1. cĕler, ĕris, e (masc. cĕleris, Cato ap. Prisc. p. 760 P.; fem. celer, Liv. Andron. ap. Prisc. l. l.; cf. acer; sup. celerissimus, Enn. and Manlius ap. Prisc. l. l.) [cello; cf. Doed. Syn. 2, pp. 123 and 93, urging, pressing forward; cf. also 1. cello], swift, fleet, quick, speedy (with the access. idea of energy, struggling, and even power; v. Doed. above cited; syn.: expeditus, promptus, velox, citatus; opp. tardus, segnis, lentus).
- I. Of corporeal objects: face te propere celerem, Plaut. Trin. 4, 3, 1: hasta, Liv. Andron. ap. Prisc. l. l.: sagitta, Hor. C. 3, 20, 9; Ov. M. 5, 367: configebat tardus celeres (sc. aves), Att. ap. Cic. Fin. 5, 11, 32: pennae, Hor. C. 3, 29, 53: Mercurius, id. ib. 2, 7, 13: Cynthia, id. ib. 3, 28, 12: Diana, Ov. M. 4, 304: deae, id. ib. 2, 119: rivi, Hor. C. 3, 11, 14: curriculum, Plaut. Stich. 2, 2, 13: flamma, Lucr. 2, 192; cf. id. 5, 302: ignis, Hor. C. 3, 4, 76: motus, Lucr. 4, 177; cf.: celer atque instabilis motus, Caes. B. G. 4, 23, 5: receptus, id. B. C. 1, 59: lapsus, Lucr. 4, 324; Ov. M. 6, 216: ictus, Lucr. 3, 636: impete, id. 6, 334: turbo, Verg. A. 12, 855: venti, Hor. C. 1, 12, 10; 1, 15, 3; 1, 14, 5: cerva, Cat. 64, 341: canis, Tib. 4, 3, 14: equus, id. 1, 2, 70; 4, 1, 91: lupi, id. 2, 1, 20: classis, Cat. 64, 53: ratis, id. 63, 1: navis, id. 4, 2: carina, Ov. M. 9, 447: lintres, Prop. 1, 14, 3: pedes, id. 3 (4), 9, 18: remedia, quickly working, efficacious, Nep. Att. 21, 2.
Poet. with gen. gerund: nandi, Sil. 4, 587.
With inf.: excipere aprum, Hor. C. 3, 12, 11; so id. ib. 4, 6, 39; id. Ep. 1, 20, 25.
Poet., celer for celeriter, Ov. M. 2, 119; 2, 838; 9, 765.
- II. Of mental and abstract objects: oderunt Sedatum celeres, lively, Hor. Ep. 1, 18, 90; cf. Vell. 2, 73: mens, quā nihil est celerius, Cic. Or. 59, 200; cf. Lucr. 3, 183: oratio celeris et concitata, rapid, hurried, Cic. de Or. 2, 21, 88; cf. Quint. 9, 4, 138; 9. 4, 83; 9, 4, 111; 9, 4, 135: consilium, Ter. Phorm. 1, 4, 1.
- B. Implying reproach, rash, hasty, precipitate: consilia, Liv. 9, 32, 3; so id. 22, 38, 13; cf. id. 2, 51, 7; and so iambi (of the fire of youth), rash, hasty, Hor. C. 1, 16, 24: victoria, Caes. B. G. 7, 47, 3: desperatio rerum, Liv. 21, 1, 5: ratione, Lucr. 4, 144; 4, 255; 4, 775: fata celerrima, Verg. A. 12, 507: mors, Tib. 4, 1, 205.
Adv., quickly, speedily (syn.: velociter, cito, continuo, confestim, festinanter).
- a. cĕlĕrĕ, Enn. et Nov. ap. Non. p. 510, 9 sq.; Plaut. Curc. 2, 3, 4.
- b. cĕlĕrĭter, Plaut. Curc. 5, 2, 2; Cic. Att. 15, 27, 1; id. Fam. 3, 1, 2; 9, 11, 2; Caes. B. G. 1, 18; 1, 52 et saep.
Comp. celerius, Cic. Verr 2, 3, 24, § 60; Caes. B. G. 1, 48; 2, 3; Nep. Cim. 3, 2 al.
Sup. celerrime, Cic. Fin. 2, 14, 45; Caes. B. G. 1, 37 al.