molle, is, n., softness, smoothness:

molle atque facetum Vergilio adnuerunt Camenae,

Hor. S. 1, 10, 45.—

Weak, untrustworthy:

nihil est tam molle, tam tenerum, tam aut fragile aut flexibile quam voluntas erga nos civium,

Cic. Mil. 16, 42.—Hence, adv.: mollĭter.

Lit., softly, gently, agreeably (class.):

molliter sustine me,

Plaut. Ps. 5, 2, 7:

aves nidos mollissime substernunt,

Cic. N. D. 2, 52, 129:

recubans,

id. de Or. 3, 17, 63:

ossa cubent,

Ov. Tr. 3, 3, 76:

excudent alii spirantia mollius aera,

more easily, agreeably, Verg. A. 6, 847:

cura molliter semina conlocandi,

Plin. 15, 10, 9, § 35:

colles ad orientem molliter devexi,

gently, gradually, Col. 1, 2, 3 sq. —

Trop.:

quod ferendum est molliter sapienti,

calmly, patiently, Cic. Sen. 2, 5:

abnuere,

Liv. 30, 3:

delicate et molliter vivere,

voluptuously, Cic. Off. 1, 30, 106:

aegritudinem pati,

sensitively, weakly, Sall. J. 82, 2:

ne quid per metum, mollius consuleretur,

too compliantly, Liv. 30, 7, 3:

interpretari mollius aliquid,

rather mildly, favorably, Tac. H. 2, 96.

mollis, e, adj. [Gr. malakos, amalos, môlus; cf. blêchros, perh. Lat. mulier (mollior)], easily movable, pliant, flexible, supple; soft, tender, delicate, gentle, mild, pleasant (class.; syn.: tener, facilis, flexibilis, lentus).

Lit.:

mollis juncus,

Verg. E. 2, 72:

comam mollis... hyacinthi,

id. G. 4, 137:

aurum,

flexible, id. A. 10, 818:

tiliae,

Ov. M. 10, 92:

crura,

Verg. G. 3, 76:

colla,

id. A. 11, 622:

bracchia,

Ov. A. A. 1, 595:

cervix,

id. F. 4, 185:

commissurae,

Cic. N. D. 2, 60:

molle litus,

of soft sand, Caes. B. G. 5, 9:

harena,

Ov. M. 2, 577:

aqua,

id. A. A. 1, 476:

fraga,

id. M. 13, 816:

castaneae,

Verg. E. 1, 82:

mollissima vina ( = mitissima, lenissima),

id. G. 1, 341; cf.:

molli mero,

Hor. C. 1, 7, 19; and:

molle Calenum,

Juv. 1, 69:

alvus,

relaxed, open bowels, Cels. 3, 12:

cibus,

mild, not sharp, id. 4, 4, 4:

ovum,

soft, id. 4, 4, 5:

prata,

Verg. G. 2, 384:

gramen,

Ov. F. 6, 328:

humus,

id. A. A. 3, 688:

lana,

id. F. 2, 742:

torus,

id. Am. 2, 4, 14:

arcus,

slack, unbent, unstrung, id. H. 4, 92:

feretrum,

made soft by a layer of leaves, Verg. A. 11, 64:

mollissima cera,

Cic. de Or. 3, 45, 177:

mollia panis,

the soft part of bread, the crumb, id. 13, 12, 26, § 82:

molles genae,

soft, delicate, Ov. H. 10, 44:

capilli,

id. P. 3, 3, 17:

manus,

id. Am. 1, 4, 24:

latus,

id. M. 14, 710:

molles Zephyri,

soft, gentle, id. A. A. 3, 728; so,

hiems,

Stat. S. 3, 5, 83:

aestas,

Verg. G. 1, 312:

caelum,

Flor. 1, 16, 3; 4, 12, 27:

Euphrates mollior undis,

gentler, calmer, Verg. A. 8, 726:

aditus,

easy, Sil. 4, 491; so,

iter,

Quint. 4, 2, 46:

via,

id. 1, 6, 22:

fastigium,

gentle, not steep, Caes. B. C. 2, 10:

clivus,

Verg. E. 9, 8:

modicis et mollibus clivis,

Curt. 8, 39, 6:

jugum montis,

Tac. G. 1:

trames,

Ov. F. 3, 13.—Prov.: molli bracchio objurgare aliquem, with a gentle arm, i. e. in a forbearing manner, Cic. Att. 2, 1, 6:

in molli carne vermes nascuntur,

it is the soft flesh that breeds the worms, Petr. 57.— Subst.: mollia, ĭum, n., a kind of fishes, mollusks, Plin. 11, 51, 112, § 267.—

Trop.

