The corpus record — Latin
bonus
good
Generated live from the audited Latin corpus — every figure on this page is a database query, not prose from memory.
Bonus (BOH-nuss, "good") is the ordinary Latin adjective for good, and the record shows it living everywhere at once: 12,785 occurrences across 349 works, one of the densest and most widely spread words in the corpus. Its heaviest homes are the moral and rhetorical prose. Seneca's Ad Lucilium Epistulae Morales ("Moral Letters to Lucilius") leads with 998, then Quintilian's Institutio Oratoria ("The Training of the Orator," 498), Cicero's de Finibus Bonorum et Malorum ("On the Ends of Goods and Evils," 464), Livy's Ab Urbe Condita ("From the Founding of the City," 411), Pliny's Naturalis Historia ("Natural History," 389), and Tertullian's Adversus Marcionem ("Against Marcion," 308). The word is at home wherever Romans weighed what is good — in ethics, oratory, history, and theology alike.
The lexica are unanimous on the sense and reach past it to an older shape. Lewis & Short (A Latin Dictionary, 1879) glosses bonus simply as "good" and records the archaic form duonus ("good") from the Carmen Saliare ("Salian hymn"). de Vaan (Etymological Dictionary of Latin, Brill 2008) also glosses "good," and preserves the oldest witnesses: duenas, duenoi ("good") on the Duenos inscription (CIL 1.4), duonus in the Carmen Saliare. He files the derivatives bene ("well") and bellus ("pretty, fine") under the same root — the pretty word and the moral one share one ancestor. Walde–Hofmann (Lateinisches etymologisches Wörterbuch, 1938–54) gives the same old forms dvonos and dvenos.
On the etymology the record carries three matched pointers: de Vaan proposes the root candidates *dweno-, *due-, *duo-; Walde–Hofmann offers *dou- and *deu-; and Ernout–Meillet (Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue latine, DELL, 1932; 4th ed. 1959) treats the word as well. The citable surfaces are all Livy's, and they run mostly through the comparatives — melior ("better"), optimus ("best"), melius ("better," adverb) — the word caught in the act of measuring one good against another (Livy, Ab Urbe Condita 1, p15, p19, p20).
If "good" and "pretty" grew from one root, when did the Romans decide they were two words?
Witnesses: Lewis & Short, A Latin Dictionary · de Vaan, Etymological Dictionary of Latin · Walde–Hofmann, Lateinisches etymologisches Wörterbuch · de Vaan, Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages · Ernout–Meillet, Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue latine (DELL, 1932; 4th ed. 1959)
Densest 12 of 349 attested works shown, by occurrences per 10,000 attested tokens.
1. bonus — de Vaan
2. bŏnus — Lewis & Short
bŏnus (old form dŭonus, Carm. Sall. ap. a, um, adj.for duonus, cf. bellum, bis, and cf. root dvi-; hence dei/dw, de/os,
Varr. L. L. 7, § 26 Müll.; cf. Paul. ex Fest. p. 67 Müll.),quoniam boni me viri pauperant, improbi alunt,Plaut. Poen. 5, 4, 60:
omnibus virtutibus instructos et ornatos tum sapientes, tum viros bonos dicimus,Cic. Tusc. 5, 10, 28:
ille vir bonus qui... intolerabili dolore lacerari potius quam aut officium prodat aut fidem,id. Ac. 2, 8, 23:
sive vir bonus est is qui prodest quibus potest, nocet nemini, certe istum virum bonum non facile reperimus,id. Off. 3, 15, 64:
qui se ita gerunt ut eorum probitas, fides, integritas, etc. ... hos viros bonos... appellandos putemus,id. Lael. 5, 19:
non intellegunt se de callido homine loqui, non de bono viro,id. Att. 7, 2, 4:
ut quisque est vir optimus, ita difficillime esse alios improbos suspicatur,id. Q. Fr. 1, 1, 4, § 12:
