I.joy, esp. unrestrained joyfulness, gladness, pleasure, delight (cf.: gaudium, hilaritas).
I. Lit.: “laetitia opinio recens boni praesentis, in quo efferri rectum esse videatur,” Cic. Tusc. 4, 7, 14: “laetitia dicitur exsultatio quaedam animi gaudio efferventior eventu rerum expetitarum,” Gell. 2, 27, 3: “judicium plenum laetitiae,” Cic. de Or. 1, 57, 243: “percipere laetitiam ex re,” id. ib. 1, 44, 197: “prae laetitia lacrumae prosuliunt mihi,” Plaut. Stich. 3, 2, 13: “ut mea laetitia laetus promiscam siet,” id. Ps. 4, 5, 11: “totus in laetitiam effusus,” wholly dissolved in pleasure, Just. 12, 13, 7: “diem perpetuum in laetitia degere,” to spend joyfully, Ter. Ad. 4, 1, 6: “ne me in laetitiam frustra conicias,” id. Heaut. 2, 3, 51: “laetitiae dator,” i. e. Bacchus, Verg. A. 1, 734: “efferri laetitiā,” to be transported with joy, Cic. Tusc. 4, 32, 68: “exsultare,” id. Att. 14, 6, 2: “perfrui,” id. Cat. 1, 10, 26: “afficere aliquem,” id. Mil. 28, 77: “comitia me laetitiā extulerunt,” have rejoiced me exceedingly, id. Fam. 2, 10, 1: “laetitiam capere oculis,” to enjoy, id. Att. 14, 14, 1: “dare alicui,” to give delight to, id. Planc. 42, 103: “et altera traditur circensis turbae non minus similis veri laetitia,” another outbreak of joy, Liv. 45, 1, 6: “ut hanc laetitiam nec opinanti primus ei obicerem domi,” this cause of joy, Ter. Heaut. 1, 2, 12; cf.: “offerre laetitiam alicui,” id. Hec. 5, 3, 18.—Esp. of success in love, Prop. 1, 10, 12; 2, 6, 32.—Plur.: “quaero quoi ter trinas triplicis tribus demeritas artibus Dem laetitias,” Plaut. Ps. 2, 4, 14: incessi omnibus laetitiis laetus, Poët. ap. Cic. Fam. 2, 9, 2.—
II. Transf., pleasing appearance, beauty, grace: “membrorum,” Stat. Th. 6, 571.—Luxuriance, fertility, of plants: “trunci,” Col. 4, 24, 12: “pabuli,” plenty, abundance, Just. 44, 4, 14.—Of a fruitful soil: “loci,” Col. 4, 21, 2.—Of speech, sweetness, grace: “laetitia et pulcritudo orationis,” Tac. Or. 20.
