imbellis (inb-), e, adj. id., unwarlike, unfit for war; peaceful, fond of peace (mostly poet. and in post-Aug. prose; cf.: imbecillis, debilis). Of living beings: ut imbelles timidique videamur, Cic. Off. 1, 24, 83: ignavi et imbelles, Liv. 26, 2, 11: timidi et imbelles, Quint. 12, 5, 2: ipse acer, bellicosus; at is, quem petebat, quietus, imbellis, placido ingenio, etc., Sall. J. 20, 2: strenui et imbelles inulti obtruncari, id. ib. 67, 2: pro viro forti contra imbellem, Quint. 3, 7, 19: turba (i. e. non-combatants, women and children), Liv. 32, 13, 14; cf.: feminae puerique et alia imbellis turba, id. 38, 21, 14: imbellis et pastoralis manus, Vell. 1, 8, 5: caesorum major numerus et imbellior, Tac. H. 4, 33: juventa, Hor. C. 3, 2, 15: cervi, Verg. G. 3, 265; cf. columba, Hor. C. 4, 4, 31: dei, i. e. Venus and Amor, Ov. Am. 1, 10, 20: maxime Caesar, qui nunc victor ... Inbellem avertis Romanis arcibus Indum, i. e. deprived of warlike spirit by defeat, Verg. G. 2, 172.

— Of inanim. and abstr. things: itaque videas rebus injustis justos maxime dolere, imbellibus fortes, Cic. Lael. 13, 47: sic fatus senior, telumque imbelle sine ictu Conjecit, weak, powerless, Verg. A. 2, 544; cf. lacerti, Ov. M. 13, 109: Tarentum, peaceful, Hor. Ep. 1, 7, 45: Asia, Liv. 9, 19, 10: nec rem Romanam tam desidem umquam fuisse atque imbellem, id. 21, 16, 3: cithara, Hor. C. 1, 15, 15; cf. lyra, id. ib. 1, 6, 10: plectrum, Ov. M. 5, 114: carmen, Stat. Th. 10, 874: oliva, Val. Fl. 5, 362: fretum, calm, tranquil, Stat. S. 3, 5, 84; cf. id. Th. 3, 255.

—Of time: tamen ne prorsus inbellem agerent annum, Liv. 10, 1, 4 (cf.: ferme bellis otium fuit, § 1): triennium, id. 4, 20, 9: permultos annos imbelles agere, id. 9, 45, 10.