nec enim melior vir fuit Africano quisquam, nec clarior,id. Lael. 2, 6; id. Leg. 1, 14, 41; 1, 18, 48; id. Planc. 4, 9; id. Par. 3, 1, 21; id. Marcell. 6, 20; id. Fam. 7, 21; id. Off. 2, 16, 57.—
justitia, ex quā viri boni nominantur,Cic. Off. 1, 7, 21; 1, 44, 155; 2, 11, 39; 2, 12, 42; 2, 20, 71;
3, 12, 50: cum is sponsionem fecisset ni vir bonus esset,id. ib. 3, 19, 77:
quoniam Demosthenes nec vir bonus esset, nec bene meritus de civitate,id. Opt. Gen. 7, 20; cf. id. Rosc. Am. 40, 116.—
id viri boni arbitratu deducetur,Cato, R. R. 143; so id. ib. 149:
tuam partem viri bono arbitratu... dari oportet,Dig. 17, 1, 35;
37, 6, 2, § 2: quem voles virum bonum nominato,Cic. Verr. 2, 4, 25, § 55:
vir bonus est... quo res sponsore, et quo causae teste tenentur,Hor. Ep. 1, 16, 40.—Hence, ironically of wealthy men:
praetores jus dicunt, aediles ludos parant, viri boni usuras perscribunt,Cic. Att. 9, 12, 3.—
sed eccum lenonem Lycum, bonum virum,Plaut. Poen. 5, 5, 52; Ter. Eun. 5, 3, 9; 4, 3, 18; id. Ad. 3, 4, 30:
expectabam quinam isti viri boni testes hujus manifesto deprehensi veneni dicerentur,Cic. Cael. 26, 63:
nam socer ejus, vir multum bonus est,id. Agr. 3, 3, 13;
so especially in addresses (mostly comic.): age tu, illuc procede, bone vir!Plaut. Capt. 5, 2, 1; id. Curc. 5, 2, 12; id. Ps. 4, 7, 48; id. Pers. 5, 2, 11; Ter. And. 3, 5, 10; 5, 2, 5; id. Ad. 4, 2, 17; id. Eun. 5, 2, 11:
quid tu, vir optime? Ecquid habes quod dicas?Cic. Rosc. Am. 36, 104.—(e) Sometimes boni viri = boni, in the sense of optimates (v. I. A. 3.):
bonis viris quid juris reliquit tribunatus C. Gracchi?Cic. Leg. 3, 9, 20.— (z) As a conventional courtesy:
homines optimi non intellegunt, etc.,Cic. Fin. 1, 7, 25:
bone accusator,id. Rosc. Am. 21, 58:
sic illum amicum vocasti, quomodo omnes candidatos bonos viros dicimus,gentlemen, Sen. Ep. 3, 1.—For bonus vir, a good husband, v. 3.; and for vir optimus, as a laudatory epithet, v. 5.—
in foro infimo boni homines atque dites ambulant,Plaut. Curc. 4, 1, 14.—
bonus consul,Liv. 4, 40, 6; 22, 39, 2 (different: consules duos, bonos quidem, sed dumtaxat bonos, amisimus, consuls of good sentiments, almost = bad consuls, Cic. ad Brut. 1, 3, 4):
boni tribuni plebis,Cic. Phil. 1, 10, 25:
bonus senator,id. Prov. Cons. 15, 37:
senator bonus,id. Dom. 4, 8:
bonus judex,Cic. Verr. 2, 4, 15, § 34:
bonus augur (ironically),id. Phil. 2, 32, 80:
bonus vates,Plaut. Mil. 3, 3, 27:
bonus imperator,Sall. C. 60, 4:
bonus dux,Quint. 12, 1, 43 (cf. trop.:
naturam, optimam ducem,the best guide, Cic. Sen. 2, 5):
bonus miles,Sall. C. 60, 4; Sen. Vit. Beat. 15, 5:
bonus orator,Cic. Fin. 1, 3, 10:
optimus orator,id. Opt. Gen. 1, 3:
poëta bonus,id. de Or. 1, 3, 11; 2, 46, 194; id. Fin. 1, 3, 10:
scriptor bonus,Quint. 10, 1, 104:
bonus advocatus,id. 5, 13, 10:
bonus defensor,id. 5, 13, 3:
bonus altercator,a good debater, id. 6, 4, 10:
bonus praeceptor,id. 5, 13, 44; 10, 5, 22:
bonus gubernator,Cic. Ac. 2, 31, 100:
optimus opifex,Hor. S. 1, 3, 133:
sutor bonus,id. ib. 1, 3, 125:
actor optimus,Cic. Sest. 57, 122:
cantor optimus est modulator,Hor. S. 1, 3, 130:
melior gladiator,Ov. Tr. 4, 6, 33: agricola (colonus, dominus) bonus, Cato, R. R. prooem.; Cic. Sen. 16, 56:
bonus paterfamilias,a thrifty head of the house, Nep. Att. 13, 1:
bonus servus,Plaut. Trin. 4, 3, 58; id. Am. 2, 1, 46; id. Men. 5, 6, 1; Cic. Mil. 22, 58:
dominus bonus,Cato, R. R. 14:
bonus custos,Plaut. Truc. 4, 3, 38.—Ironically, Ter. Phorm. 2, 1, 57:
filius bonus,Plaut. Am. 3, 4, 9:
patres,Quint. 11, 3, 178:
