I.gen. pl. and dat. sing. do not occur, but are supplied by epulae, cena, convivium, q. v.), f. stem, dap-, Gr. δαπάνη, expense: cf. δεῖπνον; R. da-, Gr. δαίω, to distribute; Sanscr. dapajami, to cause to divide, a solemn feast for religious purposes, a sacrificial feast (before beginning to till the ground; the Greek προηρόσια, made in honor of some divinity, in memory of departed friends, etc. Thus distinguished from epulae, a meal of any kind: convivium, a meal or feast for company; epulum, a formal or public dinner, v. h. v.).
I. Prop.: “dapem pro bubus piro florente facito... postea dape facta serito milium, panicum, alium, lentim,” Cato R. R. 131 and 132; id. ib. 50 fin.: “pro grege,” an offering for the protection of the flock, Tib. 1, 5, 28; Liv. 1, 7 ad fin.: “ergo obligatam redde Jovi dapem,” Hor. Od. 2, 7, 17: “nunc Saliaribus Ornare pulvinar deorum Tempus erat dapibus,” id. ib. 1, 37, 4: “sollemnis dapes et tristia dona,” Verg. A. 3, 301.
II. Transf. by the poets and post-Augustan prose-writers beyond the sphere of religion, and used of every (esp. rich, sumptuous) meal, a feast, banquet, in the sing. and plur. (in Verg. passim, in Tibul. in this signif. only plur.).—
(α).
Sing.: ne cum tyranno quisquam... eandem vescatur dapem, Att. ap. Non. 415, 25 (v. 217 Ribbeck): quae haec daps est? qui festus dies? Liv. Andr. ap. Prisc. p. 752 P. (transl. of Hom. Od. 1, 225: τίς δαΐς, τίς δὲ ὅμιλος ὅδ̓ ἔπλετο); so Catull. 64, 305; Hor. Od. 4, 4, 12; id. Epod. 5, 33; id. Ep. 1, 17, 51: of a simple, poor meal, Ov. H. 9, 68; 16, 206. Opp. to wine: “nunc dape, nunc posito mensae nituere Lyaeo,” Ov. F. 5, 521; cf. “so in plur.,” id. M. 8, 571; Verg. A. 1, 706.—
(β).
Plur.: Tib. 1, 5, 49; 1, 10, 8; Verg. E. 6, 79; id. G. 4, 133; id. A. 1, 210 et saep.; Hor. Od. 1, 32, 13; id. Epod. 2, 48; Ov. M. 5, 113; 6, 664; Tac. A. 14, 22 et saep.: “humanae,” human excrement, Plin. 17, 9, 6, § 51.
