pĕlăgus, i (Gr. plur. pelagē, Lucr. 5, 35; 6, 619), n., = πέλαγος,
I the sea (poet. and in post-Aug. prose for Lat. mare): fervit aestu pelagus, Pac. ap. Cic. de Or. 3, 39, 157: pelagus remis petere coeperunt, Auct. B. Hisp. 40: in pelago, Lucr. 4, 432: pelagus tenuere rates, the open sea , the main. Verg. A. 5, 8: pelago Danaūm insidias Praecipitare, id. ib. 2, 36: pelago dare vela patenti, id. G. 2, 41; 1, 142: qui fragilem truci Commisit pelago ratem, Hor. C. 1, 3, 11: pelago terrāque pericula passus, Ov. Tr. 3, 2, 7: lustrare pelagus, Val. Fl. 3, 608; Plin. 9, 10, 12, § 35; Juv. 1, 135; 12, 17: saeviente pelago, Tac. A. 15, 46: vortices pelagi, Just. 4, 1, 13: nantes lubrico pelagi, Val. Max. 3, 2, 10: pelagus Ciliciae, Vulg. Act. 27, 5.— Poet., a mass of water , like the sea: pelago premit arva sonanti, Verg. A. 1, 246.—
II Fig., for an immense mass or extent : quam pauca excepta verba ex pelago sermonis pulli minus trita afferant, the ocean of vulgar language , Varr. L. L. 9, 26, § 33: Herodiani scriptorum pelagus, Prisc. Ep. ad Jul. 4; cf. “a sea of troubles,” Shaksp.