Lewis & Short

bellus, a, um, adj. [as if for benulus, from benus = bonus, Prisc. p. 556 P.].

  1. I. In gen.
    1. A. Of persons, pretty, handsome, charming, fine, lovely, neat, pleasant, agreeable, etc. (of persons, things, actions, etc.; most freq. in the ante-class. per. and in the poets; in Cic. mostly in his epistt.): uxor, Varr. ap. Non. p. 248, 17: nimis bella es atque amabilis, Plaut. As. 3, 3, 84; id. Rud. 2, 5, 6; Cat. 8, 16; 43, 6: puella, id. 69, 8; 78, 4; Ov. Am. 1, 9, 6; Mart. 1, 65; 2, 87: Piliae et puellae Caeciliae bellissimae salutem dices, Cic. Att. 6, 4, 3: fui ego bellus (civil, courtly, polite), lepidus, bonus vir numquam, Plaut. Capt. 5, 2, 3: hospes, id. Bacch. 2, 3, 111; Cat. 24, 7; 78, 3; 81, 2: durius accipere hoc mihi visus est quam homines belli solent, Cic. Att. 1, 1, 4: homo et bellus et humanus, id. Fin. 2, 31, 102: Cicero bellissimus tibi salutem plurimam dicit, id. Fam. 14, 7, 3.
      Also active, brisk, lively, as the effect of health, etc., Plaut. Curc. 1, 1, 20: fac bellus revertare, Cic. Fam. 16, 18, 1.
    2. B. Of things, places, etc.: socius es hostibus, socius bellum ita geris, ut bella omnia (every thing beautiful, costly) domum auferas, Varr. ap. Non. p. 248, 19: unum quicquid, quod quidem erit bellissimum, Carpam, * Ter. Ad. 4, 2, 51: vinum bellissimum, Col. 12, 19, 2: nimis hic bellus atque ut esse maxume optabam locu’st, Plaut. Bacch. 4, 4, 74: illum pueris locum esse bellissimum duximus, Cic. Att. 5, 17, 3: bella copia, id. Rep. 2, 40, 67: recordor, quam bella paulisper nobis gubernantibus civitas fuerit, in what a pleasant condition the State was, id. Att. 4, 16, 10: malae tenebrae Orci, quae omnia bella devoratis, Cat. 3, 14: subsidium bellissimum existimo esse senectuti otium, Cic. de Or. 1, 60, 255: (epistula) valde bella, id. Att. 4, 6, 4: occasio bellissima, Petr. 25: fama, * Hor. S. 1, 4, 114: quam sit bellum cavere malum, how delightful, pleasant it is, Cic. de Or 1, 58, 247: bellissimum putaverunt dicere amissas (esse litteras), thought it best, i. e. safest, most plausible, id. Fl. 17, 39; cf.: bella haec pietatis et quaestuosa simulatio, fine, plausible, id. Verr. 2, 2, 59, § 145: mihi jampridem venit in mentem, bellum esse, aliquo exire, id. Fam. 9, 2, 3; id. Att. 13, 49, 2; Cod. 6, 35, 11.
  2. II. Esp.
    1. A. Gallant, etc.: illam esse amicam tui viri bellissimi, Plaut. Merc. 4, 1, 27; cf.: Gallus homo’st bellus: nam dulces jungit amores, Cat. 78, 3.
    2. B. For bonus, good: venio nunc ad alterum genus testamenti, quod dicitur physicon, in quo Graeci belliores quam Romani nostri, Varr. ap. Non. p. 77, 30 (Sat. Menipp. 87, 3).
      Hence, bellē, adv., prettily, neatly, becomingly, finely, excellently, well, delightfully, etc.: quare bene et praeclare, quamvis nobis saepe dicatur; belle et festive, nimium saepe nolo, Cic. de Or. 3, 26, 101; cf. id. Quint. 30, 93; so Plaut. Truc. 2, 2, 35; * Lucr. 1, 644; Cic. Att. 1, 1, 5; 16, 3, 4; Quint. 6, 3, 48 al.: quod honeste aut sine detrimento nostro promittere non possumus … belle negandum est, in a courtly, polite manner, Q. Cic. Pet. Cons. 11, 45; so Publ. Syr. ap. Gell. 17, 14, 10: belle se habere, Cic. Att. 12, 37: belle habere (cf.: εὖ, καλῶς ἔχειν), to be in good health, be well, id. Fam. 9, 9, 1; so, bellissime esse, id. Att. 14, 14, 1: facere, in medical lang., to operate well, to have a good effect, Cato, R. R. 157; Scrib. Comp. 136; 150 (cf. the uses of bene).
      With bellus: i sane, bella belle, Plaut. As. 3, 8, 86; id. Curc. 4, 2, 35 (cf.: καλὴ καλῶς, Av. Ach. 253).
      Ellipt., belle, for belle habere: sed ut ad epistolas tuas redeam, cetera belle, illud miror, the others are well or right, Cic. Fam. 7, 18, 2.
      Sup.: haec ipsa fero equidem fronte, ut puto, et voltu bellissime, sed angor intimis sensibus, Cic. Att. 5, 10, 3; id. Fam. 14, 14, 1: navigare, id. ib. 16, 9, 1 al. (comp. perh. not in use).