lix.,
ver. 6--"They grin like a dog and run about through the city."]
[Footnote 8: _In the Velabrum_)--Ver. 494. The "Via Nova," or "New
Street," at Rome, led from the interior of the city to the "Velabra."
The greater and the less "Velabrum" lay between the Palatine and the
Capitoline Hills, where fruits and other commodities were sold in
booths, or under awnings, from which ("vela") the streets probably
derived their name. Varro, however, says that they were so called from
the verb "veho," "to carry;" because in early times those spots were
traversed in boats, which mode of carriage was called "velatura." From
the present passage, it appears that the oil-merchants in the "Velabra"
acted in confederacy not to sell their oils under a certain price.]
[Footnote 9: _After the foreign fashion_)--Ver. 497. Some suppose
that "barbarica lege" here means "the foreign" or "Roman law," and that
he refers to the "Lex Vinnia," introduced at Rome by Quintus Vinnius,
which was said to have been passed against those persons who
confederated for the purpose of keeping up the high prices of
provisions. It is, however, somewhat doubtful if there really was such a
law; and the better opinion seems to be that the word "lege" meant
"fashion" or "custom;" and that he refers to the Roman method of trial.
He will accuse his former entertainers of a conspiracy to starve him. He
will name a day for trial, "diem dicet;" he will demand damages or a
penalty, "irrogabit muletam;" and thus will he proceed at law against
them, "sic egerit.
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