benignus¹

Largus means any one who makes a rich present, to whomever he makes it, and from whatever motive, in opp. to parcus. Ter. Heaut. iii. 1, 31; whereas benignus, liberalis, and munificus, denote virtuous qualities in the giver. The benignus follows a pure impulse of humanity, love towards his fellow men; the liberalis, a noble pride, or feeling of self-respect; the munificus, a princely feeling, or, at any rate, a feeling of laudable ambition. Benignitas gives richly, because it has no wish to possess and enjoy alone, like goodness; liberalitas gives as much as, and not less than, a man of noble sentiment believes suitable to his own rank and to another’s merits, without scrupulous mercantile calculation, like a gentlemanly spirit; munificentia gives rather too much than too little, from the pleasure of making people happy, and causing an agreeable surprise, like generosity. (iv. 146.)