Tender, delicate, susceptible:

mollibus annis,

in tender youth, Ov. H. 1, 111:

os molle,

easily blushing, id. Tr. 4, 3, 70:

mollissima corda,

Juv. 15, 131:

mollissimae aures,

modest, Plin. Pan. 68.—

In a bad sense, soft, effeminate, unmanly, weak (syn. effeminatus):

philosophus tam mollis, tam languidus, tam enervatus,

Cic. de Or. 1, 52, 226:

Sabaei,

Verg. G. 1, 57:

viri molles, i. e. pathici,

Liv. 33, 28; Sen. Ep. 87:

disciplina,

effeminate, Cic. Fin. 1, 11, 37:

delicatior... molliorque ratio,

id. ib. 5, 5, 12:

vita,

Ov. Tr. 5, 3, 9: desine mollium querellarum, Hor. C. 2, 9, 17:

mollis teneraque vox,

Quint. 11, 3, 23:

educatio,

id. 1, 2, 6:

actio,

id. 11, 3, 128:

Gallorum mens est mollis ac minime resistens ad calamitates perferendas,

Caes. B. G. 3, 19:

sententiae,

Cic. Cat. 1, 12, 30:

si taedio laboris longaeque viae, ut est mollis ad talia gens (Gallorum), dilaberentur,

Liv. 22, 2, 4:

Romanos molliores facere ad paciscendum,

id. 42, 62, 6; cf.:

sunt qui in rebus contrariis parum sibi constent, voluptatem severissime contemnant, in dolore sint molliores, etc.,

Cic. Off. 1, 21, 71:

molles in aure fenestrae,

Juv. 1, 104.—

Soft, pleasant, mild, easy:

orationem mollem teneramque reddidit,

soft, pleasant, Cic. Brut. 9, 38:

mollis et jucunda senectus,

id. Sen. 1, 2:

ita eum placidum mollemque reddidi, ut, etc.,

calm and gentle, id. Caecil. 10, 28:

verba,

Hor. Epod. 5, 83:

mollia jussa,

mild, easy, Verg. G. 3, 41:

vincuntur molli pectora dura prece,

soft, tender, touching, Tib. 3, 4, 76:

sic accensum sed molliora referre jussum dimittit,

to return a gentler answer, Tac. H. 4, 32 fin.:

saepius molliora respondens,

id. A. 12, 46: mollis versus, an elegiac or amatory poem, Ov. Tr. 2, 307; Prop. 1, 7, 19 (opp. durus versus, a heroic poem, id. 2, 1, 41):

ridere mollia,

to smile gently, Ov. A. A. 3, 513:

cuncta tamen ad imperatorem in mollius relata,

in a milder, more favorable light, Tac. A. 14, 39:

pilenta,

having a gentle motion, Verg. A. 8, 666; id. G. 2, 389:

mollissima fandi tempora,

id. A. 4, 293:

hora mollior,

more favorable, Ov. P. 3, 3, 84:

signa,

Cic. Brut. 18, 70:

duriora Callon, jam minus rigida Calamis, molliora adhuc supra dictis Myron fecit,

more agreeable, Quint. 12, 10, 7:

mollis animus et ad accipiendam et ad deponendam offensionem,

Cic. Att. 1, 17, 2:

in inimicitiis auricula infima mollior,

id. Q. Fr. 2, 13 (15), 4.— Subst.: molle, is, n., softness, smoothness:

molle atque facetum Vergilio adnuerunt Camenae,

Hor. S. 1, 10, 45.—

Weak, untrustworthy:

nihil est tam molle, tam tenerum, tam aut fragile aut flexibile quam voluntas erga nos civium,

Cic. Mil. 16, 42.—Hence, adv.: mollĭter.