parens,id. 6, prooem. 4: bonus (melior, optimus), viz. a good husband, Cic. Inv. 1, 31, 51 sq.; Liv. 1, 9, 15:
uxor melior,Cic. Inv. 1, 31, 52:
amicus,id. Fam. 2, 15, 3:
amicus optimus,Plaut. Cas. 3, 3, 18:
optimus testis,Cic. Fam. 7, 27, 2:
auctor, in two senses,good authority, id. Att. 5, 12, 3;
and = bonus scriptor (post-class.),Quint. 10, 1, 74.—Esp.:
bonus civis (rarely civis bonus): in re publicā ea velle quae tranquilla et honesta sint: talem enim solemus et sentire bonum civem et dicere, Cic. Off. 1, 34, 124: eaque est summa ratio et sapientia boni civis, commoda civium non divellere, atque omnes aequitate eādem continere,id. ib. 2, 23, 83:
eum esse civem et fidelem et bonum,Plaut. Pers. 1, 2, 15; Cic. Fam. 2, 8, 2; 1, 9, 10; 3, 12, 1; 6, 6, 11; id. Off. 1, 44, 155; Liv. 22, 39, 3; Sall. H. Fragm. 1, 10 Dietsch:
optimus et fortissimus civis,Cic. Fam. 12, 2, 3; id. Sest. 17, 39.—
sed te bonus Mercurius perdat,Plaut. Cas. 2, 3, 23:
fata... bonique divi,Hor. C. 4, 2, 38:
divis orte bonis,id. ib. 4, 5, 1:
O bone deus!Scrib. Comp. 84 fin.: BONORVM DEORVM, Inscr. ap. Cic. N. D. 3, 34, 84: totidem, pater optime, dixi, Tu mihi da cives, referring to Jupiter, Ov. M. 7, 627.—
(Juppiter) a majoribus nostris Optimus Maximus (nominatur), et quidem ante optimus, id est beneficentissimus, quam Maximus,Cic. N. D. 2, 25, 64:
Jovem optimum et maximum ob eas res appellant, non quod, etc.,id. ib. 3, 36, 87:
in templo Jovis Optimi Maximi,id. Sest. 56, 129; id. Prov. Cons. 9, 22:
nutu Jovis Optimi Maximi,id. Cat. 3, 9, 21; Liv. 1, 12, 7; id. 6, 16, 2.—
di boni, hunc visitavi antidhac!Plaut. Ep. 4, 1, 16:
di boni, boni quid porto!Ter. And. 2, 2, 1:
di boni, quid hoc morbi est,id. Eun. 2, 1, 19; id. Heaut. 2, 3, 13; id. Ad. 3, 3, 86:
alter, O di boni, quam taeter incedebat!Cic. Sest. 8, 19; id. Brut. 84, 288; id. Phil. 2, 8, 20; 2, 32, 80; id. Att. 1, 16, 5; 14, 21, 2; Val. Max. 3, 5, 1; Sen. Vit. Beat. 2, 3.—
per vos nobis, per optimos viros optimis civibus periculum inferre conantur,Cic. Sest. 1, 2:
virum optimum et constantissimum M. Cispium,id. ib. 35, 76:
fratrem meum, virum optimum, fortissimum,id. ib.:
consolabor hos praesentes, viros optimos,id. Balb. 19, 44; id. Planc. 21, 51; 23, 55; id. Mil. 14, 38; id. Marcell. 4, 10; id. Att. 5, 1, 5; Hor. S. 1, 6, 53.—
tua conjunx bona femina,Cic. Phil. 3, 6, 16:
hujus sanctissimae feminae atque optimae pater,id. ib.—
optimus: parentes ejus, prudentissimi atque optimi senis,Cic. Planc. 41, 97:
insuevit pater optimus hoc me,Hor. S. 1, 4, 105; 2, 1, 12:
C. Marcelli, fratris optimi,Cic. Fam. 4, 7, 6; id. Q. Fr. 2, 6 (8), 2; 2, 4, 2.—
optimus Vergilius,Hor. S. 1, 6, 54:
Maecenas optimus,id. ib. 1, 5, 27:
optime Quinti,id. Ep. 1, 16, 1.—(e) Esp. as an epithet of the Roman emperors:
quid tam civile, tam senatorium quam illud, additum a nobis Optimi cognomen?Plin. Pan. 2, 7:
gratias, inquit, ago, optime Princeps!Sen. Tranq. 14. 4:
ex epistulā optimi imperatoris Antonini,Gai. Inst. 1, 102; cf.:
bene te patriae pater optime Caesar,Ov. F. 2, 637:
optime Romulae Custos gentis,Hor. C. 4, 5, 1.—
Bonae Deae pulvinaribus,Cic. Pis. 39, 95; id. Mil. 31, 86; id. Fam. 1, 9, 15; cf.
in mal. part.,Juv. 2, 86 sq.; 6, 314 sq.; 6, 335 sq.—
si bona Fortuna veniat, ne intromiseris,Plaut. Aul. 1, 3, 22:
Bonae Fortunae (signum),Cic. Verr. 2, 4, 3, § 7:
FORTVNAE BONAE DOMESTICAE,Inscr. Orell. 1743 sq.—
Spes Bona, obsecro, subventa mihi,Plaut. Rud. 1, 4, 12:
BONAE SPEI,Aug. Inscr. Grut. 1075, 1.—(e) BONA MENS, Inscr. Orell. 1818 sqq.:
Mens Bona, si qua dea es, tua me in sacraria dono,Prop. 3, 24, 19.
