Lewis & Short

Parsing inflected forms may not always work as expected. If the following does not give the correct word, try Latin Words or Perseus.

plēbes, is and ĕi, v. plebs.

plebs (in inscriptions often PLEPS), -bis, and archaic plēbēs (‡ plēbis), is and ĕi (plebium, Prud. στεφ. 10, 709: plebibus, Aug. Ep. 166), f. [root ple-, fill; whence Gr. πίμπλημι, πλήρης; cf. πλῆ θος, multitude].

  1. I. Lit., the common people, the commons or commonalty, the plebeians (opp. the patricians, senators, and knights; whereas populus signifies the collective people, including, therefore, the Senate), Cic. Leg. 3, 3, 10: plebes in hoc regi antistat loco, licet Lacrumare plebi, regi honeste non licet, Enn. ap. Hier. Epit. Nep. p. 590 Mign. (Trag. v. 271 Vahl.): plebs a populo eo differt quo species a genere: nam appellatione populi universi cives significantur, connumeratis etiam patriciis et senatoribus: plebis autem appellatione sine patribus et senatu ceteri cives significantur, Just. Inst. 1, 2, 4; cf. Gai. Inst. 1, 3: plebes dominandi studio permota a patribus secessit, Sall. C. 33, 3: ita tribuni plebei creati duo, Liv. 2, 33, 2: dum decem tribunos plebi faceret, id. 3, 65, 4: non enim populi, sed plebis eum (sc.: tribunum plebis) magistratum esse, Liv. 2, 56: populo plebique Romanae, Cic. Mur. 1, 1: in duas partes ego civitatem divisam arbitror in patres, et plebem, Sall. Or. ad Caes. 2, 5; Liv. 2, 56: Martia Roma triplex equitatu, plebe, senatu, Aus. Idyll. 11, 78.
  2. II. Transf., in gen.
    1. A. The great mass, the multitude: in Hyrcaniā, plebs publicos alit canes, optimates domesticos, Cic. Tusc. 1, 45, 108: plebem et infimam multitudinem delinire, id. Mil. 35, 95.
    2. B. With accessory notion of contempt, the populace, the lower class or order, the mass (poet. and in post-Aug. prose): multitudo de plebe, Liv. 5, 39: si quadringentis sex septem millia desunt, Plebs eris, you shall be plebeian, Hor. Ep. 1, 1, 59: misera, id. S. 1, 8, 10: ventosa, id. Ep. 1, 19, 37: immensa nimiaque, Juv. 11, 194.
      Among the gods: plebs Superūm, Fauni, Satyrique, Laresque, Fluminaque, et Nymphae, Semideūmque genus, Ov. Ib. 81.
      Of bees, a stock, swarm, hive (meaning the great mass, opp. to the queen); in plur. (rare): tres alveorum plebes, Col. 9, 11, 1: corona plebium, Prud. στεφ. 10, 709.
    3. C. The whole people, nation, community, = populus (late Lat.), Vulg. Gen. 23, 13: plebs tua Israel, id. Luc. 2, 32 et saep.