The saying \u00aburbi et orbi\u00bb was remarkably successful in referring to a \u00abcity\u00bb that had a notable success in becoming the capital of the \u00aborb\u00bb and also because in itself the phrase contains an attractive word game, apun, consisting of relating Words of different meaning but which differ only in a phoneme or a letter; that is because \u00aburbi and orbi\u00bb is a paronomasia.<\/b><\/p>\n
Varro, logically, does not resist the temptation to seek an explanation or draw a conclusion, (no matter if it is focused or not, but it does not appear to be correct), from the proximity between the two terms: urbem and orbem<\/em>. He does so it in his De lingua Latina, (On the Latin Language) V, 143:<\/em><\/p>\n Many founded towns in Latium by the Etruscan ritual ; that is, with a team of cattle, a bull and a cow on the inside, they ran a furrow around with a plough (for reasons of religion they did this on an auspicious day), that they might be fortified by a ditch and a wall. The place whence they had ploughed up the earth, they called a fossa ‘ ditch,’ and the earth thrown inside it they called the murus ‘ wall.’ The orbis ‘ circle ‘ which was made back of this, was the beginning of the urbs ‘ city ‘ ; because the circle was post murum ‘ back of the wall,’ it was called a postmoerium ; it sets the limits for the taking of the auspices for the city. Stone markers of the pomerium stand both around Aricia and around Rome. Therefore towns also which had earlier had the plough drawn around them, were termed urbes ‘ cities,’ from orbis ‘ circle ‘ and urvum ‘ curved ‘ ; therefore also all our colonies are mentioned as urbes in the old writings, because they had been founded in just the same way as Rome ; therefore also colonies and cities conduntur ‘ are founded,’ because they are placed inside the pomerium.<\/em><\/strong> (Translation by Roland G.Kent. Ph.D.)<\/p>\n Oppida condebant in Latio Etrusco ritu multi, id est, iunctis bobus, tauro et vacca interiore, aratro circumagebant sulcum (hoc faciebant religionis causa die auspicato), ut fossa et muro essent muniti. Terram unde exculpserant, fossam vocabant et introrsum iactam murum. Post ea qui fiebatorbis, urbis principium; qui quod erat post murum, postmoerium dictum, eo usque auspicia urbana finiuntur. Cippi pomeri stant et cirum Ariciam et circum Romam. Quare et oppida quae prius erant circumducta aratro ab orbe et urvo urbes; et ideo coloniae nostrae omnes in litterid antiquis scribunturt urbes, quod \u00edtem conditae ut Roma; et ideo coloniae et urbes condungtur, quod intra pomerium ponuntur.<\/em><\/p>\n I will present some texts that exemplify the use in the Antiquity <\/em>of this paronomasia.<\/p>\n Cornelius Nepos<\/em> (c.100 BC – c. 25 BC) in the Life of Atticus<\/em> puts in touch both words, urbis and orbis:<\/p>\n Nepos, Life of Atticus, 20.5<\/em><\/p>\n How strong such attachment is, he will be easily able to judge, who can understand how much prudence is required to preserve the friendship and favour of those between whom there existed not only emulation in the highest matters, but such a mutual struggle to lessen one another as was sure to happen between Caesar and Antony, when each of them desired to be chief, not merely of the city of Rome, but of the whole world.<\/em><\/strong> (Translation by John Selby Watson, MA)<\/p>\n hoc quale sit, facilius existimabit is, qui iudicare poterit, quantae sit sapientiae eorum retinere usum benivolentiamque, inter quos maximarum rerum non solum aemulatio, sed obtrectatio tanta intercedebat, quantam fuit incidere necesse inter Caesarem atque Antonium, cum se uterque principem non solum urbis Romae, sed orbis terrarum esse cuperet.