navis bona dicitur non quae pretiosis coloribus picta est... sed stabilis et firma,Sen. Ep. 76, 13:
gladium bonum dices, non cui auratus est balteus, etc., sed cui et ad secandum subtilis acies est, et, etc.,id. ib. 76, 14:
id vinum erit lene et bono colore,Cato, R. R. 109; Lucr. 2, 418; Ov. Am. 2, 7, 9:
tabulas... collocare in bono lumine,Cic. Brut. 75, 261: ex quāvis oleā oleum ... bonum fieri potest. Cato, R. R. 3:
per aestatem boves aquam bonam et liquidam bibant semper curato,id. ib. 73; cf.:
bonae aquae, ironically compared to wine,Prop. 2, 33 (3, 31), 28:
praedium bonum caelum habeat,good temperature, Cato, R. R. 1:
bonā tempestate,in good weather, Cic. Q. Fr. 2, 2, 4:
(praedium) solo bono valeat,by good soil, Cato, R. R. 1:
bonae (aedes) cum curantur male,Plaut. Most. 1, 2, 24:
villam bonam,Cic. Off. 3, 13, 55:
bonus pons,Cat. 17, 5:
scyphi optimi (= optime facti),Cic. Verr. 2, 4, 14, § 32:
perbona toreumata,id. ib. 2, 4, 18, §
38: bona domicilia,comfortable residences, id. N. D. 2, 37, 95:
agrum Meliorem nemo habet,Ter. Heaut. 1, 1, 12:
fundum meliorem,Cic. Inv. 1, 31, 52: fundos optimos et fructuosissimos, id. Agr. 3, 4, 14:
equus melior,id. Inv. 1, 31, 52:
bona cena,Cat. 13, 3:
boni nummi,good, not counterfeit, Plaut. As. 3, 3, 144; Cic. Off. 3, 23, 91:
super omnia vultus accessere boni,good looks, Ov. M. 8, 678:
mulier bonā formā,of a fine form, Ter. Heaut. 3, 2, 13:
equus formae melioris,Hor. S. 2, 7, 52:
tam bona cervix, simul ac jussero, demetur,fine, beautiful, Suet. Calig. 33:
fruges bonae,Cat. 34, 19:
ova suci melioris,of better flavor, Hor. S. 2, 4, 13.— Trop.:
animus aequus optimum est aerumnae condimentum,Plaut. Rud. 2, 3, 71: bona dextra, a lucky hand (cf.:
bonum omen, 2. e.),Quint. 6, 3, 69:
scio te bonā esse voce, ne clama nimis,good, sound, loud voice, Plaut. Most. 3, 1, 43; so,
bona firmaque vox,Quint. 11, 3, 13.—
ut si qui neget sine bonā valetudine posse bene vivi,Cic. Inv. 1, 51, 93; Sen. Vit. Beat. 22, 2; Lucr. 3, 102; Val. Max. 2, 5, 6; Quint. 10, 3, 26; 11, 2, 35 et saep.:
non bonus somnus de prandio est,Plaut. Most. 3, 2, 8:
bona aetas,prime of life, Cic. Sen. 14, 48:
optimā aetate,id. Fam. 10, 3, 3.—Ironically:
bonā, inquis, aetate, etc.,Sen. Ep. 76, 1.—
meliore esse sensu,Cic. Sest. 21, 47:
optima indoles,id. Fin. 5, 22, 61:
bona conscientia,Quint. 6, 1, 33; 9, 2, 93; Sen. Vit. Beat. 20, 5:
bono ingenio me esse ornatam quam auro multo mavolo,with a good heart, Plaut. Poen. 1, 2, 91; id. Stich. 1, 21, 59; Sall. C. 10, 5:
mens melior,Ter. Ad. 3, 3, 78; Cic. Phil. 3, 5, 13; Liv. 39, 16, 5; Sen. Ben. 1, 11, 4; id. Ep. 10, 4; Pers. 2, 8; Petr. 61.—Personified, Prop. 3 (4), 24, 19; Ov. Am. 1, 2, 31:
duos optimae indolis filios,Val. Max. 5, 7, 2; Sen. Ben. 6, 16, 6; Quint. 1, 2, 5:
bonum consilium,Plaut. Merc. 2, 3, 6; id. Rud. 4, 3, 18; Cic. Off. 1, 33, 121:
bona voluntas,a good purpose, Quint. 12, 11, 31:
memoria bona,Cic. Att. 8, 4, 2:
bona ratio cum perditā... confligit,id. Cat. 2, 11, 25:
bonae rationes,Ter. Ad. 5, 3, 50:
pronuntiatio bona,Auct. Her. 3, 15, 27.—
ego si bonam famam mihi servasso, sat ero dives,Plaut. Most. 1, 3, 71; Cic. Sest. 66, 139; Liv. 6, 11, 7; Hor. S. 1, 2, 61 (cf. Cic. Att. 7, 26, 1;
v. e. infra): si ego in causā tam bonā cessi tribuni plebis furori,Cic. Sest. 16, 36; id. Planc. 36, 87; Ov. M. 5, 220:
fac, sis, bonae frugi sies,of good, regular habits, Plaut. Curc. 4, 2, 35; id. Cas. 2, 4, 5; 2, 5, 19; id. Ps. 1, 5, 53; id. Truc. 1, 1, 13; id. Capt. 5, 2, 3 sq. (v. frux, II. B. 1. b.): vilicus disciplinā bonā utatur. Cato, R. R. 5:
bona studia,moral pursuits, Auct. Her. 4, 17, 25:
quidquid vitā meliore parasti,Hor. S. 2, 3, 15: ad spem mortis melioris, an honorable death; so as an epithet of religious exercises:
Juppiter, te bonas preces precor,Cato, R. R. 134; 139.—
bono usui estis nulli,Plaut. Curc. 4, 2, 15:
Optumo optume optumam operam das,id. Am. 1, 1, 122:
bonam dedistis mihi operam,a valuable service to me, id. Poen. 2, 3, 70; 3, 6, 11; id. Pers. 4, 7, 11; id. Rud. 3, 6, 11 (in a different sense: me bonā operā aut malā Tibi inventurum esse auxilium argentarium, by fair or unfair means, id. Ps. 1, 1, 102;
v. e. infra): optima hereditas a patribus traditur liberis... gloria virtutis rerumque gestarum,Cic. Off. 1, 33, 121:
bonum otium,valuable leisure, Sall. C. 4, 1:
bonis versibus,Cic. Ac. 2, 23, 74:
versus meliores,Plaut. Trin. 3, 2, 81:
meliora poemata,Hor. A. P. 303:
in illā pro Ctesiphonte oratione longe optimā,Cic. Or. 8, 26:
optimas fabulas,id. Off. 1, 31, 114:
melius munus,id. Ac. 1, 2, 7.—
de Procilio rumores non boni,unfavorable rumors, Cic. Att. 4, 16, 5:
bona de Domitio, praeclara de Afranio fama est,about their success in the war, id. ib. 7, 26, 1:
si fuisset in discipulo comparando meliore fortunā,id. Pis. 29, 71; cf.
