libellus

lĭbellus, i, m. dim. [3. liber]. *

• The inner bark of a tree, used for writing-tablets: levis in aridulo malvae descripta libello (carmina), Cinna ap. Isid. Orig. 6, 12. —
• II Transf., a little book, pamphlet, esp. a book written in pages, and not in long rolls: epistulae, quas primus videtur ad paginas et formam memorialis libelli convertisse (opp. transversa charta), Suet. Caes. 56.
• • A In gen.: scripsi etiam illud quodam in libello, Cic. de Or. 1, 21, 94: in quodam joculari libello, Quint. 8, 6, 73; 2, 13, 15: quoi dono lepidum novum libellum, Cat. 1, 1: horribilis et sacer, id. 14, 12: quicquid hoc libelli est, id. 1, 8: libellis eum (Scipionem) palaestraeque operam dare, to books, Liv. 29, 19 fin.: nostri farrago libelli, Juv. 1, 86.—Of a single satire, Hor. S. 1, 10, 92.—
  • • 2 In plur., poet., a bookseller's shop: te (quaesivimus) in omnibus libellis, Cat. 55, 4 (dub.; al. labellis); Mart. 5, 20, 8.—
  • B In partic., a writing of any kind.
  • • 1 A memorandum-book, journal, diary: si quid memoriae causā retulit in libellum, Cic. Phil. 1, 8, 19: in commentariolis et chirographis et libellis, id. ib. 1, 7, 16; Quint. 12, 8, 5; cf. id. 10, 7, 31; 11, 3, 142; 6, 2, 5.—
    • 2 A memorial: non illi in libellis laudationum decreta miserunt, Cic. Clu. 69, 197.—
    • 3 A petition: Atticus libellum composuit: eum mihi dedit, ut darem Caesari, Cic. Att. 16, 16, A, 4: libellum alicui porrigere, Suet. Aug. 53: supplices libelli, Mart. 8, 31, 3: vitem posce libello, Juv. 14, 193: libellos signare, subnotare, to answer petitions: libellos signare, Suet. Aug. 50: subnotare libellos, Plin. Ep. 1, 10, 9; so, ad libellum rescribere, Mos. et Rom. Leg. Coll. 3, 3, 5: libellos agere, to have the charge of answering petitions, Dig. 20, 5, 12: a libellis, the officer charged with receiving petitions: Epaphroditum a libellis capitali poena condemnavit, Suet. Dom. 14; Inscr. Grut. 587, 9: A LIBELLIS ADIVTOR, ib. 587, 7.—
    • 4 A note of invitation, to hear a lecture, see a play, etc., a notice, programme: gladiatorum libellos venditare, Cic. Phil. 2, 38, 97: domum mutuatur et subsellia conducit et libellos dispergit, Tac. Or. 9: munerarius, the programme of a festival, Treb. Claud. 5.—
    • 5 A public notification, announcement, placard, handbill: edere per libellos, Suet. Caes. 41: libellos Sex. Alfenus, procurator P. Quincti, deicit, tears down the auction handbills, Cic. Quint. 6, 27: suspensum amici bonis libellum, Sen. Ben. 4, 12: vestitur tota libellis porticus, Juv. 12, 100.—
    • 6 A letter: (laetitias) in libello hoc opsignato quas tuli pausillulo, Plaut. Ps. 2, 4, 16 (709) (cf. epistulam, id. ib. v. 26 (719)): libellum ipsius habeo in quo, etc., Cic. Att. 6, 1, 5: ut ex libellis ejus animadverti, Brut. ap. Cic. Fam. 11, 11, 1.—
    • 7 A libel, lampoon, pasquinade (post-Aug.): libellos aut carmina ad infamiam cujuspiam edere, Suet. Aug. 55; id. Caes. 80; id. Vit. 14: sparsos de se in Curia famosos libellos, id. Aug. 55: sive quis ad infamiam alicujus libellum aut carmen scripserit, Gai. Inst. 3, 220: injuriam patimur ... famosis libellis, Paul. Sent. 5, 4, 1.—
    • 8 A written accusalion or complaint (post-Aug.): componunt ipsae per se formantque libellos, Juv. 6, 244; Dig. 48, 2, 3.—
    • 9 A lawyer's brief: quid causidicis praestent magno comites in fasce libelli? Juv. 7, 107.—
    • 10 An attestation, certificate: significent id libello manu sua subscripto, Dig. 39, 4, 4.

