multa (mulcta), ae, f. Sabine, acc. to Varr. ap. Gell. 11, 1, 5; Oscan, acc. to Paul. ex Fest. p. 142 Mull., a penalty involving loss of property, a fine, amercement, mulct; in the most ancient times riches consisted only in the possession of flocks and herds; it accordingly signified, at first, a fine in cattle; but in later times, when money was the measure of wealth, it signified a pecuniary fine (whereas poena denotes a punishment of any kind, e. g. corporal punishment, imprisonment, capital punishment): vocabulum ipsum multae M. Varro non Latinum, sed Sabinum esse dicit, Gell. 11, 1, 5: multam Osce dici putant poenam quidam. M. Varro ait poenam esse, sed pecuniariam, Paul. ex Fest. p. 142 Mull.: cum pecore diceretur multa, Varr. L. L. 5, § 95 Mull. The highest penalty in the earliest times was thirty head of cattle, the lowest a sheep, in specifying which the word ovis is used as of the masculine gender: ego ei unum ovem multam dico, I condemn him to pay, fine him, a legal formula ap. Gell. 11, 1, 4: multae dictio ovium et bovium, Cic. Rep. 2, 9, 16.

—Later, of a pecuniary fine: multa praesens quingentum milium aeris in singulas civitates imposita, Liv. 10, 37: multam alicui dicere, to decree, award, Cic. Phil. 11, 8, 18: indicere, Plin. 18, 3, 3, § 11: subire, Ov. F. 5, 289: committere, to deserve, incur, Cic. Clu. 37, 103: exigere, Varr. L. L. 5, § 177 Mull.: remittere, Cic. Phil. 11, 8, 18: irrogare (of the plaintiff, or people's tribune), to propose that the accused be fined a certain sum, id. Mil. 14, 36; so, petere, id. Clu. 33, 91: aliquem multā et poenā multare, id. Balb. 18, 42: multam alicui facere, Gell. 7, 14, 8: certare, to contend on both sides whether or not the proposed fine should be paid: duo tribuni plebis ducentum milium aeris multam M. Postumio dixerunt: cui certandae cum dies advenisset, Liv. 25, 3: multae certatio, Cic. Leg. 8, 3, 6: multa erat Veneri, for the benefit of Venus, Cic. Verr. 2, 2, 9, § 25: multa gravis praedibus Valerianis, a heavy loss, great damage, id. Fam. 5, 20, 4.

— In gen., a penalty: singulos jure jurando adigam non aliter quam stantes cibum capturos esse ... hanc multam feretis, etc., Liv. 24, 16, 13: haec ei multa esto: vino viginti dies Ut careat, Plaut. As. 4, 1, 55.