fortunā optimā esse,to be in the best pecuniary circumstances, id. ad Brut. 1, 1, 2:
occasio tam bona,Plaut. Most. 2, 2, 9:
senex est eo meliore condicione quam adulesoens cum, etc.,Cic. Sen. 19, 68; id. Fam. 4, 32:
bona navigatio,id. N. D. 3, 34, 83;
esp. in phrase bona spes.—Object.: ergo in iis adulescentibus bonam spem esse dicemus et magnam indolem quos, etc.,Cic. Fin. 2, 35, 117.—Subject.:
ego sum spe bonā,Cic. Fam. 12, 28, 3; id. Cat. 2, 11, 25; id. Att. 14, 1 a, 3; id. Q. Fr. 1, 2, 5, § 16:
optimā spe,id. Fam. 12, 11, 2.—Pregn., = spes bonarum rerum, Sall. C. 21, 1;
v. C. 1. c. infra: meliora responsa,more favorable, Liv. 7, 21, 6:
melior interpretatio,Tac. H. 3, 65:
cum laude et bonis recordationibus,id. A. 4, 38:
amnis Doctus iter melius,i. e. less injurious, Hor. A. P. 68:
omen bonum,a good, lucky omen, Cic. Pis. 13, 31; cf.
Liv. praef. § 13: melius omen,Ov. F. 1, 221;
optimum,Cic. Fam. 3, 12, 2:
bona scaeva,Plaut. Stich. 5, 2, 24:
auspicio optumo,id. ib. 3, 2, 6; cf.:
memini bene, sed meliore Tempore dicam = opportuniore tempore,Hor. S. 1, 9, 68.—
optima res publica,id. Or. 1, 1, 1; id. Phil. 1, 8, 19:
minus bonis temporibus,id. Dom. 4, 8; so,
optimis temporibus,id. Sest. 3, 6:
nostrae res meliore loco videbantur,id. ad Brut. 1, 3, 1:
lex optima,id. Pis. 16, 37; id. Sest. 64, 137; id. Phil, 1, 8, 19.—
bono atque amplo lucro,Plaut. Am. prol. 6:
bona librorum copia,Hor. Ep. 1, 18, 109; cf.:
bona copia cornu,Ov. M. 9, 88; v. bona pars, C. 8. g.—
si bono genere natus sit,Auct. Her. 3, 7, 13.—
primum abs te hoc bonā veniā expeto,Ter. Phorm. 2, 3, 31:
bonā tuā veniā dixerim,Cic. Leg. 3, 15, 34:
orāvit bonā veniā Quirites, ne, etc.,Liv. 7, 41, 3:
obsecro vos.. bonā veniā vestrā liceat, etc.,id. 6, 40, 10:
cum bonā veniā quaeso audiatis, etc.,id. 29, 17, 6; Arn. c. Gent. 1, p. 5; cf.
. sed des veniam bonus oro = veniā bonā oro,Hor. S. 2, 4, 5.—
bona pax sit potius,let us have no quarrel about that, Plaut. Pers. 2, 2, 7;
so especially cum bonā pace, or bonā pace: Hannibal ad Alpis cum bonā pace incolentium... pervenit,without a difficulty with the inhabitants, Liv. 21, 32, 6; 21, 24, 5; 1, 24, 3; 28, 37, 4; 8, 15, 1; cf.: si bonam (pacem) dederitis, = a fair peace, under acceptable conditions, id. 8, 21, 4.—
igitur amicitia Masinissae bona atque honesta nobis permansit,Sall. J. 5, 5.—
Segestes, memoriā bonae societatis, impavidus,Tac. A. 1, 58.
