Ennĭus, i, m.
I Q. Ennius, the most celebrated Roman poet of the ante-class. period , the father of Roman epic poetry , born at Rudiae , in Calabria , 515, died 585 A. U. C.; Ter. And. 18; Cic. Brut. 18, 73 sq.; Hor. Ep. 2, 1, 50.—Cf. respecting him, Teuffel's Gesch. der Röm. Lit. p. 157 sq., Bernhardy's Grundriss der Röm. Lit. pp. 188 sq., 360 sq., and the authorities cited by both.—
B Derivv.
1 Ennĭā-nus , a, um, adj., Ennian : versus, Sen. Ep. 108; cf. Gell. 12, 2, 7: distichon, Mart. Cap. 1, § 42: Neoptolemus, id. 5, 15 fin. : populus, the admirers of Ennius's poetry , Sen. ap. Gell. 12, 2, 10.—
2 Ennĭānista , ae, m., an imitator of Ennius , Auct. ap. Gell. 8, 5, 3.—
II L. Ennius, a Roman knight , Tac. A. 3, 70.