Lit., softly, gently, agreeably (class.):

molliter sustine me,

Plaut. Ps. 5, 2, 7:

aves nidos mollissime substernunt,

Cic. N. D. 2, 52, 129:

recubans,

id. de Or. 3, 17, 63:

ossa cubent,

Ov. Tr. 3, 3, 76:

excudent alii spirantia mollius aera,

more easily, agreeably, Verg. A. 6, 847:

cura molliter semina conlocandi,

Plin. 15, 10, 9, § 35:

colles ad orientem molliter devexi,

gently, gradually, Col. 1, 2, 3 sq. —

Trop.:

quod ferendum est molliter sapienti,

calmly, patiently, Cic. Sen. 2, 5:

abnuere,

Liv. 30, 3:

delicate et molliter vivere,

voluptuously, Cic. Off. 1, 30, 106:

aegritudinem pati,

sensitively, weakly, Sall. J. 82, 2:

ne quid per metum, mollius consuleretur,

too compliantly, Liv. 30, 7, 3:

interpretari mollius aliquid,

rather mildly, favorably, Tac. H. 2, 96.

mollis, e, adj. [Gr. malakos, amalos, môlus; cf. blêchros, perh. Lat. mulier (mollior)], easily movable, pliant, flexible, supple; soft, tender, delicate, gentle, mild, pleasant (class.; syn.: tener, facilis, flexibilis, lentus).

Lit.:

mollis juncus,

Verg. E. 2, 72:

comam mollis... hyacinthi,

id. G. 4, 137:

aurum,

flexible, id. A. 10, 818:

tiliae,

Ov. M. 10, 92:

crura,

Verg. G. 3, 76:

colla,

id. A. 11, 622:

bracchia,

Ov. A. A. 1, 595:

cervix,

id. F. 4, 185:

commissurae,

Cic. N. D. 2, 60:

molle litus,

of soft sand, Caes. B. G. 5, 9:

harena,

Ov. M. 2, 577:

aqua,

id. A. A. 1, 476:

fraga,

id. M. 13, 816:

castaneae,

Verg. E. 1, 82:

mollissima vina ( = mitissima, lenissima),

id. G. 1, 341; cf.:

molli mero,

Hor. C. 1, 7, 19; and:

molle Calenum,

Juv. 1, 69:

alvus,

relaxed, open bowels, Cels. 3, 12:

cibus,

mild, not sharp, id. 4, 4, 4:

ovum,

soft, id. 4, 4, 5:

prata,

Verg. G. 2, 384:

gramen,

Ov. F. 6, 328:

humus,

id. A. A. 3, 688:

lana,

id. F. 2, 742:

torus,

id. Am. 2, 4, 14:

arcus,

slack, unbent, unstrung, id. H. 4, 92:

feretrum,

made soft by a layer of leaves, Verg. A. 11, 64:

mollissima cera,

Cic. de Or. 3, 45, 177:

mollia panis,

the soft part of bread, the crumb, id. 13, 12, 26, § 82:

molles genae,

soft, delicate, Ov. H. 10, 44:

capilli,

id. P. 3, 3, 17:

manus,

id. Am. 1, 4, 24:

latus,

id. M. 14, 710:

molles Zephyri,

soft, gentle, id. A. A. 3, 728; so,

hiems,

Stat. S. 3, 5, 83:

aestas,

Verg. G. 1, 312:

caelum,

Flor. 1, 16, 3; 4, 12, 27:

Euphrates mollior undis,

gentler, calmer, Verg. A. 8, 726:

aditus,

easy, Sil. 4, 491; so,

iter,

Quint. 4, 2, 46:

via,

id. 1, 6, 22:

fastigium,

gentle, not steep, Caes. B. C. 2, 10:

clivus,

Verg. E. 9, 8:

modicis et mollibus clivis,

Curt. 8, 39, 6:

jugum montis,

Tac. G. 1:

trames,

Ov. F. 3, 13.—Prov.: molli bracchio objurgare aliquem, with a gentle arm, i. e. in a forbearing manner, Cic. Att. 2, 1, 6:

in molli carne vermes nascuntur,

it is the soft flesh that breeds the worms, Petr. 57.— Subst.: mollia, ĭum, n., a kind of fishes, mollusks, Plin. 11, 51, 112, § 267.—

Trop.

