I.sumptuous food or dishes (cf.: daps, commissatio, convivium, cena, etc.).
I. Prop. (only in the plur.): “si illi congestae sint epulae,” Plaut. Trin. 2, 4, 70: “mensae conquisitissimis epulis exstruebantur,” Cic. Tusc. 5, 21, 62: “vino et epulis onerati,” Sall. J. 76 fin.; “so opp. vinum,” Liv. 8, 16; 9, 18 Drak.; 23, 18; Nep. Dion. 4, 4 al.; cf. “opp. merum,” Ov. M. 8, 572; “opp. pocula,” Verg. G. 4, 378; id. A. 1, 723: “postquam exempta fames epulis,” id. ib. 1, 216; Ov. M. 8, 829; 15, 82; Plin. 33, 1, 6, § 27 al.—Poet.: “vestis, blattarum ac tinearum epulae,” Hor. S. 2, 3, 119; cf. Verg. A. 6, 599.—
B. Trop.: “oculis epulas dare,” Plaut. Poen. 5, 4, 2: “pars animi saturata bonarum cogitationum epulis,” Cic. Div. 1, 29, 61; cf. “discendi,” id. Top. 4 fin.—
II. In gen., a sumptuous meal, a banquet, feast (in the sing. usually of banquets held on religious festivals or other public occasions, or which were given to a number of persons; cf. 1. epulo, II.).
A. Sing.: “Jovis epulum fuit ludorum causa,” Liv. 25, 2 fin.; cf. id. 27, 36; 31, 4 fin.; 33, 42 fin.; Val. Max. 2, 1, 2; Gell. 12, 8, 2: “funebre,” Cic. Vat. 12 sq.; cf. Liv. 39, 46: “epulum dare,” Cic. Mur. 36; Vell. 2, 56; Tac. H. 1, 76; Hor. S. 2, 3, 86 et saep.; “(with visceratio),” Suet. Caes. 38; cf. the foll. Of a feast in general, Suet. Aug. 98; Juv. 3, 229. —
B. Plur.
1. In gen.: “quae (carmina) in epulis esse cantitata,” Cic. Brut. 19, 75; cf. id. Tusc. 1, 2, 3 sq.; Quint. 1, 10, 20: “in quibusdam neque pecuniae modus est neque honoris, nec epularum,” Cic. Fin. 1, 16, 51: “regis,” id. Rep. 2, 21; Hor. S. 2, 2, 45; cf. * Caes. B. G. 6, 28 fin.: “divum,” Verg. A. 1, 79: “prodigae,” Tac. H. 1, 62: “familiares,” Suet. Ner. 22 et saep.—
2. Esp., less freq. of banquets on religious or public festivals (cf. A.), Cic. Leg. 2, 25, 63; id. Fl. 38, 95; Hor. C. 3, 8, 6; cf. “(with viscerationes),” Cic. Off. 2, 16; Vulg. Esth. 8, 17 al.