urbs

urbs, urbis (dat. VRBEI, Corp. Inscr. Lat. 206), f. [Sanscr. vardh-, to make strong; cf. Pers. vard-ana, city], a walled town, a city.

I.

Lit.

1.

In gen.:

hi coetus sedem primum certo loco domiciliorum causā constituerunt: quam cum locis manuque sepsissent, ejusmodi conjunctionem tectorum oppidum vel urbem appellaverunt, delubris distinctam spatiisque communibus,

Cic. Rep. 1, 26, 41; cf.:

post ea qui fiebat orbis, urbis principium,

Varr. L. L. 5, § 143 Müll.: urbs dicitur ab orbe, quod antiquae civitates in orbem flebant, id. ap. Serv. Verg. A. 1, 12:

interea Aeneas urbem designat aratro,

Verg. A. 5, 755 Serv.:

veni Syracusas, quod ab eā urbe... quae tamen urbs, etc.,

Cic. Phil. 1, 3, 7: certabant urbem Romam Remoramne vocarent, Enn. ap. Cic. Div. 1, 48, 107 (Ann. v. 85 Vahl.): arce et urbe sum orba, id. ap. Cic. Tusc. 3, 19, 44 (Trag. v. 114 ib.):

urbes magnae et imperiosae,

id. Rep. 1, 2, 3:

urbs illa praeclara (Syracusae),

id. ib. 3, 31, 43:

duabus urbibus eversis inimicissimis huic imperio,

id. Lael. 3, 11.— Rarely, and mostly poet., with the name of the city in gen.:

urbs Patavi, Buthroti,

Verg. A. 1, 247; 3, 293:

Cassius in oppido Antiochiae cum omni exercitu,

Cic. Att. 5, 18, 1.—With adj. prop.: urbs Romana = Roma, Liv. 9, 41, 16; 22, 37, 12; 40, 36, 14; Flor. 1, 13, 21.—Of other cities (rare and post-class.):

Lampsacenae urbis salus,

Val. Max. 7, 3, ext. 4: in urbe Aquilejensi, Paul. v. S. Ambros. 32:

urbs urbium,

a metropolis, Flor. 2, 6, 35.—

2.

In partic., the city of Rome (like astu, of Athens):

postquam Urbis appellationem, etiamsi nomen proprium non adiceretur, Romam tamen accipi sit receptum,

Quint. 6, 3, 103; cf. id. 8, 2, 8; 8, 5, 9:

hujus urbis condendae principium profectum a Romulo,

Cic. Rep. 2, 2, 4; cf. id. ib. 1, 47, 71; 1, 1, 1;

1, 37, 58: (Caesar) maturat ab urbe proficisci,

Caes. B. G. 1, 7:

de urbe augendā quid sit promulgatum, non intellexi,

Cic. Att. 13, 20, 1:

conditor urbis (Romulus),

Ov. F. 1, 27:

(pater) Dextera sacras jaculatus arces Terruit urbem,

Hor. C. 1, 2, 4:

minatus urbi vincla,

id. Epod. 9, 9;

called also urbs aeterna,

Amm. 14, 6, 1.— Ad urbem esse, to stop at or near Rome; in publicists' lang., of returning generals, who had to remain outside of the city till the Senate decreed them the right of entrance;

or of provincial magistrates who were preparing for departure to their provinces,

Cic. Verr. 1, 15, 45 Ascon.; 2, 2, 6, § 17; Sall. C. 30, 4; Caes. B. C. 6, 1.—

B.

Transf., as in Engl.

1.

The city, for the citizens (rare; cf.

civitas): invadunt urbem somno vinoque sepultam,

Verg. A. 2, 265:

maesta attonitaque,

Juv. 11, 198: bene moratae, Auct. ap. Quint. 8, 6, 24.—

2.

The capital city, metropolis (post-class.):

si tam vicinum urbi municipium sit, ut, etc.,

Dig. 39, 2, 4 fin.; Cod. Th. 14, 1, 3.—

* II.

Trop.:

urbem philosophiae, mihi crede, proditis, dum castella defenditis,

i. e. the main point, Cic. Div. 2, 16, 37.