Tender, delicate, susceptible:

mollibus annis,

in tender youth, Ov. H. 1, 111:

os molle,

easily blushing, id. Tr. 4, 3, 70:

mollissima corda,

Juv. 15, 131:

mollissimae aures,

modest, Plin. Pan. 68.—

In a bad sense, soft, effeminate, unmanly, weak (syn. effeminatus):

philosophus tam mollis, tam languidus, tam enervatus,

Cic. de Or. 1, 52, 226:

Sabaei,

Verg. G. 1, 57:

viri molles, i. e. pathici,

Liv. 33, 28; Sen. Ep. 87:

disciplina,

effeminate, Cic. Fin. 1, 11, 37:

delicatior... molliorque ratio,

id. ib. 5, 5, 12:

vita,

Ov. Tr. 5, 3, 9: desine mollium querellarum, Hor. C. 2, 9, 17:

mollis teneraque vox,

Quint. 11, 3, 23:

educatio,

id. 1, 2, 6:

actio,

id. 11, 3, 128:

Gallorum mens est mollis ac minime resistens ad calamitates perferendas,

Caes. B. G. 3, 19:

sententiae,

Cic. Cat. 1, 12, 30:

si taedio laboris longaeque viae, ut est mollis ad talia gens (Gallorum), dilaberentur,

Liv. 22, 2, 4:

Romanos molliores facere ad paciscendum,

id. 42, 62, 6; cf.:

sunt qui in rebus contrariis parum sibi constent, voluptatem severissime contemnant, in dolore sint molliores, etc.,

Cic. Off. 1, 21, 71:

molles in aure fenestrae,

Juv. 1, 104.—

Soft, pleasant, mild, easy:

orationem mollem teneramque reddidit,

soft, pleasant, Cic. Brut. 9, 38:

mollis et jucunda senectus,

id. Sen. 1, 2:

ita eum placidum mollemque reddidi, ut, etc.,

calm and gentle, id. Caecil. 10, 28:

verba,

Hor. Epod. 5, 83:

mollia jussa,

mild, easy, Verg. G. 3, 41:

vincuntur molli pectora dura prece,

soft, tender, touching, Tib. 3, 4, 76:

sic accensum sed molliora referre jussum dimittit,

to return a gentler answer, Tac. H. 4, 32 fin.:

saepius molliora respondens,

id. A. 12, 46: mollis versus, an elegiac or amatory poem, Ov. Tr. 2, 307; Prop. 1, 7, 19 (opp. durus versus, a heroic poem, id. 2, 1, 41):

ridere mollia,

to smile gently, Ov. A. A. 3, 513:

cuncta tamen ad imperatorem in mollius relata,

in a milder, more favorable light, Tac. A. 14, 39:

pilenta,

having a gentle motion, Verg. A. 8, 666; id. G. 2, 389:

mollissima fandi tempora,

id. A. 4, 293:

hora mollior,

more favorable, Ov. P. 3, 3, 84:

signa,

Cic. Brut. 18, 70:

duriora Callon, jam minus rigida Calamis, molliora adhuc supra dictis Myron fecit,

more agreeable, Quint. 12, 10, 7:

mollis animus et ad accipiendam et ad deponendam offensionem,

Cic. Att. 1, 17, 2:

in inimicitiis auricula infima mollior,

id. Q. Fr. 2, 13 (15), 4.— Subst.: molle, is, n., softness, smoothness:

molle atque facetum Vergilio adnuerunt Camenae,

Hor. S. 1, 10, 45.—

Weak, untrustworthy:

nihil est tam molle, tam tenerum, tam aut fragile aut flexibile quam voluntas erga nos civium,

Cic. Mil. 16, 42.—Hence, adv.: mollĭter.

