Book 17
2
At the same time, he says, Id. 8. he excelled in person, in exploits, in eloquence, in position, in energy, and confidence alike, so that it was easily seen that he possessed from himself and in himself a great equipment (magnum viaticum) for overthrowing the republic. Magnum viaticum is a novel expression for great ability and great resources, and Claudius seems to have followed the Greeks, who transferred e)fo/dion from the meaning of money for a journey to preparation for other things, and often say e)fodi/ason for prepare and make ready.
2
For Marcus Manlius, said he, Frag. 7, Peter2. who, as I have shown above, saved the Capitol from the Gauls, and whose service, along with that of Marcus Furius the dictator, the State found especially (cumprime) valiant and irresistible against the Gauls, yielded to no one in race, in strength and in warlike valour. Adprime is more frequent for especially; cumprime is rarer and is derived from the expression cumprimis with the force of inprimis. Quadrigarius says Id. 26. that he has no need for riches (divitias). We use the ablative divitiis with opus. But this usage of his is not a mistake in grammar, nor is it even what is termed a figure; for it is correct Latin and the early writers quite frequently used that case; moreover, no reason can be given why divis opus esse is more correct than divitias, except by those who look upon the innovations of grammarians as oracular responses.
