gens (φῦλον, the most comprehensive term): natio (ἐθνος, a people of the gens): populus (δῆμος, the inhabitants a place, considered with regard to their social and political relations). ☞ A civilized natio sometimes forms part of a natural gens; sometimes gens, politically, forms part of a populus. ☞ Gens and natio are often used promiscuously by Roman writers: we find, also, (The words are found in this connection and order.) gentes nationesque; populi nationesque; populi et gentes. ☞ In the historical style we often find nomen for gens or populus; i. e., nomen Romanum, Latinum. Gens is rarely combined with nomen. A foreign nation, populus externus; gens, natio, extera (Cic.): an ancient nation, gens antiqua: a great, powerful nation, populus magnus, opulentus, potens: a warlike nation, gens bellicosa, fera, fortis; populus fortis: a free nation, populus invictus, liber.