Lit., softly, gently, agreeably (class.):

molliter sustine me,

Plaut. Ps. 5, 2, 7:

aves nidos mollissime substernunt,

Cic. N. D. 2, 52, 129:

recubans,

id. de Or. 3, 17, 63:

ossa cubent,

Ov. Tr. 3, 3, 76:

excudent alii spirantia mollius aera,

more easily, agreeably, Verg. A. 6, 847:

cura molliter semina conlocandi,

Plin. 15, 10, 9, § 35:

colles ad orientem molliter devexi,

gently, gradually, Col. 1, 2, 3 sq. —

Trop.:

quod ferendum est molliter sapienti,

calmly, patiently, Cic. Sen. 2, 5:

abnuere,

Liv. 30, 3:

delicate et molliter vivere,

voluptuously, Cic. Off. 1, 30, 106:

aegritudinem pati,

sensitively, weakly, Sall. J. 82, 2:

ne quid per metum, mollius consuleretur,

too compliantly, Liv. 30, 7, 3:

interpretari mollius aliquid,

rather mildly, favorably, Tac. H. 2, 96.

mollis, e, adj. [Gr. malakos, amalos, môlus; cf. blêchros, perh. Lat. mulier (mollior)], easily movable, pliant, flexible, supple; soft, tender, delicate, gentle, mild, pleasant (class.; syn.: tener, facilis, flexibilis, lentus).

Lit.:

mollis juncus,

Verg. E. 2, 72:

comam mollis... hyacinthi,

id. G. 4, 137:

aurum,

flexible, id. A. 10, 818:

tiliae,

Ov. M. 10, 92:

crura,

Verg. G. 3, 76:

colla,

id. A. 11, 622:

bracchia,

Ov. A. A. 1, 595:

cervix,

id. F. 4, 185:

commissurae,

Cic. N. D. 2, 60:

molle litus,

of soft sand, Caes. B. G. 5, 9:

harena,

Ov. M. 2, 577:

aqua,

id. A. A. 1, 476:

fraga,

id. M. 13, 816:

castaneae,

Verg. E. 1, 82:

mollissima vina ( = mitissima, lenissima),

id. G. 1, 341; cf.:

molli mero,

Hor. C. 1, 7, 19; and:

molle Calenum,

Juv. 1, 69:

alvus,

relaxed, open bowels, Cels. 3, 12:

cibus,

mild, not sharp, id. 4, 4, 4:

ovum,

soft, id. 4, 4, 5:

prata,

Verg. G. 2, 384:

gramen,

Ov. F. 6, 328:

humus,

id. A. A. 3, 688:

lana,

id. F. 2, 742:

torus,

id. Am. 2, 4, 14:

arcus,

slack, unbent, unstrung, id. H. 4, 92:

feretrum,

made soft by a layer of leaves, Verg. A. 11, 64:

mollissima cera,

Cic. de Or. 3, 45, 177:

mollia panis,

the soft part of bread, the crumb, id. 13, 12, 26, § 82:

molles genae,

soft, delicate, Ov. H. 10, 44:

capilli,

id. P. 3, 3, 17:

manus,

id. Am. 1, 4, 24:

latus,

id. M. 14, 710:

molles Zephyri,

soft, gentle, id. A. A. 3, 728; so,

hiems,

Stat. S. 3, 5, 83:

aestas,

Verg. G. 1, 312:

caelum,

Flor. 1, 16, 3; 4, 12, 27:

Euphrates mollior undis,

gentler, calmer, Verg. A. 8, 726:

aditus,

easy, Sil. 4, 491; so,

iter,

Quint. 4, 2, 46:

via,

id. 1, 6, 22:

fastigium,

gentle, not steep, Caes. B. C. 2, 10:

clivus,

Verg. E. 9, 8:

modicis et mollibus clivis,

Curt. 8, 39, 6:

jugum montis,

Tac. G. 1:

trames,

Ov. F. 3, 13.—Prov.: molli bracchio objurgare aliquem, with a gentle arm, i. e. in a forbearing manner, Cic. Att. 2, 1, 6:

in molli carne vermes nascuntur,

it is the soft flesh that breeds the worms, Petr. 57.— Subst.: mollia, ĭum, n., a kind of fishes, mollusks, Plin. 11, 51, 112, § 267.—

Trop.