concedatur bonis rebus homines morte privari,Cic. Tusc. 1, 36, 87:
optimis rebus usus est,he had every most desirable thing, Nep. Att. 18, 1.—
bonis rebus tuis, meas irrides malas,Plaut. Trin. 2, 4, 45:
in bonis rebus,Hor. C. 2, 3, 2. —
homines quibus mala abunde omnia erant, sed neque res neque spes bona ulla,who had no property, nor the hope of any, Sall. C. 21, 1. —
capere urbem in Arabiā plenam bonarum rerum,Plaut. Pers. 4, 3, 46; 4, 4, 82:
nimium rei bonae,id. Stich. 2, 3, 55:
ignorantia bonarum rerum,Nep. Ages. 8, 5' bonis rebus gaudere, Hor. S. 2, 6, 110:
re bonā copiosum esse,Gell. 16, 19, 7.—
illi cum res non bonas tractent,Cic. Ac. 2, 33, 72:
ut de virtutibus et vitiis, omninoque de bonis rebus et malis quaererent,id. ib. 1, 4, 15:
quid habemus in rebus bonis et malis explorati?id. ib. 2, 42, 129; so id. Or. 1, 10, 42; id. Leg. 1, 22, 58:
quae tamen omnia dulciora fuint et moribus bonis et artibus,id. Sen. 18, 65.—
res bonas verbis electis dictas quis non legat?Cic. Fin. 1, 3, 8:
studiis generorum, praesertim in re bonā,Plaut. Am. 8, 26.—
qui praeclari facinoris aut artis bonae famam quaerit,Sall. C. 2, 9:
huic bonae artes desunt, dolis atque fallaciis contendit,id. ib. 11, 2:
quod is bonarum artium cupiens erat,Tac. A. 6, 46.—
litteris aut ulli bonae arti,Quint. 12, 1, 7:
conservate civem bonarum artium, bonarum partium, bonorum virorum,Cic. Sest. 32, 77. —Esp.:
optimae artes: optimarum artium scientia,Cic. Fin. 1, 3, 4; id. Ac. 2, 1, 1; id. Cael. 10, 24; id. Marcell. 1, 4.—
dic, bonā fide, tu id aurum non subripuisti?Plaut. Aul. 4, 10, 46; 4, 10, 47; id. Capt. 4, 2, 111; id. Most. 3, 1, 137; id. Poen. 1, 3, 30; id. Pers. 4, 3, 16; id. Ps. 4, 6, 33:
si tibi optimā fide omnia concessit,Cic. Rosc. Am. 49, 144; Quint. 10, 3, 23.—Hence, bonae fidei vir, a conscientious man, Quint. 10, 7, 1.—
ad fidem bonam statuit pertinere, notum esse emptori vitium quod nosset venditor,Cic. Off. 3, 16, 67.—Hence, alienam rem bonā fide emere, to buy, believing the seller to be the rightful owner, Dig. 41, 3, 10; 41, 3, 13, § 1. bonae fidei possessor (also possessio), believing that he is the rightful owner, ib. 5, 3, 25, § 11; 5, 3, 22; 41, 3, 15, § 2;
41, 3, 24: conventio contra bonam fidem et mores bonos,ib. 16, 31, § 7: bonam fidem praestare, to be responsible for one's good faith, ib. 17, 1, 10 prooem.—Hence,
actiones quaedam bonae fidei sunt, quaedam stricti juris. Bonae fidei sunt haec: exempto vendito, locato conducto, etc.,Just. Inst. 4, 6, 28, § 19.—In the republican time the prætor added in such actions to his formula for the judex the words ex fide bonā, or, in full:
quidquid dare facere oportet ex fide bonā,Cic. Off. 3, 16, 66:
iste dolus malus et legibus erat vindicatus, et sine lege, judiciis in quibus additur ex fide bonā,id. ib. 3, 15, 61; cf. id. ib. 3, 17, 70.—
Bona verba quaeso,Ter. And. 1, 2, 33.—
dicamus bona verba,Tib. 2, 2, 1:
dicite suffuso ter bona verba mero,Ov. F. 2, 638.—
quid est tam furiosum quam verborum vel optimorum atque ornatissimorum sonitus inanis,Cic. Or. 1, 12, 51:
verborum bonorum cursu,id. Brut. 66, 233:
omnia verba sunt alicubi optima,Quint. 10, 1, 9.—
non est quod contemnas bona verba et bonis cogitationibus plena praecordia,Sen. Vit. Beat. 20, 1. —
hoc petere me precario a vobis jussit leniter dictis bonis,Plaut. Am. prol. 25.—
dico unum ridiculum dictum de dictis melioribus quibus solebam menstruales epulas ante adipiscier,Plaut. Capt. 3, 1, 22:
ibo intro ad libros ut discam de dictis melioribus,id. Stich. 2, 3, 75.—
nobilitas ambobus et majorum bona facta (sc. erant),Tac. A. 3, 40.—
bonum factum est, ut edicta servetis mea,Plaut. Poen. prol. 16:
haec imperata quae sunt pro imperio histrico, bonum hercle factum (est) pro se quisque ut meminerit,id. ib. 45.— Hence,
peregrinis in senatum allectis, libellus propositus est: bonum factum, ne quis senatori novo curiam monstrare velit,Suet. Caes. 80:
et Chaldaeos edicere: bonum factum, ne Vitellius ... usquam esset,id. Vit. 14:
hac die Carthaginem vici: bonum factum, in Capitolium eamus, et deos supplicemus,Aur. Vict. 49; cf.:
o edictum, cui adscribi non poterit bonum factum,Tert. Pud. 1.—
cur non videmus inter nos haec potius cum bonā Ut componantur gratiā quam cum malā?Ter. Phorm. 4, 3, 17; so,
