Fred Shapiro's "Penis"

Sun Aug 11 04:37:07 UTC 2002

"Penis" in the following quotations is, I believe, the ablative plural of
"poena" (as it is more commonly spelled in classical Latin).

Phil Cleary

<Hoccleve, Thomas, c. 1366-1426
   THE REGEMENT OF PRINCES
   ...Adulterium secundum locum habet in penis.

Audelay, John, fl. 1426
   THE POEMS

   ...crucem tuam, libera me de penis inferne et perducere me digneris...

Dunbar, William, 1460?-1520?
   WE THAT AR HEIR IN HEVINS GLORY
   ...villam de Stirling versantes A penis et tistitijs eiusdem, Et ad...>