Charlton T. Lewis, Charles Short, A Latin Dictionary

I.gen. plur. equūm, Verg. G. 2, 542; Stat. Th. 4, 409 al.), m. Sanscr. acvas; Gr. ἵππος (ἴκκος); cf. Epŏna; root, ak-, to be sharp or swift; cf. Gr. ἄκρος, ὠκύς; Lat. acus, ocior, a horse, steed, charger.

I. Prop.

A. In gen. (cf.: “caballus, canterius, mannus),” Varr. R. R. 2, 7; Col. 6, 27 sq.; Plin. 8, 42, 64, § 154 sq.; Pall. Mart. 13; Enn. ap. Cic. de Sen. 5, 14 (Ann. v. 441 ed. Vahlen); Plaut. Bacch. 1, 1, 39; id. Men. 5, 2, 109; Cic. Rep. 1, 43; 1, 7, 9 et saep.: “equus = equa,” Varr. R. R. 2, 7, 11.—Offered as a sacrifice to Mars, Paul. ex Fest. p. 81, 16, and p. 178, 24 sq. Müll.; cf. Prop. 4 (5), 1, 20; and v. October: EQVO PVBLICO ORNATVS, EXORNATVS, HONORATVS, etc.; or, ellipt., EQVO PVBLICO, very often in inscriptions; v. Inscr. Momms. 73; 459; 445; 1952; 2456; “2865 al.—In another sense: equi publici,” post-horses, Amm. 14, 6.—Equo vehi, advehi, ire, desilire, equum conscendere, flectere, in equum ascendere, equo citato, concitato, etc., see under these verbs.—

B. In partic.

1. Of cavalry, in the phrase, equis virisque (viri = pedites; cf. eques and vir), adverb., with horse and foot, i. e. with might and main, with tooth and nail, Liv. 5, 37; Flor. 2, 7, 8; “also: equis, viris,” Cic. Phil. 8, 7, 21; id. Fam. 9, 7; cf. Nep. Hamilc. 4; “and in the order, viris equisque,” Cic. Off. 3, 33.—

2. Transf., of race-horses: “ego cursu corrigam tarditatem tum equis, tum vero, quoniam scribis poëma ab eo nostrum probari, quadrigis poeticis,” i. e. in prose and poetry, Cic. Q. Fr. 2, 15, a (see the passage in connection).—

C. Transf.

1. In plur. (like ἵπποι in Homer), a chariot, Verg. A. 9, 777.—

2. The wind, Cat. 66, 54; Val. Fl. 1, 611.—

3. In mal. part., Hor. S. 2, 7, 50; Petr. 24, 4; App. M. 2, p. 122; Mart. 11, 104, 14.—

D. Prov.: equi donati dentes non inspiciuntur, we don't look a gift horse in the mouth, Hier. Ep. ad Ephes. prooem.—

II. Meton.

A. Equus bipes, a sea-horse, Verg. G. 4, 389; “Auct. Pervig. Ven. 10: fluviatilis,” a river-horse, hippopotamus, Plin. 8, 21, 30, § 73.—

B. Equus ligneus, like the Homeric ἁλὸς ἵππος, a ship, Plaut. Rud. 1, 5, 10.—

C. The Trojan horse, Verg. A. 2, 112 sq.; Hyg. Fab. 108; Plaut. Bacch. 4, 9, 12; Prop. 3 (4), 1, 25; Hor. C. 4, 6, 13 al.— *

2. Trop., of a secret conspiracy, Cic. Mur. 37, 78.—

D. A battering-ram, because shaped like a horse; “afterwards called aries,” Plin. 7, 56, 57, § 202.—

E. The constellation Pegasus, Cic. N. D. 2, 43, 111 sq.; Col. 11, 2, 31; Hyg. Astr. 2, 18; 3, 17.—

F. Equus Trojanus, the title of a play of Livius Andronicus, Cic. Fam. 7, 1, 2 al.