I. Lit.: the ham of the knee, the hough (cf. suffrago): “genua poplitesque et crura,” Col. 6, 12, 3: “succisis feminibus poplitibusque,” Liv. 22, 51, 7: “succiso poplite,” Verg. A. 9, 762; cf. Liv. 22, 48, 4; Hor. C. 3, 2, 16: “elephas poplites intus flectit hominis modo,” Plin. 11, 45, 101, § 248; 28, 6, 17, § 59.—
II. Transf., in gen., the knee, Luc. 9, 771; Lucr. 4, 953: “duplicato poplite,” i. e. with bended knee, Verg. A. 12, 927: “se collegit in arma poplite subsidens,” id. ib. 12, 492: “contento poplite,” with a stiff knee, Hor. S. 2, 7, 97: “nec parcit imbellis juventae Poplitibus,” id. C. 3, 2, 16: “poplitibus semet excipit,” he sank down upon his knees, Curt. 6, 1: “flexo poplite,” Vulg. Judic. 7, 6.