Tender, delicate, susceptible:

mollibus annis,

in tender youth, Ov. H. 1, 111:

os molle,

easily blushing, id. Tr. 4, 3, 70:

mollissima corda,

Juv. 15, 131:

mollissimae aures,

modest, Plin. Pan. 68.—

In a bad sense, soft, effeminate, unmanly, weak (syn. effeminatus):

philosophus tam mollis, tam languidus, tam enervatus,

Cic. de Or. 1, 52, 226:

Sabaei,

Verg. G. 1, 57:

viri molles, i. e. pathici,

Liv. 33, 28; Sen. Ep. 87:

disciplina,

effeminate, Cic. Fin. 1, 11, 37:

delicatior... molliorque ratio,

id. ib. 5, 5, 12:

vita,

Ov. Tr. 5, 3, 9: desine mollium querellarum, Hor. C. 2, 9, 17:

mollis teneraque vox,

Quint. 11, 3, 23:

educatio,

id. 1, 2, 6:

actio,

id. 11, 3, 128:

Gallorum mens est mollis ac minime resistens ad calamitates perferendas,

Caes. B. G. 3, 19:

sententiae,

Cic. Cat. 1, 12, 30:

si taedio laboris longaeque viae, ut est mollis ad talia gens (Gallorum), dilaberentur,

Liv. 22, 2, 4:

Romanos molliores facere ad paciscendum,

id. 42, 62, 6; cf.:

sunt qui in rebus contrariis parum sibi constent, voluptatem severissime contemnant, in dolore sint molliores, etc.,

Cic. Off. 1, 21, 71:

molles in aure fenestrae,

Juv. 1, 104.—

Soft, pleasant, mild, easy:

orationem mollem teneramque reddidit,

soft, pleasant, Cic. Brut. 9, 38:

mollis et jucunda senectus,

id. Sen. 1, 2:

ita eum placidum mollemque reddidi, ut, etc.,

calm and gentle, id. Caecil. 10, 28:

verba,

Hor. Epod. 5, 83:

mollia jussa,

mild, easy, Verg. G. 3, 41:

vincuntur molli pectora dura prece,

soft, tender, touching, Tib. 3, 4, 76:

sic accensum sed molliora referre jussum dimittit,

to return a gentler answer, Tac. H. 4, 32 fin.:

saepius molliora respondens,

id. A. 12, 46: mollis versus, an elegiac or amatory poem, Ov. Tr. 2, 307; Prop. 1, 7, 19 (opp. durus versus, a heroic poem, id. 2, 1, 41):

ridere mollia,

to smile gently, Ov. A. A. 3, 513:

cuncta tamen ad imperatorem in mollius relata,

in a milder, more favorable light, Tac. A. 14, 39:

pilenta,

having a gentle motion, Verg. A. 8, 666; id. G. 2, 389:

mollissima fandi tempora,

id. A. 4, 293:

hora mollior,

more favorable, Ov. P. 3, 3, 84:

signa,

Cic. Brut. 18, 70:

duriora Callon, jam minus rigida Calamis, molliora adhuc supra dictis Myron fecit,

more agreeable, Quint. 12, 10, 7:

mollis animus et ad accipiendam et ad deponendam offensionem,

Cic. Att. 1, 17, 2:

in inimicitiis auricula infima mollior,

id. Q. Fr. 2, 13 (15), 4.— Subst.: molle, is, n., softness, smoothness:

molle atque facetum Vergilio adnuerunt Camenae,

Hor. S. 1, 10, 45.—

Weak, untrustworthy:

nihil est tam molle, tam tenerum, tam aut fragile aut flexibile quam voluntas erga nos civium,

Cic. Mil. 16, 42.—Hence, adv.: mollĭter.

Lit., softly, gently, agreeably (class.):

molliter sustine me,

Plaut. Ps. 5, 2, 7:

aves nidos mollissime substernunt,

Cic. N. D. 2, 52, 129:

recubans,

id. de Or. 3, 17, 63:

ossa cubent,

Ov. Tr. 3, 3, 76:

excudent alii spirantia mollius aera,

more easily, agreeably, Verg. A. 6, 847:

cura molliter semina conlocandi,

Plin. 15, 10, 9, § 35:

colles ad orientem molliter devexi,

gently, gradually, Col. 1, 2, 3 sq. —

Trop.:

quod ferendum est molliter sapienti,

calmly, patiently, Cic. Sen. 2, 5:

abnuere,

Liv. 30, 3:

delicate et molliter vivere,

voluptuously, Cic. Off. 1, 30, 106:

aegritudinem pati,

sensitively, weakly, Sall. J. 82, 2:

ne quid per metum, mollius consuleretur,

too compliantly, Liv. 30, 7, 3:

interpretari mollius aliquid,

rather mildly, favorably, Tac. H. 2, 96.