Elephas, pe. cor. elephantis, m. g. & Elephantus, elephanti. Pli. Cic.An Oliphant, the greatest of al foure footed beastes, haning his fore legges longer than his hinder, and fiue toes on his feete vndinided: his snoute or nose so long, and m suche forme as it serueth him in sleede of a hande to all vses. Hee hath four teeth on either side to grinde his meate, and withal two mightie tuskes bowing downeward wherewith be sighteth. Of all beasts he is most gentle, tractable, & wittie to vnderstand or be taught any kinde of thing. He neuer toucheth againe the female that he hath once seasoned: winter or colde he may hardly av: de. It is written, that if he meete a man in wildernesse our of any way, gently hee wil goe beefore him, and leade him into the way againe. In battaile he wil carie a man wounded backe into the middes of the armie, that he may be defended & relieued. He liueth 200. yeares: or at the leaste 120. yeares. Vide Plin Solin. Ælianum. Elephanto belluarum nulla prudentior.Cic.Elephantorum acutissimi sensus.Cic.Vires elephantis desyderare.Cic.To with for an Oliphantes strength.Anguimanus elephas. Lucr. An Oliphant hauing his snoute slexible like an elle or snake.Getulus elephas. Luca. Indicus elephas. Martianus. Capel. Elephantus quandoque pro Ebore, siue elephanti dente ponitur.Virg.Iuorie of the Oliphantes tulke.Elephantus candens.Virg.White yuorie.Nigrantes elephanti. Sidonius.
Lewis and Short: Latin dictionary
Ĕlĕphantis, ĭdis (Gr. gen. ĭdos, Mart. 12, 43, 4), f., = *)elefanti/s. I.An island of the Nile, v. Elephantine.—II.The name of a licentious Greek poetess, Suet. Tib. 43; Mart. 12, 43, 4; Plin. 28, 7, 24, 81.
ĕlĕphantus, i, and ĕlĕphās, antis (rarely ĕlĕphans, antis, Plin. 8, 1, 1, 1; Hor. Ep. 2, 1, 196; of the second form the nom. sing., and of the first the oblique cases are most freq.), m. (fem., Plaut. Stich. 1, 3, 14), = e)le/fas, an elephant.—Form elephantus, Plaut. Mil. 1, 1, 25; 30; id. Stich. 1, 3, 14; Ter. Eun. 3, 1, 23; Cic. N. D. 1, 35; 2, 47fin.; id. de Sen. 9, 27; Liv. 44, 41; Plin. 6, 19, 22, 66 et saep. Its tough hide suggests the expression: elephanti corio circumtentus, i. e.
thickheaded
,
stupid
, Plaut. Mil. 2, 2, 80.—Form elephas, Mart. Spect. 17, 1; Luc. 6, 208; 9, 732; acc. elephantem, Sen. Ep. 85, 41; Gr. acc. elephanta, Manil. 5, 706; Mart. Spect. 19, 4; acc. plur. elephantas, Manil. 4, 667; 740.—II.Transf., like the Gr. e)le/fas. A. Form elephantus, ivory, Verg. G. 3, 26; id. A. 3, 464; 6, 896.—B. Form elephas, the elephantiasis, Lucr. 6, 1114; Seren. Samm. 10.—C. Form elephantus, a sea-fish, Plin. 9, 5, 4, 10; 32, 11, 53, 144; 148.