ĕpŭlo, ōnis (also EPOLONUS, i, acc. to Paul. ex Fest. p. 78, 11 Müll.), m. [epulum], a guest at a feast or banquet, a feaster, carouser.
I In gen. (mostly post-class.), Cic. Att. 2, 7, 3; Ap. Met. 2, 19, 1; 9, 38, 26; Firm. Math. 5, 4 fin. —Far more freq.,
II In partic.: Tresviri or Septemviri Epulones (in inscrr. also SEPTEMVIR and SEPTEMVIRI [VII. VIR.] EPVLONVM), a t. t. of relig. lang., a college of priests , composed at first of three and afterwards of seven persons , who superintended the sacrificial banquets to the gods , Cic. de Or. 3, 19 fin. ; Gell. 1, 12, 6; cf. Plin. Ep. 2, 11, 12; Luc. 1, 602; Inscr. Orell. 590; 773; 2259 sq.; Calend. Praenest. Jan. (Orell. Inscr. 2, p. 382).—In sing.: Epulo, Enn. ap. Varr. L. L. 6, § 82 Müll. N. cr. : Triumvir Epulo, Liv. 40, 42: tres viri epulones, id. 33, 42, 1: VII. VIRO. EPVLONI, Inscr. Orell. 2365.