Lewis & Short

Dĕcĭus, a.

  1. I. An ancient Italian praenomen: Decius Magius, Liv. 23, 7, 10; Vell. 2, 16, 2 al.
  2. II. The name of an eminent plebeian gens at Rome. Its bestknown members were the two Decii (P. Decius Mus, father and son), who, as consuls, voluntarily devoted themselves to death to save their country (the former, in the Latin war, at Veseris, B.C. 340, the latter, in the Samnite war, at Sentinum, B.C. 295), Liv. 8, 9; 10, 27 sq.; Val. Max. 1, 7, 3; 5, 6, 5 sq.; Flor. 1, 14, 3; 1, 17, 7; Cic. Off. 2, 4, 16; id. Div. 1, 24, 51; id. Fin. 2, 19, 61; id. de Sen. 13, 43; Prop. 3, 11, 62 (4, 10, 62 M.).
    Genit.: Deci, id. 4 (5), 1, 45. Cicero also mentions the grandson, who devoted himself at Asculum in the war against Pyrrhus, B.C. 279, Cic. Tusc. 1, 37, 89; id. Fin. 2, 19, 61 fin.
    Hence,
      1. 1. Dĕcius, a, um, adj., of or belonging to Decius, lex, of P. Decius Mus, Liv. 9, 30.
      2. 2. Dĕcĭānus, a, um, of or belonging to Decius: exercitus (i. e. of the second Decius), Liv. 10, 31.
  3. III. An artist at Rome, B.C. 56, Plin. 34, 7, 18, § 44.