lŭpus, i, m. [kindred with λύκος; Sanscr. vrika, and our wolf], a wolf.
I Lit.: torva leaena lupum sequitur, lupus ipse capellam, Verg. E. 2, 63; Plin. 10, 63, 88, § 173; 8, 22, 34, § 80: Martialis lupus, sacred to Mars , Hor. C. 1, 17, 9; so, Martius, Verg. A. 9, 566: lupus femina for lupa, a she-wolf , Enn. ap. Serv. Verg. A. 2, 355 (Ann. v. 70 Vahl.); id. ap. Non. 378, 18 ( ib. v. 73): lupus masculinum (est), quamquam Varro ... lupum feminam dicit, Ennium Pictoremque Fabium secutus, Quint. 1, 6, 12.—According to the belief of the Romans, if a wolf saw a man before the latter saw him, the man became dumb: vox quoque Moerim Jam fugit ipsa; lupi Moerim videre priores, Verg. E. 9, 53; cf. Plin. 8, 22, 34, § 80.—Prov.: lupus in fabulā or sermone, said of the appearance of a person when he is spoken of; as we say in English, talk of the devil, and he appears : atque eccum tibi lupum in sermone, Plaut. Stich. 4, 1, 71; Ter. Ad. 537; Serv. Verg. E. 9, 54: de Varrone loquebamur: lupus in fabulā: venit enim ad me, Cic. Att. 13, 33, 4.—
β Lupum auribus tenere, to have a wolf by the ears , to be unable to hold and afraid to let go, i. e. to be in a situation of doubt and difficulty , Ter. Phorm. 505; Suet. Tib. 25.—
γ Hac urget lupus, hac canis angit, on this side the wolf, on that the dog , i. e. to be placed between two fires , Hor. S. 2, 2, 64.—
δ Lupos apud oves custodes relinquere, Plaut. Ps. 1, 28: ovem lupo committere, to intrust sheep to a wolf , Ter. Eun. 832; cf. o praeclarum custodem ovium, ut aiunt, lupum! Cic. Phil. 3, 11, 27; cf.: plenum montano credis ovile lupo? Ov. A. A. 2, 363.—
ε Lupo agnum eripere, of a difficult undertaking; as in English, to snatch the meat from a dog's mouth , Plaut. Poen. 3, 5, 31.—
ζ Lupus observavit, dum dormitaret canes, of one who watches his opportunity to be unobserved, Plaut. Trin. 1, 2, 133.—
η Ovīs ultro fugiat lupus, of a very improbable act, Verg. E. 8, 52.—
θ Tantum curamus frigora, quantum numerum (ovium) lupus, i. e. do not care at all, as the wolf does not care whether the number of the sheep is right or not , Verg. E. 7, 51.—
II Transf.
A A voracious fish, the wolf-fish or pike , Hor. S. 2, 2, 31; Plin. 9, 54, 79, § 169; 9, 17, 28, § 61; Col. 8, 16; Mart. 13, 89; Macr. S. 2, 12 bis.—
B A kind of spider , Plin. 29, 4, 27, § 85; 11, 24, 28, § 80.—
C A bit armed with points like wolves’ teeth (frena lupata): et placido duros (equus) accipit ore lupos, Ov. Tr. 4, 6, 3; Stat. Ach. 1, 281.—
D A hook with which things were hoisted: in alios lupi superne ferrei injecti, Liv. 28, 3, 7; Isid. Orig. 23, 15.—
E A small handsaw , Pall. 1, 43, 2.—
F The hop, a plant (Humulus lupulus), Plin. 21, 15, 50, § 86.