I.that does any thing for reward or pay; hired for money, wages, or pay; paid, hired, mercenary (opp. to gratuitus, without pay, gratuitous).
I. Adj.
A. Of persons: “comes,” Cic. Pis. 21, 49: “miles,” Liv. 24, 49: “testes,” hired, bribed, Cic. Fam. 3, 11, 3: “praetor,” Cic. Verr. 2, 5, 21, § 54.—
B. Of inanim. and abstr. things: “mercenaria arma,” Liv. 30, 8: “liberalitas gratuitane est, an mercenaria?” Cic. Leg. 1, 18, 48: “ancilla mercenariae stipis,” Plin. 10, 63, 83, § 172: vincla, his hireling fetters, i. e. his salaried office of praeco, which kept him confined, Hor. Ep. 1, 7, 67. —
II. Subst.: mercēnārĭus , ii, m., a hireling, hired servant: “tuus mercenarius,” Plaut. Poen. 2, 1, 55: “non male praecipiunt, qui ita jubent uti servis, ut mercenariis,” Cic. Off. 1, 13, 41: “illiberales et sordidi quaestus mercenariorum,” id. ib. 1, 42, 150: “Oppionici,” id. Clu. 59, 163: “servus perpetuus mercenarius est,” i. e. eye-server, Sen. Ben. 3, 22, 1.
