Lewis & Short

Ennĭus, i, m.

  1. I. Q. Ennius, the most celebrated Roman poet of the ante-class. period, the father of Roman epic poetry, born at Rudiae, in Calabria, 515, died 585 A. U. C.; Ter. And. prol. 18; Cic. Brut. 18, 73 sq.; Hor. Ep. 2, 1, 50.
    Cf. respecting him, Teuffel’s Gesch. der Röm. Lit. p. 157 sq., Bernhardy’s Grundriss der Röm. Lit. pp. 188 sq., 360 sq., and the authorities cited by both.
    1. B. Derivv.
      1. 1. Ennĭā-nus, a, um, adj., Ennian: versus, Sen. Ep. 108; cf. Gell. 12, 2, 7: distichon, Mart. Cap. 1, § 42: Neoptolemus, id. 5, 15 fin.: populus, the admirers of Ennius’s poetry, Sen. ap. Gell. 12, 2, 10.
      2. 2. Ennĭānista, ae, m., an imitator of Ennius, Auct. ap. Gell. 8, 5, 3.
  2. II. L. Ennius, a Roman knight, Tac. A. 3, 70.