pĕcu (dat. pecui, Lucil. ap. Gell. infra; plur.: pecua, pecuda; gen. pecuum, Cato ap. Gell. 7, 3, 37: pecubus, Lucr. 6, 1132), n. [v. pecus],
I cattle , esp. the larger kinds (mostly ante-class.): pastor harum dormit, quom eunt sic a pecu palitantes, the flock , Plaut. Bacch. 5, 2, 5: ne balant quidem, quom a pecu cetero apsunt, id. ib. 5, 2, 20: luna muribus fibras Et pecui addit, Lucil. ap. Gell. 20, 8, 4.—In plur.: pastores pecuaque salva servassis, an old formula of prayer in Cato R. R. 141, 3: homines, pecua beluasque, Naev. ap. Non. 159, 6; so Att. ib. 9; Varr. R. R. 2, 1, 3; Liv. 35, 21, 6: (asinus) non generatur in Ponto, nec aequinoctio verno, ut cetera pecua admittitur, Plin. 8, 43, 68, § 167: pecua ruri pascere, Plaut. Merc. 3, 1, 11.—
II Transf.
A Plur. : pecua, the places where cattle are kept , pastures , etc.: cum hostium copiae non longe absunt, pecua relinquuntur, agri cultura deseritur, Cic. Imp. Pomp. 6, 15 Halm ad loc.: Italia contremuit, statim pecua agrique deserta, Claud. Mam. Or. 2, 10.—
B Money (cf. pecunia): pecua in cruminā defero, Plaut. Truc. 5, 64: pecuum, Cato ap. Paul. ex Fest. p. 246 Müll.: greges pecuum, Host. ap. Prisc. p. 719 P.—
C Pecu squamosum, i. e. fish , Plaut. Rud. 4, 3, 5 (but in Lucr. 6, 1132, the correct read. is pigris balantibus; v. Lachm. ad h. l.).