pŏēta — Lewis & Short
pŏēta, ae (POETES, m., = poihth/s.
Inscr. Orell. 1163),I In gen., a maker, producer (ante-class.):
nec fallaciam Astutiorem ullus fecit poëta,a contriver, trickster, Plaut. Cas. 5, 1, 7:
tu poëta es prorsus ad eam rem unicus,you are just fit for it, id. As. 4, 1, 3.—
II In partic., a poet (class.; syn. vates): visus Homerus adesse poëta, Enn. ap. Cic. Ac. 2, 16, 51 (Ann. v. 6 Vahl.); Cic. de Or. 2, 46, 194:
oratores et poëtae,id. ib. 3, 10, 39:
versificator quam poëta melior,Quint. 10, 1, 89:
pictoribus atque poëtis Quidlibet audendi semper fuit aequa potestas,Hor. A. P. 9:
expectes eadem a summo minimoque poëtā,Juv. 1, 14:
judex absolvit injuriarum eum, qui Lucilium poëtam in scenā nominatim laeserat,Auct. Her. 2, 3, 19: unum (genus deorum) a poëtis traditum, Aug. Civ. Dei, 4, 27 init.