heavy amercement

multa ( mulcta), ae, f. [Sabine, acc. to Varr. ap. Gell. 11, 1, 5; Oscan, acc. to Paul. ex Fest. p. 142 Müll.], a penalty involving loss of property, a fine, amercement, mulct; in the most ancient times riches consisted only in the possession of flocks and herds; it accordingly signified, at first, a fine in cattle; but in later times, when money was the measure of wealth, it signified a pecuniary fine (whereas poena denotes a punishment of any kind, e. g. corporal punishment, imprisonment, capital punishment):

vocabulum ipsum multae M. Varro non Latinum, sed Sabinum esse dicit,

Gell. 11, 1, 5: multam Osce dici putant poenam quidam. M. Varro ait poenam esse, sed pecuniariam, Paul. ex Fest. p. 142 Mull.:

cum pecore diceretur multa,

Varr. L. L. 5, § 95 Müll. The highest penalty in the earliest times was thirty head of cattle, the lowest a sheep, in specifying which the word ovis is used as of the masculine gender: ego ei unum ovem multam dico, I condemn him to pay, fine him, a legal formula ap. Gell. 11, 1, 4:

multae dictio ovium et bovium,

Cic. Rep. 2, 9, 16.—Later, of a pecuniary fine:

multa praesens quingentum milium aeris in singulas civitates imposita,

Liv. 10, 37:

multam alicui dicere,

to decree, award, Cic. Phil. 11, 8, 18:

indicere,

Plin. 18, 3, 3, § 11:

subire,

Ov. F. 5, 289:

committere,

to deserve, incur, Cic. Clu. 37, 103:

exigere,

Varr. L. L. 5, § 177 Müll.:

remittere,

Cic. Phil. 11, 8, 18:

irrogare (of the plaintiff, or people's tribune),

to propose that the accused be fined a certain sum, id. Mil. 14, 36; so,

petere,

id. Clu. 33, 91:

aliquem multā et poenā multare,

id. Balb. 18, 42:

multam alicui facere,

Gell. 7, 14, 8: certare, to contend on both sides whether or not the proposed fine should be paid:

duo tribuni plebis ducentum milium aeris multam M. Postumio dixerunt: cui certandae cum dies advenisset,

Liv. 25, 3:

multae certatio,

Cic. Leg. 8, 3, 6:

multa erat Veneri,

for the benefit of Venus, id. Verr. 2, 2, 9, § 25:

multa gravis praedibus Valerianis,

a heavy loss, great damage, id. Fam. 5, 20, 4.—

In gen., a penalty:

singulos jure jurando adigam non aliter quam stantes cibum capturos esse... hanc multam feretis, etc.,

Liv. 24, 16, 13:

haec ei multa esto: vino viginti dies Ut careat,

Plaut. As. 4, 1, 55.

multa, adj. fem., v. multus.