libellus, ī, m. (Demin. v. liber), eine kleine Schrift, I) im allg.: scripsi in libello, Cic.: v. Gedichten, lepidus novus libellus, Catull.: v. einer einzelnen Satire, Hor. sat. 1, 10, 92: comes libelli, nette Komödienbücher, Hor. sat. 1, 10, 41. – pro captu lectoris habent sua fata libelli, Ter. Maur. 1286: Plur. meton. = der Buchladen, in libellis, Catull.: libelli, campus, porticus, Mart. – II) insbes.: a) Notizbuch, Heft, Verzeichnis, mandatorum, Cic.: rettulit in libellum, Cic.: ex libello respondere, Plin. ep. – b) Eingabe, Klagschrift, Klage, Anklage, Denunziation, libelli accusatorum, Tac.: componere formareque libellos, Iuven.: libellum alci dare (bei jmd. einreichen), Flor.: libelli coniurationem nuntiantes dati, Vell.: in scrinio eius datus a Caro de me libellus inventus est, Plin. ep. – c) Bittschrift, Gesuch, Petition, libellum composuit, Cic.: libellos signare, Suet., od. subnotare, Plin. ep., unterzeichnen, folglich beantworten: a libellis (homo), ein Hofbedienter, der die Bittschriften annimmt, Suet. u. Inscr. – d) Einladungsschreiben, zu einem Schauspiel, zum Anhören einer Vorlesung usw., gladiatorum libelli, Cic.: u. so libellus munerarius, Festprogramm, Treb. Poll.: libellos dispergere, Tac. – e) die öffentliche Bekanntmachung, der Anschlag, edere per libellos, Suet. Caes. 41, 2: so auch der »Anschlag« an den Gütern eines Verschuldeten usw., daß sie gerichtl. in Beschlag genommen und zu verkaufen sind; dah. deicere libellos, den Versteigerungsanschlag abnehmen, die Beschlagnahme aufheben, Cic. Quinct. 27: u. so suspensis amici bonis libellum, Sen. de ben. 4, 12, 3. – f) Brief, Schreiben, libellum ipsius habeo, in quo est etc., Cic.: ut ex libellis eius animadverti, Brut. in Cic. ep.: libellum u. libellos dare (ausstellen), Augustin. de civ. dei 22, 8, 22. p. 578, 1 u. 7 D.²: libellum repudii (den Scheidebrief) dare, Augustin. de civ. dei 14, 22. Vulg. Matth. 19, 7. – g) Schmähschrift, Spottschrift, sparsos de se in Curia famosos libellos, Suet.: libellos aut carmina ad infamiam alcis sub alieno nomine edere, Suet. – h) Bescheinigung, Zeugnis, significent id libello manu suā subscripto, Paul. dig. 39, 4, 4.

libellus [CL] 1 small book or part of a book; b (w. gen. or adj. indicating contents). incipit praefatio ~i quem pater Theodorus ‥ ad remedium temperavit penitentiae Theod. Pen. pref.; sicut ~us de vita ejus conscriptus sufficienter edocet Bede HE III 19 p. 164; titulus ~i talis est Speculum Stultorum Nig. Ep. 17; ut nihil in ~o apposuerim cujus veritatem ‥ non elicuerim Gir. TH II pref.; c1220 incipiunt institutiones de ordine fratrum laicorum. ‥ ~i vero nulli permittantur eis Cap. Arr. 274; hec ‥ pars prima sive ~us primus habet capitula Bacon CSTheol. 26.  b legat ‥ ~um vitae ejus [sc. Fursei] Bede HE III 19 p. 165; 801 de ordinatione et dispositione missalis ~i Alcuin Ep. 226; vite illius ~us Feod. Durh. xxxviii; c1350 ~um Institucionum ‥ cum glosis et exposicione textus StatOx 44; 1417 ~um Institucionum (v. forma 7d). 2 document: a deed, charter. b (~us fidei) episcopal profession. c petition. d plaintiff’s statement of complaint. a 798 ex eadem terra cespitem et cunctos ~os praememorati cenobii per venerabilem virum Cuðbertum archiepiscopum misit CS 291; 759 scripsit ~um alium donacionis hujus CS 186; 801 trado terram hujus ~i pro remedio animae meae CS 303; 828 terram ‥ lxxxv segetum cum ~o ejusdem agelli CS 523; 895 quicquid concedendum est fidelibus regali dono ~o litterarum muniri debetur CS 581.  b 804 quatinus ‥ ~os fidei suae pariter et obedientiae sinceriter offerant CS 315; 816 mos ‥ inolevit ut ‥ episcopus ~um suae confessionis suaeque fidei atque ejus obedientiae sinceriter suo metropolitano debuisset offerre CS 355.  c 1181 Samuel Judeus r. c. de v m. auri de misericordia pro ~o repudii Pipe 71; compatior filie Sion pro ~o repudii, quem sponso meo prior quidem ipsa ‥ contumaciter dedit J. Ford Serm. 30. 6; quia priori nupte ~um repudii dedit Ib. 66. 12; 1286 idem procurator ~um obtulit, in quo petebat predictam electionem ‥ confirmare Mon. Hib. & Scot. 135.  d ~us qui dicitur conventionalis Ric. Angl. Summa 3 (v. conventionalis); 1247 ~um conventionalem contra ‥ priorem (v. conventionalis); in uno ~o possunt duo contineri actiones Bracton 103; 1375 cum ‥ comparuerit ac ~um in causa ipsa receperit Reg. Aberbr. II 32; copia ~i Reg. Brev. 58; petiit sibi ~um de eo, ad quod in praemissis responderet Entries 487b. 3 defamatory publication, libel. c1210 epistolam nostram nepoti nostro transmissam et exuberante materia in librum conversam famosum, ut fertur, ~um vocant Gir. Ep. 2 p. 160; scedulas, billas, seu ~os diffamatorios, famosos vulgariter nuncupatos ‥ conficere ‥ moliuntur (Cl) Foed. XI 268.

