pĕcus, pecŏris, n. [Zend, pacu, cattle; cf. Goth. faihu; Angl.-Sax. feó, cattle; Germ. Vieh; Engl. fee. Fick refers the word to root pag- of pango, etc.], cattle, as a collective, a herd (opp.: pecus, pecudis, a single head of cattle).
I Lit.
A In gen.: bubulum pecus, horned cattle , Varr. R. R. 2, 1, 13; Col. 6, 13, 2: ovile, sheep , id. 1 prooem.: caprile, id. ib.: pecus majus et minus ... de pecore majore, in quo sunt ad tres species naturā discreti, boves, asini, equi, Varr. R. R. 2, 1, 12: equinum, a stud , Verg. G. 3, 72: setigerum pecus, the bristly herd , i. e. the herd of swine , Ov. M. 14, 288: flammatum pecus, the thirsty steeds , Stat. Th. 4, 733: volatile pecus, fowls , hens , Col. 8, 4: ignavum fucos pecus a praesepibus arcent, i. e. the drones , Verg. G. 4, 168.—So of bees, Col. 9, 8, 6.—Of seals: omne cum Proteus pecus egit altos Visere montes, Hor. C. 1, 2, 7; cf. of fish: aquatile, Col. 8, 17, 7.—
B In partic, of sheep, small cattle , a flock : pecori et bubus diligenter substernatur. Scabiem pecori et jumentis caveto (shortly after: frondem substernito ovibus bubusque), Cato R. R. 5, 7: boni pastoris est pecus tondere non deglubere, Tiber. ap. Suet. Tib. 32: balatus pecorum, Verg. G. 3, 554; Plin. 8, 47, 72, § 187.—
II Transf.
A Of a single animal: inque pecus magnae subito vertare parentis = pecudem, the young lion , Ov. Ib. 459; Mos. et Rom. Leg. Coll. 6, 7, 9.—In late and eccl. Lat. the distinction between pecus, f., and pecus, n., nearly disappears, and the latter is found in all senses of the words; cf. Vulg. Lev. 20, 15; id. 2 Par. 14, 15; id. Isa. 66, 3.—
B Contemptuously, or as a term of abuse, of persons, cattle : mutum et turpe pecus, Hor. S. 1, 3, 100: o imitatores, servum pecus, id. Ep. 1, 19, 19: simul ite, Dindymenae dominae vaga pecora, Cat. 63, 13: sed venale pecus Corythae posteritas, Juv. 8, 62.