cănis (cănes, Plaut. Men. 5, 1, 18; id. Trin. 1, 2, 133; 1, 2, 135; Enn. ap. Varr. L. L. 7, § 32 Müll., or Ann. v. 518 Vahl.; Lucil. ap. Varr. ib.; cf. Charis. 1, 17, p. 118 P.; abl. always cane; gen. plur. canum; v. Neue, Formenl. pp. 223, 258 sq.), comm. [Sanscr. cvan; Gr. κύων, κυνός; Germ. Hund; Engl. hound].
I Lit., a dog.
A In gen., v. Varr. R. R. 1, 21; 2, 9, 1 sqq.; Plin. 8, 40, 61, § 142 sqq.; Col. 7, 12, 1: tantidem quasi feta canes sine dentibus latrat, Enn. ap. Varr. L. L. 7, § 32 Müll. (Ann. v. 518 Vahl.): introiit in aedĭs ater alienus canis, Ter. Phorm. 706: inritata canes, Lucil. ap. Charis. 1, p. 100 P.: canem inritatam imitarier, Plaut. Capt. 3, 1, 25: in Hyrcaniă plebs publicos alit canes, optumates domesticos: nobile autem genus canum illud scimus esse, etc., Cic. Tusc. 1, 45, 108: si lupi canibus similes sunt, id. Ac. 2 ( Luc. ), 16, 50: canes ut montivagae persaepe ferai Naribus inveniunt quietes, Lucr. 1, 405: canis acer, Hor. Epod. 12, 6: acres, Varr. R. R. 1, 21: acriores et vigilantiores, Cato R. R. 124: assiduus, Col. R. R. 7, 12, 5: catenarius, Sen. Ira, 3, 37, 2: catenă vinctus, Petr. 29: Molossi, Hor. S. 2, 6, 115; cf. Lucr. 5, 1063: obscenae, Verg. G. 1, 470; Ov. F. 4, 936: pastoralis, Col. 7, 12, 3: pecuarius, id. 7, 12, 8: pulicosa, id. 7, 13, 2: rabidi, Lucr. 5, 892; Sen. Oedip. 932: rabiosus, Plin. 29, 4, 32, § 98: saeva canum rabies, Prop. 3, 16 (4, 15), 17; Plin. 8, 40, 63, § 152: est verunculus in linguă canum, quo exempto nec rabidi fuint, etc., id. 29, 4, 32, § 100: rabiosa. Hor. Ep. 2, 2, 75: venatici, Cic. Verr. 2, 4, 13, § 31; Nep. Pel. 2, 5: alere canes ad venandum, Ter. And. 57; Curt. 9, 1, 31: vigiles, Hor. C. 3, 16, 2: canum fida custodia, Cic. N. D. 2, 63, 150: fida canum vis, Lucr. 6, 1222: levisomna canum fido cum pectore corda, id. 5, 864: caput mediae canis praecisae, Liv. 40, 6, 1; cf. Curt. 10, 9, 12: saepe citos egi per juga longa canes, Ov. H. 5, 20: canibus circumdare saltus, Verg. E. 10, 57: hos non inmissis canibus agitant, id. G. 3, 371: leporem canibus venari, id. ib. 3, 410.—
B Esp.
1 As a term of reproach, to denote,
a A shameless , vile person , Plaut. Most. 1, 1, 40; Ter. Eun. 803 Donat. ad loc.; Hor. Epod. 6, 1; cf. id. S. 2, 2, 56; Petr. 74, 9; Suet. Vesp. 13. —
b A fierce or enraged person , Plaut. Men. 5, 1, 14, 5, 1, 18; Hyg. Fab. 3; cf. Cic. Rosc. Am. 20, 57; Sen. Cons. Marc. 22, 5.—
2 As the regular designation of the hangers-on or parasites of an eminent or rich Roman; a follower , dog , creature : multa sibi opus esse, multa canibus suis quos circa se habuit, Cic. Verr. 2, 1, 48, § 126: cohors ista quorum hominum est? Volusii haruspices et Canelii medici et horum canum quos tribunal meum vides lambere, id. ib. 2, 3, 11, § 28: apponit de suis canibus quendam, id. ib. 2, 4, 19, § 40; 2, 5, 56, § 146; id. Att. 6, 3, 6; id. Pis. 10, 23.—
3 In mythical lang.
a Tergeminus, i. e. Cerberus. Ov. A. A. 3, 322; id. Tr. 4, 7, 16; called also viperius, id. Am. 3, 12, 26: Tartareus, Sen. Herc. Fur. 649: triformis, id. Herc. Oet. 1202: Echidnaea. Ov. M. 7, 409; cf.: infernae canes, Hor. S. 1, 8, 35; Verg. A. 6, 257; Luc. 6, 733. —
b Semidei canes, Anubis, Luc. 8, 832.—
4 Prov.
a Stultitia est venatum ducere invitas canes, Plaut. Stich. 1, 2, 82.—
b Cane pejus et angui Vitare aliquid, Hor. Ep. 1, 17, 30.—
c Ut canis a corio numquam absterrebitur uncto, will never be frightened from the greasy hide , Hor. S. 2, 5, 83.—
d Canis caninam non ēst (cf. Engl. dog won’t eat dog) , Auct. ap. Varr. L. L. 7, § 32 Müll.—
e A cane non magno saepe tenetur aper, Ov. R. Am. 422.—
5 CAVE CANEM, beware of the dog , a frequent inscription of warning to trespassers on doors, etc., Petr. 29; Varr. ap. Non. p. 153, 1; Inscr. Orell. 4320. —Hence: Cave Canem, the title of a satire by Varro , Non. p. 75, 22.—
II Transf.
A A constellation; the Dog.
1 Esp.: Canis Major, or simply Canis, a constellation of twenty stars , Hyg. Astr. 3, 34; of which the brighest is Sirius or Canicula , Cic. N. D. 2, 44, 114; id. Arat. 108 (349); 123 (367); 138 (382); 276 (522); Vitr. 9, 5, 2; Verg. G. 1, 218; 2, 353; Hor. S. 1, 7, 25; id. Ep. 1, 10, 16; Tib. 3, 5, 2; Ov. F. 4, 904; Plin. 18, 26, 64, § 234 sqq.—
2 Canis Minor, or Minusculus, the Little Dog , = Προκύων, commonly called Antecanis (hence the plur. canes), Vitr. 9, 52; Plin. 18, 28, 68, § 268; Ov. F. 4, 904.—Acc. to the fable, the dog of Erigone, daughter of Icarius; hence, Erigoneïus, Ov. F. 5, 723, and Icarius, id. ib. 4, 939.—
B The sea-dog , called canis marinus, Plin. 9, 35, 55, § 110; and mythically, of the dogs of Scylla , Lucr. 5, 890; Verg. A. 3, 432; Tib. 3, 4, 89; Cic. Verr. 2, 5, 56, § 146; Luc. 1, 549 Cort.; Sen. Med. 351.—
C The worst throw with dice , the dog-throw (cf. canicula and alea): damnosi, Prop. 4 (5), 8, 46; Ov. Tr. 2, 474: canem mittere, Suet. Aug. 71; cf. Isid. Orig. 18, 65.—Prov.: tam facile quam canis excidit, Sen. Apocol. 10, 2.—
D A Cynic philosopher : Diogenes cum choro canum suorum, Lact. Epit. 39, 4.—
E A kind of fetter , Plaut. Cas. 2, 6, 37 dub. (al. camum; v. camus); cf. 1. catulus.