lĭbellus, (9) ī, m. , dim. de liber, petit livre, opuscule [de toute espèce, soit dʼun petit nombre de pages, soit de faible importance] ¶ 1 petit traité : Cic. de Or. 1, 94 || [avec idée de mépris] Liv. 29, 19, 12 ¶ 2 recueil de notes, agenda, cahier, journal : Cic. Phil. 1, 16 ; 1, 19 ¶ 3 pétition : Cic. Att. 16, 16, 4 ; Suet. Aug. 53 ; Plin. Min. Ep. 1, 10, 9 ; Epaphroditus a libellis Suet. Dom. 14, Épaphrodite chargé des requêtes || supplique, placet : Cic. Arch. 25 ¶ 4 programme : Cic. Phil. 2, 97 ; Tac. D. 9 ¶ 5 affiche, placard : libellos proponere Cic. Quinct. 50, exposer des affiches, cf. Cic. Quinct. 27 ; Suet. Cæs. 41 ; Sen. Ben. 4, 12, 3 ¶ 6 lettre : Cic. Att. 6, 1, 5 ; Brut. d. Cic. Fam. 11, 11, 1 ¶ 7 libelle : Suet. Aug. 55 ; Vitell. 14 ; etc. ¶ 8 certificat : Paul. Dig. 39, 4, 4.

libellus , i. m.
小書。書札。告狀本禀帖。書舖。度名。— memorialis 札。牌。檄飭 一切。— manu subscriptus 書押之慿據。— Famosus libellus 駡某人之無名帖。Supplex libellus 禀帖。奏本。A libellis 接文書之吏。

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libellus ī, m dim.

• 3 liber, a little book, pamphlet, manuscript, writing: scripsi illud quodam in libello: libellis operam dare, to books, L.: comīs garrire libellos, clever comedies, H.: nostri farrago libelli, Iu.: te quarere in libellis, i. e. in the booksellers' shops: meus (a satire), H.—A memorandum-book, journal, diary: si quid memoriae causā retulit in libellum.—A memorial, petition: libellam composuit: vitem posce libello, Iu.—A notice, programme, placard, handbill: gladiatorum libelli: libellos deicit, auction handbills: vestitur tota libellis Porticus, Iu.—A letter: libellum ipsius habeo in quo, etc.—A written accusation, indictment, complaint: Sulcius Ambulat cum libellis, H.: Componunt libellos, Iu.—A lawyer's brief: magno in fasce libelli, Iu.

LIBELLUS

LIBELLUSproperly the diminutive form of liber, and therefore means a small book-roll [see LIBER]; but as regards its use in that sense, it belonged particularly to books of poetry. There are other technical meanings which require notice in this place. We find libellus most frequently used in writers under the Empire for a memorial of any kind, either an accusation (whence our libel), or a petition; and also to official notifications of any kind. In all these senses the libellus implies a roll made up of very few pages, or it might be only a single page. (Cf. Birt, Antike Buchwesen, p. 22.) It was used by the Romans as a technical term in the following cases:--

1. Libelli accusatorum or accusatorii were the written accusations which in some cases a plaintiff, after having received the permission to bring an action against a person, drew up, signed, and sent to the judicial authorities, viz. in the city to the praetor, and in a province to the proconsul. (Cod. 9, 2, 8; Dig. 48, 5, 2, 17, 29; 47, 2, 74.) The form in which a libellus accusatorius was to be written, is described by Ulpian in a case of adultery (Dig. 48, 2, 3). The accuser had to sign the libellus, and, if he could not write, he was obliged to get somebody else to do it for him. If the libellus was not written in the proper legal form, it was invalid, but the plaintiff had still the right to bring the same action again in its legal form. (Juven. 6.244, &c.; Tac. Ann. 3.44; Plin. Ep. 7.27; compare Brisson, de Form. 5.100.187, &c.)

