I.ornament, grace, embellishment, splendor, glory, honor, dignity (class. and freq.; a favorite word with Cicero, in oratorical lang.).
I. In gen.
(α).
With gen.: “hostium spolia, decora atque ornamenta fanorum,” Cic. Verr. 2, 4, 44; cf.: “senator populi Romani, splendor ordinis, decus atque ornamentum judiciorum,” id. Caecin. 10, 28; so, “too, decus ornamentumque senectutis,” id. de Or. 1, 45, 199; id. Prov. Cons. 11, 28: “ut hominis decus ingenium, sic ingenii ipsius lumen est eloquentia,” id. Brut. 15, 59; cf. id. Phil. 2, 22, 54: “ad decus et ad laudem civitatis,” id. N. D. 1, 4; cf. id. Brut. 97; cf. also id. Fin. 1, 10 fin.; id. Ac. 1, 9, 33: “dignitatem et decus sustinere,” id. Off. 1, 34, 124 et saep.: “O decus Phoebi et dapibus supremi Grata testudo Jovis,” Hor. Od. 1, 32, 13: “lucidum caeli,” id. Carm. Sec. 2: “equitum Maecenas,” id. Od. 3, 16, 20; cf. id. ib. 1, 1, 2 and id. ib. 2, 17, 4: electos juvenes simul et decus innuptarum, the ornaments, i. e. the most beautiful of the maidens, Catull. 64, 78 al.: “castique decus servare pudoris,” Ov. M. 13, 480: “oris,” i. e. beauty, id. ib. 3, 422: “decus Asteriae = Asteria decens or pulchra,” Verg. Cul. 15.—
(β).
Absol.: haec omnia, quae habent speciem gloriae contemne ...; “verum decus in virtute positum est,” Cic. Fam. 10, 12 fin.: “divitiae, decus, gloria in oculis sita sunt!” Sall. C. 20, 14; cf. id. ib. 58, 8; id. J. 3 fin.: “regium,” id. ib. 72, 2; cf. “regale,” Ov. M. 9, 690: “decus enitet ore,” Verg. A. 4, 150: “superimpositum capiti,” Liv. 1, 34: “(columnas) scenis decora alta futuris,” Verg. A. 1, 429: “muliebre,” i. e. chastity, Liv. 1, 58: “immemores decoris liventia pectora tundunt,” i. e. of their bodily charms, Ov. M. 8, 536: “imperatori nobilitas, quae antea decori, invidiae esse,” Sall. J. 73, 4: “vitis ut arboribus decori est, ut vitibus uvae,” Verg. E. 5, 32: “Pilumno quos ipsa decus dedit,” id. A. 12, 83.—
II. Transf.
(α).
A deed of honor: “tanti decoris testis,” Tac. A. 15, 50.—Esp., plur., decora, honorable achievements, valiant deeds: “cum multa referret sua familiaeque decora,” Liv. 3, 12, 2: “militiae decora,” id. 2, 23, 4: “belli,” id. 6, 20, 7 (cf.: “dedecora militiae,” id. 3, 51, 12): “Lacedaemonii vetera, Macedones praesentia decora intuebantur,” Curt. 6, 1, 8.—
(β).
Renowned ancestors: “inter nobiles, et longa decora praeferentes, novitas mea enituit?” Tac. A. 14, 53; id. Hist. 1, 15.—
III. Esp., moral dignity, virtue, honor: “cum quod decus antiqui summum bonum esse dixerunt, hic solum bonum dicat, etc.,” Cic. Leg. 1, 21, 55 (for which, shortly before, solum bonum esse quod honestum esset): “quos (sc. Epicureos) nisi redarguimus, omnis virtus, omne decus, omnis vera laus deserenda est,” id. Fin. 2, 14, 44; “so with honestas,” id. Fin. 2, 17, 56; cf. ib. 2, 11, 35; id. Off. 1, 5 fin.: “sed ei (sc. Semproniae) cariora semper omnia quam decus atque pudicitia fuit,” Sall. C. 25, 3; 54, 5.
