Note 4 — URBIS RŌMAE VIRĪ INLŪSTRĒS Complete text as printed
Reading edition
8.4 See p. 7, n. 17.
8.5 Curibus . . . Sabīnōrum: ‘from Cures, a town of the Sabines.’ H 462 (412, II): M 605: A 258, a: G 391: B 229, 1. ‘At Cures, a town of the Sabines,’ would be Curibus, in oppidō Sabīnōrum. The two phrases well illustrate the difference between the treatment of names of towns, and that of common nouns, in expressions intended to denote rest in a place, or motion from a given point.
8.6 ut . . . mītigāret: purpose clause, to be joined with what follows. Phrases and clauses often thus precede the words which they modify.
8.7 īgnem . . . alendum: for the form of expression, see p. 2, n. 18.
8.8 Flāminem . . . creāvit: ‘he appointed a priest to be Jupiter’s Flamen.’ See Vocab., flāmen.
8.9 The distinctive parts of the dress worn by the Flāminēs were (1) a close-fitting woolen cap, from which projected a stick of olive wood, called apex; (2) the toga praetexta (see Vocab., toga); and (3) a laurel crown.
8.10 See Vocab., sella.
8.11 Cf. p. 7, n. 12.
8.12 ēliciō.
8.13 The Romans derived many omens from thunder. Prōcūrāre is the technical word for ‘caring for’ an omen, i.e. warding off all harmful effects by sacrifices.
9.1 ‘trustworthy.’ This word never = ‘certain,’ as in the phrase ‘a certain man.’ In that sense quīdam is used.
9.2 aedēs rēgiās: ‘the palace.’ What two meanings does aedēs bear?
9.3 ‘waited (to see) what,’ etc.
9.4 Why subjunctive? See p. 3, n. 2.
9.5 scindō. dēlābitur . . . scūtum: ‘the heavens were opened and a shield descended.’
9.6 Negative clause of purpose: H 568 (497, II): M 893: A 317, 1: G 545, 3: B 282. On the possession of this ancīle Rome’s power was believed to depend; hence Numa’s care in guarding it.
9.7 Saliōs . . . fēcit: ‘he chose twelve Salii as priests of Mars.’
9.8 Why subjunctive? Cf. p. 5, n. 3.
9.9 Roman writers say that before Numa’s time the year contained only ten months, a statement hardly credible.
9.10 nefāstōs . . . fēcit: ‘he made a distinction between diēs nefāstī and diēs fāstī.’ See Vocab., fāstus and nefāstus.
9.11 Cf. p. 8, n. 1.
9.12 ‘two-headed.’ The reference is to a temple of Janus in the Forum, with two doors opposite each other, so that the whole structure resembled an arch.
9.13 Both adjectives = temporal clauses, signifying respectively ‘when open,’ ‘when shut.’ They agree with Iānus understood, which means the temple, not the god. After Numa’s time the temple remained open till 235 B.C. It was opened again in the same year, and not closed till 29 B.C.
9.14 Lēgēs quoque: ‘Laws too,’ i.e. laws as well as religious ceremonies and priestly orders.
9.15 īnstitūtīs: dative with conciliāret.
10.1 How different in meaning from dissimulāns, II, 9?
10.2 sibi . . . esse conloquia: ‘that he had conversations.’ sibi is dat. of the possessor; H 430 (387): M 542: A 231: G 349: B 190.
10.3 ēius monitū: ‘at her suggestion.’ Cf. quōrum cōnsiliō, II, 41.
10.4 quem medium: ‘the middle of which.’
10.5 Here in its original sense of ‘witness.’
10.6 velut . . . deae: ‘giving it out that he was going to meet the goddess’; velut is used here as quasi is in I, 28. See note there. For ad congressum see p. 3, n. 8. deae is dat. after the prefix in congressum; cf. H 429 (386): M 532: A 228: G 347: B 187, III.
10.7 ita and eā reinforce each other. ‘To such a degree (ita), and with such (eā) piety,’ etc.
10.8 Here = ‘respect for their oaths (and obligations).’ fidēs ac iūsiūrandum together = ‘their own moral sense,’ as opposed to the restraints of the law.
10.9 subjunctive of result: H 570 (500, II): M 905: A 319, 1: G 552, 2: B 284.
10.10 quidem is concessive, and so = ‘to be sure, it is true.’ Hence quidem . . . sed = quamquam . . . sed tamen.
10.11 Sc. prōfuerat.
10.12 Morbō exstīnctus (exstinguō) means that he died a natural death. We are to feel a contrast here to the miraculous disappearance of Romulus, as described on page 7.
10.13 sepeliō.
10.14 duo deinceps rēgēs: ‘two successive kings.’ When an adverb like deinceps stands between an adjective and a noun, it has the value of an adjective.
10.15 acc. of extent of time: H 417 (379): M 513: A 256, 2: G 336: B 181. See also p. xvii, D 1.