pŏpŭlus (contr. POPLVS, Inscr. Column. Rostr. in Corp. Inscr. Lat. 195, 17, Plaut. Am. prol. 101; 1, 1, 103; id. Aul. 2, 4, 6; id. Cas. 3, 2, 6 et saep.—Also written POPOLVS, Corp. Inscr. Lat. 197, 15 al.; nom. plur. poploe, Carm. Sal. ap. Fest. p. 205 Müll.; v. pilumnoe) [from root ple of pleo; v. plenus], i, m., a people, the people.
I Lit.
A In gen. (cf.: gens, natio): res publica res populi: populus autem non omnis hominum coetus quoquo modo congregatus, sed coetus multitudinis juris consensu et utilitatis communione sociatus, Cic. Rep. 1, 25, 39: populus Romanus, id. Phil. 6, 5, 12: exspectabat populus, Enn. ap. Cic. Div. 1, 48, 107 (Ann. v. 90 Vahl.): tene magis salvum populus velit an populum tu, Hor. Ep. 1, 16, 27: casci populi Latini, Enn. ap. Varr. L. L. 7, § 28 Müll. (Ann. v. 24 Vahl.): hi populi: Atellani, Calatini, etc., Liv. 22, 61 fin. —
B Esp.
1 The people , opp. to the Senate, in the formula senatus populusque Romanus (abbreviated S. P. Q. R.), saep.; cf.: et patres in populi fore potestate, Liv. 2, 56.—
2 Opp. to the plebs: non enim populi, sed plebis eum (tribunum) magistratum esse, Liv. 2, 56: ut ea res populo plebique Romanae bene eveniret, Cic. Mur. 1, 1.—
3 Rarely for plebs, the populace : dat populus, dat gratus eques, dat tura senatus, Mart. 8, 15, 3: urbanus, the citizens (opp. to the military), Nep. Cim. 2, 1.—
II Transf.
1 A region , district , regarded as inhabited: frequens cultoribus alius populus, Liv. 21, 34, 1 (cf. Gr. δῆμος).—
2 A multitude , host , crowd , throng , great number of persons or things (poet. and in postAug. prose): ratis populo peritura recepto, i. e. with the great multitude of passengers , Luc. 3, 665: fratrum, Ov. H. 14, 115: in tanto populo sileri parricidium potuit, Just. 10, 1: sororum, Ov. H. 9, 52; Ap. Mag. p. 304: apum, Col. 9, 13, 12: populus totidem imaginum, Plin. 33, 9, 45, § 129; Sen. Q. N. 1, 5: spicarum, Pall. 7, 2: scelerum, Sid. Ep. 6, 1 fin. : concursus in forum populi, Liv. 22, 7, 6.—
3 The public , i. e. the open street (poet.): omnis habet geminas janua frontis, E quibus haec populum spectat; at illa Larem, Ov. F. 1, 136.