better versed in the Carthaginian tongue

Poeni, ōrum, m., the Phœnicians, i. e. the Carthaginians (descended from the Phœnicians): Poeni stipendia pendunt, Enn. ap. Varr. L. L. 5, § 182 Müll. (Ann. v. 269 Vahl.); id. ap. Fest. p. 249 ib. (Ann. v. 278 Vahl.); Cic. Rep. 2, 4, 9:

Poeni foedifragi,

id. Off. 1, 12, 38:

Poenorum crudelitas,

id. N. D. 3, 32, 80:

ponuntque ferocia Poeni Corda,

Verg. A. 1, 302.— Gen. plur.:

Poenūm,

Sil. 7, 714; 17, 311.—In sing.: Poenus, i, m., a Carthaginian: Poenus plane est, he is a true Carthaginian, i. e. full of cunning, trickish, Plaut. Poen. prol. 113.—Pregn., for Hannibal, Cic. de Or. 2, 18, 77.—Collectively:

si uterque Poenus Serviat uni,

i.e. Carthaginians in Africa and Spain, Hor. C. 2, 2, 11.—Hence,

Poenus, a, um, adj., Punic, Carthaginian ( poet.):

leones,

Verg. E. 5, 27:

columnae,

Prop. 2, 23 (3, 29), 3:

sermo,

Stat. S. 4, 5, 45:

vis saeva,

Sil. 6, 338:

miles,

Juv. 10, 155.— Comp.:

est nullus me hodie Poenus Poenior,

better versed in the Carthaginian tongue, Plaut. Poen. 5, 2, 31.—

Pūnĭ-cus ( Poen-), a, um, adj., Punic, Carthaginian (the classical form):

CLASEIS. POENICAS OM(nes devicit), Inscr. Column. Rostr.: regna,

Verg. A. 1, 338:

lingua,

Plin. 4, 22, 36, § 120:

litterae,

Cic. Verr. 2, 4, 46, § 103:

laterna,

Plaut. Aul. 3, 6, 30: bellum primum, secundum, tertium, Cic. [p. 1391] Off. 1, 13, 39; id. Brut. 14, 57; id. Verr. 2, 4, 33, § 73: fides, i. e. bad faith, perfidy, treachery (because the Romans considered the Carthaginians perfidious), Sall. J. 108, 3; cf. Liv. 21, 4 fin.; 42, 47; Flor. 2, 2, 6 and 17; Val. Max. 7, 4, ext. 4; so,

ars,

Liv. 25, 39: Punicum malum, or simply Punicum, i, n., a pomegranate, Plin. 13, 19, 34, § 112; 15, 11, 11, § 39; 15, 28, 34, § 112 et saep.: arbos, i. e. a pomegranate-tree, Col. poët. 10, 243:

cera,

exceedingly white, Plin. 21, 14, 49, § 83.—

Poet., transf., of the Phœnician color, purple color, purple-red:

punicarum rostra columbarum,

Prop. 3, 3 (4, 2), 32:

rostra psittaci,

Ov. Am. 2, 6, 22: punico Lugubre mutavit sagum, Hor Epod. 9, 27.—Hence, adv.: Pūnĭcē ( Poen-), in the Punic or Carthaginian manner or language:

adibo hosce atque appellabo Punice,

Plaut. Poen. 5, 2, 22:

loqui,

in Punic, id. ib. 5, 2, 23:

salutare,

id. ib. 5, 2, 40.