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Puʹnic Faith

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Treachery, violation of faith. “Punic faith” is about equal to “Spanish honesty.” The Puni (a corruption of Pœni) were accused by the Romans of breaking faith with them, a most extraordinary instance of the “pot calling the kettle black;” for whatever infidelity the Carthaginians were guilty of, it could scarcely equal that of their accusers.

The Roman Pœni is the word Phœni (Phœnicians), the Carthaginians being of Phœnician descent.

“Our Punic faith


Is infamous, and branded to a proverb.”


Addison: Cato, ii.

 

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Entry taken from Dictionary of Phrase and Fable, edited by the Rev. E. Cobham Brewer, LL.D. and revised in 1895.

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Pumpernickel
Pun
Pun and Pickpocket
Punch
Punch
Punctual
Punctuality
Punctuation
Pundit
Punic Apple
Punic Faith
Punish a Bottle (To)
Punjab [five rivers]
Pup
Purbeck (Dorsetshire)
Purgatory
Puritani (I)
Puritans
Purkinge’s Figures
Purler (A)
Purlieu

See Also:

Punic Faith