per gratiam bonam abire,to part with good feelings, Plaut. Mil. 4, 3, 33.—In jest: sine bonā gratiā abire, of things cast away, Plaut Truc. 2, 7, 15.—
ut plerumque fit, major pars (i. e. of the senate) meliorem vicit,Liv. 21, 4, 1:
pars melior senatūs ad meliora responsa trahere,id. 7, 21, 6.—
civem bonarum partium,Cic. Sest. 32, 77:
(fuit) meliorum partium aliquando,id. Cael. 6, 13:
qui sibi gratiam melioris partis velit quaesitam,Liv. 2, 44, 3.—Paronom.: (Roscius) semper partium in re publicā tam quam in scaenā optimarum, i. e. party and part in a drama, Cic. Sest. 56, 120.—
bonam partem ad te adtulit,Ter. Eun. 1, 2, 43:
bonam partem sermonis in hunc diem esse dilatam,Cic. Or. 2, 3, 14:
bonam magnamque partem exercitūs,Val. Max. 5, 2, ext. 4:
bona pars noctium,Quint. 12, 11, 19:
bona pars hominum,Hor. S. 1, 1, 61:
meae vocis... bona pars,id. C. 4, 2, 46; so id. A. P. 297; Ov. P. 1, 8, 74:
melior pars diei,Verg. A. 9, 156.—
nostri melior pars animus est,Sen. Q. N. 1, prooem. § 14; cf.:
quae pars optima est in homine,best, most valuable, Cic. Tusc. 5, 23, 67:
major pars aetatis, certe melior reipublicae data sit,Sen. Brev. Vit. 18, 1:
Maria optimam partem elegit, quae non auferetur ab eā,Vulg. Luc. 10, 42.—(e) Adverb.:
bonam partem = ex magnā parte,Lucr. 6, 1249.—(z) Aliquem in optimam partem cognoscere, to know somebody from his most favorable side, Cic. Off. 2, 13, 46: aliquid in optimam partem accipere, to take something in good part, interpret it most favorably:
Caesar mihi ignoscit quod non venerim, seseque in optimam partem id accipere dicit,id. Att. 10, 3 a, 2; id. ad Brut. 1, 2, 3:
quaeso ut hoc in bonam partem accipias,id. Rosc. Am. 16, 45.—
tum tu igitur die bono, Aphrodisiis, addice, etc.,Plaut. Poen. 2, 49:
nunc dicenda bonā sunt bona verba die,Ov. F. 1, 72.—
nihil est amabilius quam morum similitudo bonorum,Cic. Off. 1, 17, 56:
nam hic nimium morbus mores invasit bonos,Plaut. Trin. 1, 1, 6:
domi militiaeque boni mores colebantur,Sall. C. 9, 1:
propter ejus suavissimos et optimos mores,Cic. Phil. 3, 5, 13:
cum per tot annos matronae optimis moribus vixerint,Liv. 34, 6, 9:
mores meliores,Plaut. Aul. 3, 5, 18.—
ex optimo more et sanctissimā disciplinā,Cic. Phil. 2, 28, 69:
neglegentia boni moris,Sen. Ep. 97, 1.—Jurid. t. t.:
conventio, mandatum contra bonos mores,in conflict with morality, Quint. 3, 1, 57; Dig. 16, 3, 1, § 7; Gai. Inst. 3, 157 et saep. —
bono animo es! Liberabit ille te homo,Plaut. Merc 3, 1, 33; so id. Aul. 4, 10, 61; id. Mil. 4, 8, 32; id. Rud. 3, 3, 17; Ter. Eun. 1, 2, 4; id. Heaut. 4, 6, 18; id. Ad. 2, 4, 20; 3, 5, 1; 4, 2, 4; 4, 5, 62; id. Phorm. 5, 8, 72:
animo bono es,Plaut. Ps. 1, 3, 103; id. Am. 2, 2, 48; 5, 2, 1:
bono animo es, inquit Scrofa, et fiscinam expedi,Varr. R. R. 1, 26:
bono animo sint et tui et mei familiares,Cic. Fam. 6, 18, 1; 6, 10, 29:
bono animo esse jubere eam consul,Liv. 39, 13, 7:
habe modo bonum animum,Plaut. Capt. 1, 2, 58; so id. Am. 1, 3, 47; id. Truc. 2, 6, 44; id. Aul. 2, 2, 15:
habe animum bonum,id. Cas. 2, 6, 35; id. Ep. 2, 2, 1; 4, 2, 31:
bonum animum habe,Liv. 45, 8, 5:
clamor ortus ut bonum animum haberet,id. 8, 32, 1; so Sen. Ep. 87, 38.—
audire jubet vos imperator histricus, bonoque ut animo sedeant in subselliis qui, etc.,Plaut. Poen. prol. 5: sunt enim (consules) optimo animo, summo consilio, of the best disposition, Cic. Phil. 3, 1, 2:
bono te animo tum populus Romanus... dicere existimavit ea quae sentiebatis, sed, etc.,id. Imp. Pomp. 19, 56:
quod nondum bono animo in populum Romanum viderentur,Caes. B. G. 1, 6; Quint. 7, 4, 15.—
bonus animus in malā re dimidium mali est,Plaut. Ps. 1, 5, 37:
vos etiam hoc animo meliore feratis,Ov. M. 9, 433.—
si quis quid deliquerit, pro noxā bono modo vindicet,Cato, R. R. 5:
haec tibi tam sunt defendenda quam moenia, mihi autem bono modo, tantum quantum videbitur,Cic. Ac. 2, 44, 137.—
neu quisquam prohibeto filium quin amet... quod bono fiat modo,Plaut. Merc. 5, 4, 62. —
te ipse jure optumo incuses licet,Plaut. Most. 3, 2, 23; id. Rud. 2, 6, 53:
ut jure optimo me deserere posses,Cic. Fam. 3, 8, 6; Sen. Ot. Sap. 2 (29), 2.—With pass. or intr. verb, deservedly:
ne jure optimo irrideamur,Cic. Off. 1, 31, 111; cf. id. ib. 1, 42, 151; id. Marcell. 1, 4;
similarly, optimo judicio,Val. Max. 2, 9, 2.
