1. Phoenīcē, ēs (Phoenīca, Cic. Fin. 4, 20, 56, v. Madv. ad loc.; Poenīcē, Vulg. 2 Macc. 4, 22 al.), f., = Φοινίκη, Phœnicia, a country of Syria, especially celebrated for the purple which came from there; its principal cities were Tyre and Sidon, Mel. 1, 12; Plin. 5, 12, 13, § 66; 5, 19, 17, § 75; 36, 26, 65, § 190; Cic. Ac. 2, 20, 66; id. Phil. 11, 13, 35; id. Fin. 4, 20, 56.
Called also Phoenīcĭa, ae, f., Mart. Cap. 6, §§ 678, 680; Serv. Verg. A. 1, 446; 3, 88.
- 2. A small island in the Ægean Sea, otherwise called Ios, Plin. 4, 12, 23, § 69.
- 3. A town of Epirus, Liv. 29, 12.
- 4. Vid. phoenicea.
Hence,
- A. Phoenīces, um, m., the Phœnicians, celebrated as the earliest navigators and as founders of many colonies, especially of Carthage, Mel. 1, 12; Plin. 5, 12, 13, § 67; Cic. N. D. 2, 41, 106; Luc. 3, 220; Tac. A. 11, 14.
In sing.: Phoenix, a Phœnician, Cadmus, Plin. 7, 56, 57, § 197.
- 2. Transf., the Carthaginians, Sil. 13, 730; in sing., a Carthaginian, id. 16, 25.
Adj., Phœnician: elate, Plin. 29, 3, 13, § 56.
- B. phoenī-cĕus (poenī-, foenī-), a, um, adj., = φοινίκεος, purple-red: aut phoeniceum florem habet aut purpureum, aut lacteum, Plin. 21, 23, 94, § 164; cf. Gell. 2, 26, 9: poeniceas vestes, Ov. M. 12, 104: poeniceum corium, i. e. made purple-red with blows, Plaut. Ps. 1, 2, 92.
- C. Phoenīcĭus, a, um, adj., Phœnician: mare, Plin. 5, 12, 13, § 67.
- D. Phoenissus, a, um, adj., Phœnician: Dido, Verg. A. 1, 670: exsul, i. e. Anna, Ov. F. 3, 595: Tyros, id. M. 15, 288.
As subst.: Phoenissa, ae, f.: Dido, Verg. A. 1, 714.
Plur.: Phoenissae, the Phœnician women, the name of a tragedy by Euripides; also of one by Seneca.
- 2. Transf.
- a. Theban, because Cadmus was a Phœnician: cohors, Stat. Theb. 9, 527.
- b. Carthaginian: classis, Sil. 7, 409: juventa, id. 17, 632.
In neutr. plur.: Phoenissa agmina, Sil. 17, 174.
Subst.: Phoenissa, ae, f., Carthage, Sil. 6, 312.
- E. Phoenīcĭas, ae, m., the south-south-east wind, Plin. 2, 47, 46, § 120.