elegans: Difference between revisions

{{Lewis

|lshtext=<b>ēlĕgans</b>: (in [[some]] MSS. [[eligans]]; cf. Beier Cic. Orr. Fragmm. p. 105), antis, adj. prob. collat. form of eligens, from [[eligo]], Cic. N. D. 2, 28, 72.<br /><b>I</b> In the [[ante]]-[[class]]. [[period]] in a [[bad]] [[sense]], [[luxurious]], [[effeminate]], [[fastidious]], [[nice]]: [[elegans]] [[homo]] non dicebatur cum laude; sed id [[fere]] [[verbum]] ad aetatem M. Catonis vitii, non laudis fuit ... ex quibus verbis (Catonis) apparet, elegantem [[dictum]] [[antiquitus]] non ab ingenii [[elegantia]], sed qui [[nimis]] [[lecto]] amoenoque cultu victuque esset, etc., Gell. 11, 2, 1; cf. Non. 465, 11 sq.: [[heia]], ut [[elegans]] est! [[how]] [[choice]]! [[how]] [[nice]]! Ter. Heaut. 5, 5, 19 Ruhnk.; cf. id. Eun. 3, 1, 18; 3, 5, 18 ([[but]] not in Plaut. Trin. 2, 1, 14, v. Ritschl ad h. l.).—<br /><b>II</b> Class. in a [[good]] [[sense]], [[choice]], [[nice]], [[fine]], [[neat]], [[tasteful]], [[elegant]].<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<b>A</b> Of persons: tu [[festivus]], tu [[elegans]], tu [[solus]] [[urbanus]], quem [[decet]] [[muliebris]] [[ornatus]], etc., Cic. Clod. et Cur. 5, p. 105, ed. Beier; cf. ([[with]] [[mundus]]) id. Fin. 2, 8, 23; ([[with]] [[splendidus]]) Nep. Att. 13, 5; and opp. [[parcus]], Cic. Brut. 40, 148; id. Or. 25, 83: [[auctor]], Vell. 1, 13: [[mulier]] ([[Phryne]]—[[with]] formosa), Val. Max. 4, 3, 3 ext.: [[intelligo]] te hominem in omni judicio elegantissimum, Cic. Fam. 7, 23 et saep.: [[scriptor]], id. Brut. 9; 16, 63; 68, 239; Quint. 10, 1, 78 al.; cf. in the comp.: [[quis]] verbis aut ornatior aut elegantior (sc. Caesare)? Cic. ap. Suet. Caes. 55; in the [[sup]].: poëta, Nep. Att. 12, 4: [[elegans]] et [[concinnus]] ([[pictor]]), Plin. 35, 10, 36, § 111.—As subst.: ēlĕgantes, ium, m., [[fine]] gentlemen, [[city]] [[people]] (opp. agrestes), Col. 7, 2, 1.—<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<b>B</b> Of things: nec [[magis]] compositum [[quicquam]], nec [[magis]] [[elegans]], Ter. Eun. 5, 4, 13; cf. ([[with]] [[decorum]]) Cic. Div. 1, 30: a necessariis artificiis ad elegantiora defluximus, id. Tusc. 1, 25, 62; cf. Liv. 44, 9: artes elegantes et ingenuae, Cic. Fin. 3, 2: [[temperamentum]], Tac. A. 11, 4: [[color]], Plin. 15, 8, 8, § 34 et saep.: perspicitis, hoc [[genus]] (jocandi) [[quam]] [[sit]] facetum, [[quam]] [[elegans]], [[quam]] oratorium, Cic. de Or. 2, 59, 241; cf. id. Off. 1, 29, 104; id. Brut. 85; Quint. 6, 3, 39; 10, 1, 65 al.— Comp.: ego [[autem]] a te elegantiora [[desidero]], Cic. Fin. 4, 10; and [[sup]].: [[epistola]], id. Att. 16, 13 a.; cf.: scripta Terentii, Quint. 10, 1, 99: [[utrum]] [[sit]] elegantius, Anton. ap. Cic. Phil. 13, 18: [[solum]], Plin. 14, 4, 5, § 50. —Hence, adv.: ēlĕganter, [[with]] [[correct]] [[choice]], [[tastefully]], [[neatly]], [[finely]], [[gracefully]], [[elegantly]]: lautiores [[eleganter]] accepti, Cic. Att. 13, 52, 2: [[quiete]] et [[pure]] [[atque]] [[eleganter]] [[acta]] [[aetas]], id. de Sen. 5; cf.: [[acta]] [[vita]], Liv. 35, 31: [[herba]] foliis rotundis [[eleganter]] vestita, Plin. 25, 5, 19, § 43 et saep.—Comp.: psallere et saltare, Sall. C. 24, 2: [[quid]] [[enim]] facere potuit elegantius ad hominum existimationem? Cic. Div. in Caecil. 17: elegantius aut justius fieri, id. Fam. 3, 8, 2: facturos si, etc., Liv. 37, 1: neminem elegantius loca cepisse, [[more]] [[fitly]], [[judiciously]], Liv. 35, 14: causam [[accurate]] eleganterque dicere, Cic. Brut. 22, 86; so of [[speech]], id. Fam. 5, 13, 3; id. Tusc. 2, 3; Quint. 6, 3, 102; 8, 2, 21 al.; cf. in the [[sup]]., Cic. Brut. 72, 252; Quint. 11, 1, 74.

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