moenĭa, ĭum (gen. plur. moeniōrum for moenium, like anciliorum for ancilium, acc. to Cledon. p. 1898 P.; abl. plur. MOENIIS for moenibus, Inscr. Grut. 408, 1, 34; in sing. moene: moene singulariter dixit Ennius (al. Naevius), Paul. ex Fest. p. 145 Müll.), n. [perh. Sanscr. root mū-, bind; Gr. ἀμύνω, μύνη; cf.: munus, immunis, munio], defensive walls, ramparts, bulwarks, city walls, as a means of protection and security.
I Lit. (class.): uti haberent tuta oppida quod operis muniebant, moenia dicta, Varr. L. L. 5, § 141 Müll.: domicilia conjuncta, quas urbes dicimus, moenibus sepserunt, Cic. Sest. 42, 91: diligentius urbem religione quam ipsis moenibus cingitis, id. N. D. 3, 40, 94; id. Ac. 2 ( Luc. ), 44, 137; id. Rep. 1, 11, 17: altissima, Caes. B. C. 3, 80: cum paene inaedificata in muris ab exercitu nostro moenia viderentur, bulwarks, fortifications , id. ib. 2, 16: summa arcis, Enn. ap. Macr. S. 1, 4 (Ann. v. 170 Vahl.): dividimus muros, et moenia pandimus urbis, Verg. A. 2, 234.—
II Transf.
A Poet., in gen., walls, enclosure : moenia navis, Ov. M. 11, 532: angusta theatri, Lucr. 4, 82: mundi, id. 1, 73; cf. caeli, Ov. M. 2, 401.—
B A city enclosed by walls, a walled town (mostly poet. and in post-Aug. prose): nulla jam pernicies moenibus ipsis intra moenia comparabitur, to our walls , i. e. our city , Cic. Cat. 2, 1, 1: moenia lata videt triplici circumdata muro, Verg. A. 6, 549: moenia circumdare muro, Flor. 1, 4, 2; Vitr. 8, 4. —*
C A mansion, dwelling : Ditis magni, Verg. A. 6, 541.