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paelex (pēlex , and, only in inscriptions, pellex ), icis, f. akin to Sanscr. pallavaka, girl; Gr. παλλακίς, concubine,
I.a kept mistress, concubine of a married man.
I. Lit.: antiqui proprie eam pelicem nominabant, quae uxorem habenti nubebat. Cui generi mulierum etiam poena constituta est a Numā Pompilio hāc lege: paelex aram Junonis ne tangito, etc., Paul. ex Fest. p. 222 Müll.; cf. Gell. 4, 3, 3: “libro Memorialium Masurius scribit: pelicem apud antiquos eam habitam, quae, cum uxor non esset, cum aliquo tamen vivebat eamque nunc vero nomine amicam, paulo honestiore concubinam appellari,Dig. 50, 16, 144; Plaut. Cist. 1, 1, 39; id. Merc. 4, 1, 24 et saep.—With gen. of the wronged wife: “filiae paelex,Cic. Clu. 70, 199; id. Or. 30, 108: “tune eris et matris paelex et adultera patris?Ov. M. 10, 347: “illa Jovis magni paelex, metuenda sorori,id. H. 14, 95: “fugit (Medea) ulta paelicem, Magni Creontis filiam,Hor. Epod. 5, 63: “horrida,Juv. 2, 57.— Poet., of the cows, as rivals of Pasiphaë, who had become enamoured of a bull, Ov. A. A. 1, 321.—
II. Transf.
A. A kept mistress, concubine, in gen. (post-class.): “virginem constupratam servo suo paelicem dederat,Curt. 10, 1, 5: “Artaxerxi regi Persarum ex paelicibus centum et quindecim filii fuere,Just. 10, 1, 1; cf.: Granius Flaccus scribit, pelicem quosdam vocare eam, quae uxoris loco sine nuptiis in domo sit. Dig. 50, 16, 144.—
B. A male prostitute (postclass.), Paul. ex Fest. p. 222 Müll.: “Dolabella eum (Caesarem) pelicem reginae (appellavit), as the favorite of King Nicomedes,Suet. Caes. 49; “in apposition, pelices ministri,Mart. 12, 97, 3.—*
C. Comically, a substitute: “quoties pelex culcita facta mea est (sc. matellae),Mart. 14, 119, 2.
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hide References (8 total)
  • Cross-references in general dictionaries from this page (8):
    • Cicero, For Aulus Cluentius, 70.199
    • Ovid, Metamorphoses, 10.347
    • Plautus, Cistellaria, 1.1
    • Plautus, Mercator, 4.1
    • Suetonius, Divus Julius, 49
    • Gellius, Noctes Atticae, 4.3.3
    • Curtius, Historiarum Alexandri Magni, 10.1.5
    • Cicero, Orator, 30.108
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