Paetus
a cognomen in many Roman gentes, was indicative, like many other Roman cognomens, of a bodily defect or peculiarity; as for instance,
Capilto, Fronto, Naso, Varus, &c.
It signified a person who had a slight cast in the eye, and is ac cordingly classed by Pliny with the word
Strabo H. N. 11.7. s. 55); but that it did not indicate such a complete distortion of vision as the latter word is clear from Horace, who describes a father calling a son that was
Strabo by the name of
Paetus, when he wished to extenuate the defect (
Sat. 1.3. 45). Indeed, the slight cast implied in the word
Paetus was considered attractive rather than otherwise, and we accordingly find it given as an epithet to Venus. (Ov.
Ar. Am. 2.659; Auctor,
Priapeia, 36).