fīcus, i and ūs (dat. sing., gen., dat., and abl. plur., always of second decl.; in other cases of second or fourth; v. Neue, Formenl. 1, 532 sq.—Masc., Mart. 1, 65, 4; 7, 71, 6; Macr. S. 2, 16. The declension and gender were disputed even among the ancients; cf. Varr. L. L. 9, § 80 Müll.; Charis. p. 103 P.; Prisc. p. 713 ib.), f. [etym. dub.; cf. σῦκον, σϝυκον], a fig-tree.
I Lit.: cortex levis fico, Plin. 16, 31, 55, § 126 sqq.: fici, quarum radices longissimae, id. 16, 31, 56, § 130: exceptā fico, id. 16, 26, 49, § 113: ficos mariscas in loco cretoso serito, Cato R. R. 8, 1, v. marisca: homini Phrygi, qui arborem fici numquam vidisset, fiscinam ficorum objecisti, Cic. Fl. 17, 41: Ruminalis and Rumina, v. 1. Rumina, II. A. and B.: quod diceret, uxorem suam suspendisse se de ficu, Cic. de Or. 2, 69, 278 (for which Quintilian, in making the same statement: quod uxor sua e fico se suspendisset, Quint. 6, 3, 88): sub una ficu, Plin. 7, 2, 2, § 21.— Poet.: pepedi diffissa nate ficus, i. e. ut ficus (cuius lignum magnopere fissile), Hor. S. 1, 8, 47.—
II Transf.
A The fruit of the fig-tree , a fig : fici dulciferae, Enn. ap. Charis. p. 103 P. (Ann. v. 71 ed. Vahl.): ficis victitamus aridis, Plaut. Rud. 3, 4, 59: Zacyntho ficos fieri non malas, id. Merc. 5, 2, 102: per ficos, quas edimus, Varr. R. R. 1, 41, 5: ex fici tantulo grano, Cic. de Sen. 15, 52: suamque pulla ficus ornat arborem, Hor. Epod. 16, 46: dum ficus prima calorque, etc., the first ripe figs (denoting the beginning of autumn), id. Ep. 1, 7, 5: pinguibus ficis pastum jecur anseris, id. S. 2, 8, 88: nux ornabat mensas cum duplice ficu, a split fig , id. ib. 2, 2, 122, v. also in the foll.—Ante- and post-class. in masc. : sicuti cum primos ficus propola recentes Protulit, Lucil. ap. Non. 154, 27: grossi, Macr. S. 2, 16.—
B The piles (from their shape): cum dixi ficus, rides quasi barbara verba, Et dici ficos, Caeciliane, jubes. Dicemus ficus, quas scimus in arbore nasci: Dicemus ficos, Caeciliane, tuas (al. tuos, v. the commentators, ad loc.), Mart. 1, 65, 4 (cf. the same sort of pun in another place, Mart. 7, 71).—Hence poet. transf., of one who has the piles , Mart. 4, 52, 2.