plebs

consulum utique alter ex plebe creatur
at least one consul is elected from the plebeians

plēbs (plēbēs), is (ēī and ī), f.: the multitude, throng, 9.343; mass, common people.

plebs (in inscriptions often PLEPS), -bis, and archaic plēbēs (‡ plēbis), is and ĕi (plebium, Prud. στεφ. 10, 709: plebibus, Aug. Ep. 166), f. [root ple-, fill; whence Gr. πίμπλημι, πλήρης; cf. πλῆ θος, multitude].

• I Lit., the common people, the commons or commonalty, the plebeians (opp. the patricians, senators, and knights; whereas populus signifies the collective people, including, therefore, the Senate), Cic. Leg. 3, 3, 10: plebes in hoc regi antistat loco, licet Lacrumare plebi, regi honeste non licet, Enn. ap. Hier. Epit. Nep. p. 590 Mign. (Trag. v. 271 Vahl.): plebs a populo eo differt quo species a genere: nam appellatione populi universi cives significantur, connumeratis etiam patriciis et senatoribus: plebis autem appellatione sine patribus et senatu ceteri cives significantur, Just. Inst. 1, 2, 4; cf. Gai. Inst. 1, 3: plebes dominandi studio permota a patribus secessit, Sall. C. 33, 3: ita tribuni plebei creati duo, Liv. 2, 33, 2: dum decem tribunos plebi faceret, id. 3, 65, 4: non enim populi, sed plebis eum (sc.: tribunum plebis) magistratum esse, Liv. 2, 56: populo plebique Romanae, Cic. Mur. 1, 1: in duas partes ego civitatem divisam arbitror in patres, et plebem, Sall. Or. ad Caes. 2, 5; Liv. 2, 56: Martia Roma triplex equitatu, plebe, senatu, Aus. Idyll. 11, 78.—
• II Transf., in gen.
• • A The great mass, the multitude: in Hyrcaniā, plebs publicos alit canes, optimates domesticos, Cic. Tusc. 1, 45, 108: plebem et infimam multitudinem delinire, id. Mil. 35, 95.—
  • B With accessory notion of contempt, the populace, the lower class or order, the mass (poet. and in post-Aug. prose): multitudo de plebe, Liv. 5, 39: si quadringentis sex septem millia desunt, Plebs eris, you shall be plebeian, Hor. Ep. 1, 1, 59: misera, id. S. 1, 8, 10: ventosa, id. Ep. 1, 19, 37: immensa nimiaque, Juv. 11, 194.—Among the gods: plebs Superūm, Fauni, Satyrique, Laresque, Fluminaque, et Nymphae, Semideūmque genus, Ov. Ib. 81.—Of bees, a stock, swarm, hive (meaning the great mass, opp. to the queen); in plur. (rare): tres alveorum plebes, Col. 9, 11, 1: corona plebium, Prud. στεφ. 10, 709.—
  • C The whole people, nation, community, = populus (late Lat.), Vulg. Gen. 23, 13: plebs tua Israel, id. Luc. 2, 32 et saep.

plēbs, plēbis, f. (plēre, πληθος), die Volksmenge, dah. I) der Bürgerstand, die Bürgerlichen, das Volk, die Plebejer (Ggstz. patricii, patres, senatus, während populus auch diese umfaßt), Cic.: dictator de plebe dictus, Liv.: consulem de plebe non accipiebat, Cic.: Plur., Apul. de dogm. Plat. 2, 24. Augustin. epist. 105, 1: urbanae et rusticae plebes, Lact. de mort. pers. 23, 2: corona plebium, Prud. perist. 10, 709. – II) übtr., der große Haufe, die Menge, das Volk, die geringere (arme) Klasse, die Armen (Ggstz. divites), verächtl. der Pöbel (Ggstz. optimates), Cic. u.a.: verb. plebs et infima multitudo, Cic. – plebs eris, du bleibst Pöbel, Hor. – plebs deorum, die niedere Götterschar, Ov. u. Mart.: u. so plebs superûm, Fauni Satyrique etc., Ov.: legentium plebs, die gewöhnlichen Leser, Macr. – tres alveorum plebes in unum contribuere, drei Stöcke vereinigen, Colum. 9, 11, 1. – ➳ In Inschr. sehr oft pleps, zB. Corp. inscr. Lat. 2, 34 u. 53; 3, 2920; 5, 331 u. ö.