bonis quod bene fit haud perit,Plaut. Rud. 4, 3, 2; id. Capt. 2, 2, 108; id. Trin. 2, 1, 55; id. Pers. 4, 5, 2:
melius apud bonos quam apud fortunatos beneficium collocari puto,Cic. Off. 2, 20, 71:
verum esse ut bonos boni diligant, quamobrem... bonis inter bonos quasi necessariam (esse) benevolentiam,id. Lael. 14, 50:
diverso itinere malos a bonis loca tætra... habere,Sall. C. 52, 13; 7, 2; 52, 22:
oderunt peccare boni virtutis amore,Hor. Ep. 1, 16, 52:
tam bonis quam malis conduntur urbes,Sen. Ben. 4, 28, 4; so id. Vit. Beat. 15, 6; Quint. 9, 2, 76.—Rarely bŏnae, ārum, f., good women:
quia omnes bonos bonasque adcurare addecet, etc.,Plaut. Trin. 1, 2, 41.—
malus bonum malum esse volt ut sit sui similis,Plaut. Trin. 2, 2, 8:
nec enim cuique bono mali quidquam evenire potest,Cic. Tusc. 1, 41, 99; cf.:
qui meliorem audax vocet in jus,Hor. S. 2, 5, 29.—
pro quā (patriā) quis bonus dubitet mortem oppetere si ei sit profuturus?Cic. Off. 1, 17, 57:
libertatem quam nemo bonus nisi cum animā simul amittat,Sall. C. 33, 5:
fortes creantur fortibus et bonis,Hor. C. 4, 4, 29 (opp. ignavi):
famā impari boni atque ignavi erant,Sall. J. 57, 6; 53, 8; id. C. 11, 2. —
quis enim umquam, qui paululum modo bonorum consuetudinem nosset, litteras ad se ab amico missas ... in medium protulit?Cic. Phil. 2, 4, 7.—
so usu. in Cic.): meam causam omnes boni proprie enixeque susceperant,Cic. Sest. 16, 38:
audaces homines et perditi nutu impelluntur... boni, nescio quomodo, tardiores sunt, etc.,id. ib. 47, 100:
ego Kal. Jan. senatum et bonos omnes legis agrariae... metu liberavi,id. Pis. 2, 4:
etenim omnes boni, quantum in ipsis fuit, Caesarem occiderunt,id. Phil. 2, 13, 29; id. Fam. 5, 2, 8; 5, 21, 2; id. Sest. 2, 5; 16, 36; 48, 103; id. Planc. 35, 86; id. Mil. 2, 5; id. Off. 2. 12, 43:
maledictis increpat omnes bonos,Sall. C. 21, 4; 19, 2; 33, 3; Hirt. B. G. 8, 22; so,
optimi,Cic. Leg. 3, 17, 37; and, ironically, boni identified with the rich:
bonorum, id est lautorum et locupletum,id. Att. 8, 1, 3.—
opp. vulgus (rare): nihil ego istos moror fatuos mores quibus boni dedecorant se,Plaut. Trin. 2, 2, 22:
semper in civitate quibus opes nullae sunt bonis invident,Sall. C. 37, 3:
elatus est sine ullā pompā funeris, comitantibus omnibus bonis, maximā vulgi frequentiā,Nep. Att. 22, 2.—So, mĕlĭōres, um, m., one's betters:
ut quaestui habeant male loqui melioribus,Plaut. Poen. 3, 3, 13:
da locum melioribus,Ter. Phorm. 3, 2, 37.—
esse aliquid naturā pulcrum quod optimus quisque sequeretur,every good man, Cic. Sen. 13, 43:
qui ita se gerebant ut sua consilia optimo cuique probarent, optimates habebantur,id. Sest. 45, 96; id. Off. 1, 43, 154; id. Fin. 1, 7, 24; id. Sest. 54, 115; and = even the best:
quare deus optimum quemque malā valetudine adficit?Sen. Prov. 4, 8.—
adhibenda est quaedam reverentia adversus homines, et optimi cujusque et reliquorum,Cic. Off. 1, 28, 99; cf. id. ib. 1, 25, 85:
Catilina plerisque consularibus, praeterea optumo cuique, litteras mittit,Sall. C. 34, 2:
optimo cuique infesta libertas,Sen. Ot. Sap. 8, 2 (32 fin.).—
optumus quisque cadere et sauciari, ceteris metus augeri,Sall. J. 92, 8.—
optimus quisque facere quam dicere... malebat,Sall. C. 8, 5.—(e) Distributively:
ita imperium semper ad optumum quemque a minus bono transfertur,to the best man in each instance, Sall. C. 2, 6.—(z) Referring to another superlative ( = quo quisque melior eo magis, etc.):
hic aditus laudis qui semper optimo cuique maxime patuit,Cic. Imp. Pomp. 1, 1; so id. Lael. 4, 14; id. Inv. 2, 11, 36; Sen. Vit. Beat. 18, 1.—(h) Attributively, with a noun:
optimam quamque causam,Cic. Sest. 43, 93:
optima quaeque dies,Verg. G. 3, 66.
3. bonus — Walde–Hofmann
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