2. Libelli famosi were what we call libels or pasquinades, intended to injure the character of persons. A law of the Twelve Tables inflicted very severe punishments on those who composed defamatory writings against any person (Cic. de Re Pub. 4.1. 0, 33; Arnob. 4. p. 151). During the latter part of the Republic this law appears to have been in abeyance, for Tacitus (Tac. Ann. 1.72) says that previous to the time of Augustus libels had never been legally punished (compare Cic. ad Fam. 3.1. 1), and that Augustus, provoked by the audacity with which Cassius Severus brought into disrepute the most illustrious persons of the age, ordained, by a lex majestatis, that the authors of libelli famosi should be brought to trial. On this occasion Augustus, who was informed of the existence of several such works, had a search made at Rome by the aediles, and in other places by the local magistrates, and ordered the libels to be burnt; some of the authors were subjected to punishment (Dio Cass.). A law quoted by Ulpian (Dig. 47, 10, 5) ordained that the author of a libellus famosus should be intestabilis, and during the later period of the Empire we find that capital punishment was not only inflicted upon the author, but upon those persons in whose possession a libellus famosus was found, or who did not destroy it as soon as it came into their hands (Cod. 9, 36). For further information on this subject see Rein, Das Criminalrecht der Römer, pp. 378, &c., 531.

3. The comites in fasce libelli (Juven. 7.107; see Mayor's note) are the extracts from laws and other matters connected with his brief, which the barrister brought into court. (Cf. Juven. 6.244.)

4. Libellus is used by Roman jurists as equivalent to Oratio Principis. [ORATIONES PRINCIPUM]

5. The word libellus was also applied to a variety of writings, which in most cases probably consisted of one page only:--

a. To any short letters or reports addressed to the senate or private individuals (Suet. Jul. 56, Aug. 84; Cic. ad Fam. 11.1. 1).

b. To the bills or programme called libelli gladiatorii, or munerarii, which persons who gave gladiatorial exhibitions distributed among the people. [GLADIATORES]

c. To petitions to the emperors (Juven. 14.194; Suet. Aug. 53; Mart. 8.31, 3; 82, 1). The emperors had their especial officers or secretaries who attended to all petitions (libellis praefectus, or magister libellorum, or a libellis, Dig. 20, 5), and who read and answered them in the name of the emperor (Suet. Domit. 14). Such a libellus is still extant. See Gruter, Inscript. p. DCVII. 1.

d. To the bill of appeal called libellus appellatorius, which a person who did not acquiesce in a judicial sentence had to send in after the lapse of two or three days. (Dig. 40, 1.)

e. To the bills stuck up in the most frequented parts of the city, in case of a debtor having absconded (Cic. pro Quint. 6, 15, 19; Rein, Röm. Privatr. p. 499). Such bills were also stuck up on the estates of such a debtor, and his friends who wished to pay for him sometimes pulled down such bills (Senec. de Benef. 4.12).

f. To bills in which persons announced to the public that they had found things which had been lost, and in which they invited the owner to claim his property (Plant. Rud. 5.2, 7, &c.; Dig. 47, 2, 44). The owner gave to the finder a reward (εὕρετρα) and received his property back. Sometimes the owner also made known to the public by a libellus what he had lost, stating his name and residence, and promising to give a reward to the person who found his property and brought it back to him. (Propert. 3.21, 21, &c.)

[L.S] [G.E.M]

Libellus

(in form the dim. of liber). (1) A small book, i. e. roll, usually a book of verse (cf. Birt, Das antike Buchwesen, p. 22 [Berlin, 1882]).

(2) A memorial of any kind, whether an accusation or petition.

(3) A pasquinade, lampoon, or satirical skit (whence our word “libel”), intended to ridicule or defame (libellus famosus). Such were severely punished by the Twelve Tables, and later they were often publicly burned (Dio Cass. lvi. 27); but they were always numerous at Rome, especially in times of political excitement. (See Rein, Das Criminalrecht der Römer, pp. 378 foll., 531.)

(4) See orationes principum.

(5) A notice of appeal (libellus appellatorius; cf. Dig. 40, 1).

(6) A hand-bill or programme of the gladiatorial games (libellus gladiatorius or munerarius).

(7) A hand-bill or public notice of any sort posted up in the most frequented parts of the city (Cic. Pro Quint. 6, 15, 9; Sen. De Benef. iv. 12; Plaut. Rud. v. 2, 7).