I.irreg. acc. mercem, Claud. 6; Cons. Hon. 578), f. mereo, what is deserved or earned; hence, hire, pay, wages, salary, fee, reward, etc. (syn.: pretium, stipendium; class.).
I. Lit.: “manuum mercede inopiam tolerare,” the wages of manual labor, Sall. C. 37, 7: “ne ars tanta abduceretur ad mercedem atque quaestum,” Cic. Div. 1, 41, 92: “operae,” Cic. Verr. 2, 1, 56, § 147: “veterum officiorum,” Juv. 5, 13: “uti ab Arvernis Sequanisque Germani mercede arcesserentur,” Caes. B. G. 1, 31: “haec merces erat dialecticorum,” fee, Cic. Ac. 2, 30, 98: “Apollonius cum mercede doceret,” id. de Or. 1, 28, 126: “mercedibus scenicorum recisis,” the players' salaries, Suet. Tib. 34: “poscere mercedes,” to work for hire, Juv. 8, 246: “sarcienda vestimenta mercede certa accipere,” Gai. Inst. 3, 205.—Prov.: “dignus est operarius mercede suo,” Vulg. Luc. 10, 7.—
B. In partic., in a bad sense, an unrighteous reward, a bribe: “pretio atque mercede minuere majestatem rei publicae,” Cic. Verr. 2, 5, 20, § 50: “magnā mercede pacisci cum aliquo, ut,” Liv. 25, 33: mercedem accipere ab aliquo, Cic. Rosc. Am. 29, 80: “lingua adstricta mercede,” tied with a bribe, id. Pis. 13, 30: “iniquitatis,” Vulg. 2 Pet. 2, 13.—
II. Transf.
A. A price for any thing, reward, wages; recompense, punishment; cost, injury, detriment; a stipulation, condition, etc.: “mercedem alicujus rei constituere,” Cic. Verr. 2, 5, 51, § 134: “alicui proponere,” id. Q. Fr. 3, 3, 4: “alicui rei imponere,” Juv. 7, 149: “exigere ab aliquo,” Cic. Lael. 21, 80: “merces sanguinis atque laboris,” Juv. 14, 164; 1, 42: “mercedem solvere,” to make payment, id. 7, 157: “appellare,” to demand payment, id. 7, 157, v. 158.—Prov.: “unā mercede duas res adsequi,” to kill two birds with one stone, Cic. Rosc. Am. 29, 80: “non aliā bibam Mercede,” condition, Hor. C. 1, 27, 13: “temeritatis merces,” punishment, Liv. 39, 55: “qui metit mercedem accipit,” reward, Vulg. Johan. 4, 36: “in molestiā gaudeo, te eam fidem cognoscere hominum non ita magnā mercede, quam ego maximo dolore cognōram,” price, cost, Cic. Fam. 1, 9, 3: “non sine magnā mercede,” not except at great cost, id. Tusc. 3, 6, 12: “victum illa mercede parare,” Juv. 14, 273: “magnā quidem res tuas mercede colui,” to my great disadvantage, Sen. Tranq. 11, 2.—
B. Rent, revenue, income, interest: “mercedes Argileti et Aventini,” Cic. Att. 12, 32, 2: “dotalium praediorum,” id. ib. 15, 20, 4: “ex fundo,” Cic. Verr. 2, 3, 50, § 119: “mercedes habitationum annuae,” house-rents, Caes. B. C. 3, 21: “publicanos tertiā mercedum parte relevavit,” farm-rent, Suet. Caes. 20: quinas hic capiti mercedes exsecat, interest or discount on capital, Hor. S. 1, 2, 14.
