Kitap 19
8
With regard to caelum, said the poet, and triticum I do not deny that they ought always to be used in the singular, nor with regard to arma, moenia and comitia, that their use ought to be confined to the plural; but we will inquire rather about inimicitiae and quadigae. And perhaps in the case of quadrigae I shall yield to the authority of the early writers: but what reason is there why Caesar should think that inimicitia was not used by the ancients, as were inscientia (ignorance) and impotentia (impotence) and iniuria (injury), and ought not to be used by us, when Plautus, that glory of the Latin tongue, even used delicia in the singular number instead of deliciae? For he says: Poen. 365. O my delight, my darling (delicia). Furthermore Quintus Ennius, in that most famous book of his, said: Achilles, 12, p. 120, Vahlen2. Such is my habit; plain upon my brow Friendship I bear and enmity (inmicitiam) to see. But pray, who else has written or said that harenae is not good Latin? And therefore I beg of you, if Gaius Caesar's book is accessible, that you have it brought, in order that you may judge with how much confidence he makes this statement.
