Illustrated Companion to the Latin Dictionary/Libellus

This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Rich, Anthony (1849). The illustrated companion to the Latin dictionary, and Greek lexicon. p. vi. OCLC 894670115. https://archive.org/details/illustratedcompa00rich. 

LIBEL'LUS (βιβλίον). Diminutive of LIBER, a little book; but with this distinction, that the libellus, accurately speaking, was a book consisting of a few leaves of parchment or papyrus, written and bound together in pages, as our books are (Suet. Jul. 56. Cic. Or. i. 21. Hor. Sat. i. 10. 92.), as shown by the annexed example (Libellus/1.1), from a marble bas-relief.

2. Hence the word came to have a more extensive, though characteristic signification; being used to designate any paper or document containing an advertisement, announcement of a play or gladiatorial show, notice of sale, a legal notice, petition, or memorial, all of which were usually written on a single sheet, as in the annexed example (Libellus/2.1), which represents Roman citizens presenting memorials and petitions to M. Aurelius, from a bas-relief in the Capitol at Rome. Cic. Att. xvi. 16. Mart. viii. 31. Plaut. Curc. i. 3. 6. Cic. Phil. ii. 38.

3. A bookseller's shop. Catull. 55. 3.

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  Libellus/1.1
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  Libellus/2.1