imbellis

imbellis ( inb- ), e, adj. [id.], unwarlike, unfit for war; peaceful, fond of peace (mostly poet. and in post-Aug. prose; cf.: imbecillis, debilis).

I.

Of living beings:

ut imbelles timidique videamur,

Cic. Off. 1, 24, 83:

ignavi et imbelles,

Liv. 26, 2, 11:

timidi et imbelles,

Quint. 12, 5, 2: ipse acer, bellicosus;

at is, quem petebat, quietus, imbellis, placido ingenio, etc.,

Sall. J. 20, 2:

strenui et imbelles inulti obtruncari,

id. ib. 67, 2:

pro viro forti contra imbellem,

Quint. 3, 7, 19: turba (i. e. non-combatants, women and children ), Liv. 32, 13, 14; cf.:

feminae puerique et alia imbellis turba,

id. 38, 21, 14:

imbellis et pastoralis manus,

Vell. 1, 8, 5:

caesorum major numerus et imbellior,

Tac. H. 4, 33:

juventa,

Hor. C. 3, 2, 15:

cervi,

Verg. G. 3, 265; cf.

columba,

Hor. C. 4, 4, 31:

dei,

i. e. Venus and Amor, Ov. Am. 1, 10, 20:

maxime Caesar, qui nunc victor... Inbellem avertis Romanis arcibus Indum,

i. e. deprived of warlike spirit by defeat, Verg. G. 2, 172.—

II.

Of inanim. and abstr. things: itaque videas rebus injustis justos maxime dolere, imbellibus fortes, Cic. Lael. 13, 47:

sic fatus senior, telumque imbelle sine ictu Conjecit,

weak, powerless, Verg. A. 2, 544; cf.

lacerti,

Ov. M. 13, 109:

Tarentum,

peaceful, Hor. Ep. 1, 7, 45:

Asia,

Liv. 9, 19, 10:

nec rem Romanam tam desidem umquam fuisse atque imbellem,

id. 21, 16, 3:

cithara,

Hor. C. 1, 15, 15; cf.

lyra,

id. ib. 1, 6, 10:

plectrum,

Ov. M. 5, 114:

carmen,

Stat. Th. 10, 874:

oliva,

Val. Fl. 5, 362:

fretum,

calm, tranquil, Stat. S. 3, 5, 84; cf. id. Th. 3, 255. —Of time:

tamen ne prorsus inbellem agerent annum,

Liv. 10, 1, 4 (cf.:

ferme bellis otium fuit, § 1): triennium,

id. 4, 20, 9:

permultos annos imbelles agere,

id. 9, 45, 10.