Poeni, ōrum, m.,
I the Phoenicians , i. e. the Carthaginians (descended from the Phoenicians): Poeni stipendia pendunt, Enn. ap. Varr. L. L. 5, § 182 Müll. (Ann. v. 269 Vahl.); id. ap. Fest. p. 249 ib. (Ann. v. 278 Vahl.); Cic. Rep. 2, 4, 9: Poeni foedifragi, id. Off. 1, 12, 38: Poenorum crudelitas, id. N. D. 3, 32, 80: ponuntque ferocia Poeni Corda, Verg. A. 1, 302.— Gen. plur. : Poenūm, Sil. 7, 714; 17, 311.—In sing.: Poenus , i, m., a Carthaginian : Poenus plane est, he is a true Carthaginian , i. e. full of cunning , trickish , Plaut. Poen. prol. 113.—Pregn., for Hannibal , Cic. de Or. 2, 18, 77.—Collectively: si uterque Poenus Serviat uni, i.e. Carthaginians in Africa and Spain , Hor. C. 2, 2, 11.—Hence,
A Poenus , a, um, adj., Punic , Carthaginian (poet.): leones, Verg. E. 5, 27: columnae, Prop. 2, 23 (3, 29), 3: sermo, Stat. S. 4, 5, 45: vis saeva, Sil. 6, 338: miles, Juv. 10, 155.— Comp. : est nullus me hodie Poenus Poenior, better versed in the Carthaginian tongue , Plaut. Poen. 5, 2, 31.—
B Pūnĭ-cus ( Poen- ), a, um, adj., Punic , Carthaginian (the classical form): CLASEIS. POENICAS OM(nes devicit), Inscr. Column. Rostr.: regna, Verg. A. 1, 338: lingua, Plin. 4, 22, 36, § 120: litterae, Cic. Verr. 2, 4, 46, § 103: laterna, Plaut. Aul. 3, 6, 30: bellum primum, secundum, tertium, Cic. Off. 1, 13, 39; id. Brut. 14, 57; id. Verr. 2, 4, 33, § 73: fides, i. e. bad faith , perfidy , treachery (because the Romans considered the Carthaginians perfidious), Sall. J. 108, 3; cf. Liv. 21, 4 fin. ; 42, 47; Flor. 2, 2, 6 and 17; Val. Max. 7, 4, ext. 4; so, ars, Liv. 25, 39: Punicum malum, or simply Punicum, i, n., a pomegranate , Plin. 13, 19, 34, § 112; 15, 11, 11, § 39; 15, 28, 34, § 112 et saep.: arbos, i. e. a pomegranate-tree , Col. poët. 10, 243: cera, exceedingly white , Plin. 21, 14, 49, § 83.—
2 Poet., transf., of the Phoenician color , purple color , purple-red : punicarum rostra columbarum, Prop. 3, 3 (4, 2), 32: rostra psittaci, Ov. Am. 2, 6, 22: punico Lugubre mutavit sagum, Hor. Epod. 9, 27.—Hence, adv.: Pūnĭcē ( Poen- ), in the Punic or Carthaginian manner or language : adibo hosce atque appellabo Punice, Plaut. Poen. 5, 2, 22: loqui, in Punic , id. ib. 5, 2, 23: salutare, id. ib. 5, 2, 40.