plebs, pleps [CL] 1 general body of citizens at Rome (as dist. from patricians). populus ‥ Romanus in quinque ordines erat distinctus, erant enim patres conscripti, senatores, ordinarii, equites, plebs Holcot Wisd. 4. 2 common people, populace; b (as dist. from nobility); c (dist. as low). plebs epulare casam villae tunc venit in unam Alcuin SS Ebor 343; Sceva et Ollo ‥ pueri de plebe, adepta simul modica substancia Map NC IV 16 f. 57v; eum ‥ qui multitudini preest plebi subjecte ‥ condescendere Gir. PI I 2; s1376 fecerunt tantam karistiam ‥ quod vix potuit vivere plebs communis Chr. Angl. 79.  b rex Eduini cum cunctis gentis suae nobilibus ac plebe perplurima Bede HE II 14; ipse rex et plurimi de plebe sive optimatibus Ib. III 30; posuit te Dominus, ut sis principibus ad correctionem, plebibus ad eruditionem P. Blois Ep. 15. 52B.  c contraduxit suum testimonium de villanis et vili plebe DB I 44vb; plebs, A. rascayl of folke WW. 3 multitude of persons, people: a (w. ref. to ethnicity or nationality); b (Jewish); c (Christian); d (w. ref. to Os. ii 24). a 722 ad praedicandum plebibus Germaniae gentis (Lit. Papae) Ep. Bonif. 20; 956 Angul Saxorum basileus ceterarumque plebium hinc inde habitantium CS 962; hujusque perniciosi capitis factum est exitio ut et pleps mea ab infausta pernitie sit immunis et libera et tota Dacia ab homicidii liberetur offensa Osb. Clar. V. Ed. Conf. 5 p. 76; 1237 innumerabilis plebs Rusie (v. Bulgarus 1).  b librum Esaiae prophetae in medio synagogae in aures plevi[s] aperuit, legit Theod. Laterc. 19; s1290 a venerabili rege E. effugatur a regione Anglicana tota multitudo plebis Judeorum Ann. Exon. 16.  c ascendit Christus ad Patrem et descendit Spiritus Sanctus ad ~em Theod. Laterc. 22; plebem Christi verbo salutis instruere Bede HE II 14 p. 115; cum nova Dei plebe Ib. V 19 p. 326; a812 quod illi hic et ibi juste plebi Dei praedicaverunt CS 333; audi, pleps inclita, quo modo sit vocatus ad fidem Christi protomartyr hic Stephanus Trop. Wint. p. 7; visitabit Dominus iniquitatem plebis sue Ailr. Ed. Conf. 768B; novelle / plebis legis Garl. Myst. Eccl. 490; s1229 Dominus noster Jesus Christus ‥ visitans misericorditer plebem suam, civitatem sanctam Jerusalem ‥ restituit Fretherico M. Par. Maj. III 172.  d [Deus] vocans non plebem suam plebem suam, et non dilectam dilectam, et non misericordiam consecutam misericordiam consecutam Ailr. Nin. 6. 4 laity. 673 ut [episcopus] ‥ contentus sit gubernatione creditae sibi plebis (Syn.) Bede HE IV 5 p. 216; s1119 principum diversarum provinciarum concursus cum numerosa clericorum ac plebum [J. Worc. 14: plebium] multitudine Eadmer HN 305; admonendi sunt ‥ ministri Christi ‥ ut plebs eis commissa ‥ gratanter eis obediat Gir. GE I 7 p. 22; questio levite patet ignorantia plebis Garl. Myst. Eccl. 127; oportere te esse ‥ cleri ordinatorem, plebum pastorem Ad. Marsh Ep. 1 p. 78. 5 parish. illas quinque plebes, viz. Guoher, Chedueli, Cantrebacham, Estrat eu, Erchin, infra Landavensis episcopatus terminos contineri Lib. Landav. 46; 1156 plebem Sancte Marie in Serra cum omnibus pertinentiis suis Hadrian IV 96. 1462B.

plēbs, (6) bis, f. , ¶ 1 la plèbe, les plébéiens [oppos. aux patriciens] : Cic. Leg. 3, 10 ¶ 2 [rare] le bas peuple, le menu peuple, les classes inférieures, la populace, le vulgaire : Cic. Mil. 95 ; Hor. S. 1, 8, 10 ; Juv. 11, 194 ; superum [gén. pl.] Ov. Ib. 81, les demi-dieux || [en parl. des abeilles] foule, essaim : pl., Col. Rust. 9, 11, 1 || v. plebes.

plebs , ebis. f.
庶民。市井人。平民。— Superum 諸次等之神。— eris 汝將列庶民。

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plēbs (-bis) plēbis, or plēbēs, ēī (ei) or ī, f

• PLE-, the common people, commons, commonalty, plebeians, folk: plebem facio meam, win to my support, T.: nisi quod populus plebesve sanxit: plebei scitum, a decree of the commons: plebi contra patres concitatio: tribunum plebi creare, L.: plebis libertas: iucunda res plebei: dominandi studio permota, S.: cum plebe agere.—The great mass, multitude: in Hyrcaniā (opp. optimates).— The populace, lower class, mass, vulgar: multitudo de plebe, L.: multa sine nomine, V.: Plebs eris, you shall be plebeian, H.: Immensa nimiaque, Iu.: (deorum), the lower ranks, O.: superūm, O.

Plebs, Plebes

A part of the population of Rome, which derived its origin mainly from the conquered Latins settled on Roman territory by the kings Tullus Hostilius and Ancus Martius. At first these possessed only the passive rights of citizenship, being excluded from all its privileges as well as from service in war, and forming a community sharply separated from the old citizens, the patricians. In particular, they did not possess the right of concluding valid marriages with patricians, although they were otherwise equal in matters of private law. When, by the constitution of Servius Tullius, they were compelled to serve in war and to pay war-taxes, they obtained the right of voting with the patricians in the Comitia Centuriata. After the establishment of the Republic in B.C. 510, the plebeians began the struggle with the patricians, who were then in sole possession of the secular and priestly offices. The aim of the plebeians was to secure complete equality of rights, answering to their equality of duties. An important engine in this struggle was the tribunate of the people (see tribuni plebis) established in 491, as well as the Comitia Tributa. (See comitia.) The plebeians had the chief weight in that assembly, and after B.C. 448 it was invested with the right of passing decrees binding on the whole people. Among their first acquisitions was the right of entering into valid marriages with the patricians (B.C. 445). One after another, the plebeians gained admittance to the most important offices of State and the priesthoods, down to the year 300, so that only insignificant offices remained reserved for the patricians. (See patricii.) When the struggle of the orders was thus settled, the opposition between patricians and plebeians lost its practical importance. The two orders were completely blended together, and the place of the aristocracy of birth was taken by the aristocracy of office, the members of which were called nobiles (q. v.). From this time the name plebs passed to the lower ranks of the people, as contrasted with this nobler class. See Mommsen, Römische Forschungen, vol. i., and id. Röm. Staatsrecht, vol. iii.