Book 13
21
Marcus Cicero calls In Verr. iv. 99. even priests by a feminine term, antistitae, instead of antislites, which is demanded by the grammarians' rule. For while he usually avoided the obsolete words used by the earlier writers, yet in this passage, pleased with the sound of the word, he said: The priests of Ceres and the guardians (antistitae) of her shrine. To such a degree have writers in some cases followed neither reason nor usage in choosing a word, but only the ear, which weighs words according to its own standards. cf. Hor. Epist. i. 7. 98. And as for those who do not feel this, says Marcus Cicero himself, Orat. 168. when speaking about appropriate and rhythmical language, I know not what ears they have, or what there is in them resembling a man.
21
But the early grammarians have noted this feature in Homer above all, that when he had said in one place Iliad xvi. 583. koloiou/s te yhra/s te, both crows and starlings, in another place Iliad xvii. 755. he did not use yhrw=n te, but yarw=n: As lights a cloud of starlings (yarw=n) or of daws, not conforming to general usage, but seeking the pleasing effect peculiar to the word in each of the two positions; for if you change one of these for the other, you will give both a harsh sound.
22
The words of Titus Castricius to his young pupils on unbecoming clothes and shoes.
