Note 1 — XII. Domestic Life
H. W. (Henry William) Auden translation
ruina = fall, overthrow (metaphor. e.g. ruina rei publicae, ruinae fortunarum, Catil. 1. 6. 14). In plur. it is used of the ruins, débris resulting from an overthrow, e.g. urbs strata ruinis, a town in ruins; fumantes ruinae urbis. For "ruins" in the sense of remains of old buildings use parietinae.