Book 2
3
But apropos of the inclusion of ahenum among my examples, I recall that Fidus Optatus, a grammarian of considerable repute in Rome, showed me a remarkably old copy of the second book of the Aeneid, bought in the Sigillaria A street or quarter in Rome where the little images were sold which were given as presents at the festival of the Sigillaria; this was on Dec. 21 and 22, an extension of the Saturnalia, although not a religious holiday. The aureus was the standard gold coin of the Romans, of the value of 100 sesterces; its weight varied at different periods. for twenty pieces of gold, which was believed to have belonged to Virgil himself. In that book, although the following two lines were written thus: ii. 469 f. Before the entrance-court, hard by the gate, With sheen of brazen (aena) arms proud Pyrrhus gleams, we observed that the letter h had been added above the line, changing aena to ahena. So too in the best manuscripts we find this verse of Virgil's written as follows: Georg. i. 296. Or skims with leaves the bubbling brass's (aleni) wave.
4
The reason given by Gavius Bassus for calling a certain kind of judicial inquiry divitiatio; and the explanation that others have given of the same term.
