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[6] mellitus: Catullus uses this word in but two other places (Catul. 48.1; Catul. 99.1), once of the kissable eyes of Juventius and once of the boy himself, so that it is seen to be with him exclusively a term of endearment; Plautus uses it but once, and in that sense ( Pl. Ps. 180quibus vitae estis, quibusmammillae mellitae” ); Cicero uses it but once, and in that sense (Cic. Att. 1.18.1 cummellito Cicerone) while in Varro it appears first in the literal sense ( Varr. RR 3.16.22melliti favi” ), as it does later in Horace (Hor. Ep. 1.10.11 pane egeo iam mellitis potiore placentis) Plautus also twice uses the diminutive mellitulus.


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