<\/em><\/p>\n Thus Ovid<\/em>, in his Ars Amatoria <\/em>comments that the public shows, that the women attend, are a good opportunity to establish some kind of relationship. In this passage he makes an interesting integration, a paronomasia<\/em>, between \u00aburbe<\/em>\u00bb and \u00aborbis<\/em>\u00ab: atque ingens orbis in Urbe fuit.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n The Art of love, 1, 171 et seq.<\/em><\/p>\n Caesar would represent a naval fight, quid, modo cum belli navalis imagine Caesar Marcus Velleius Paterculus <\/em>(c. 19 BC \u2013 c. AD 31), Compendium of Roman History, 2,44<\/em><\/p>\n But to resume. It was in Caesar’s consulship that there was formed between himself, Gnaeus Pompeius and Marcus Crassus the partnership in political power which proved so baleful to the city, to the world, and, subsequently at different periods to each of the triumvirs themselves. Pompey’s motive in the adoption of this policy had been to secure through Caesar as consul the long delayed ratification of his acts in the provinces across the seas, to which, as I have already said, many still raised objections; Caesar agreed to it because he realized that in making this concession to the prestige of Pompey he would increase his own, and that by throwing on Pompey the odium for their joint control he would add to his own power; while Crassus hoped by the influence of Pompey and the power of Caesar he might achieve a place of pre-eminence in the state which he had not been able to reach single-handed. Furthermore, a tie of marriage was cemented between Caesar and Pompey, in that Pompey now wedded Julia, Caesar’s daughter.<\/strong><\/em> (Translated by Frederick W. Shipley)<\/p>\n Hoc igitur consule inter eum et Cn. Pompeium et M. Crassum inita potentiae societas, quae urbi orbique terrarum nec minus diverso cuique tempore ipsis exitiabilis fuit. Hoc consilium sequendi Pompeius causam habuerat, ut tandem acta in transmarinis provinciis, quibus, ut praediximus, multi obtrectabant, per Caesarem confirmarentur consulem, Caesar autem, quod animadvertebat se cedendo Pompei gloriae aucturum suam et invidia communis potentiae in illum relegata confirmaturum vires suas, Crassus, ut quem principatum solus adsequi non poterat, auctoritate Pompei, viribus teneret Caesaris, adfinitas etiam inter Caesarem Pompeiumque contracta nuptiis, quippe Iuliam, filiam C. Caesaris, Cn. Magnus duxit uxorem.<\/em><\/p>\n Tertullian <\/em>also in his Apologeticum<\/em> (ca.160-ca.220), 40,1-4 relates the two words: On the contrary, faction is a name which belongs to those only who conspire in the hatred of the good and virtuous, and remonstratefull cry for innocent blood, sheltering their malice under this vain pretence, that they are of opinion, forsooth, that the Christians are the occasion of all the mischief in the world. If Tiber overflows, and Nile does not; if heaven stands still and withholds its rain, and the earth quakes ; if famine or pestilence take their marches through the country, the word is, Away with these Christians to the lion ! Bless me ! what, so many people to one lion ! Pray tell me what havoc, what a mighty fall of people has been made in the world and Rome (quantae clades orbem et urbes ceciderunt!) before the reign of Tiberius, that is, before the advent of Christ ? We read of Hierannape, and Delos, and Rhodes, and Co, islands swept away with many thousands of their inhabitants. \u2026<\/strong><\/em> (Translated by Jeremy Collier, A.M.)<\/p>\n At e contrario illis nomen factionis accommodandum est, qui in odium bonorum et proborum conspirant, qui adversum sanguinem innocentium conclamant, praetexentes sane ad odii defensionem illam quoque vanitatem, quod existiment omnis publicae cladis, omnis popularis incommodi Christianos esse in causa[m]. Si Tiberis ascendit in moenia, si Nilus non ascendit in arva, si caelum stetit, si terra movit, si fames, si lues, statim: \u00abChristianos ad leonem!\u00bb acclamatur. Tantos ad unum? Sidonius Apollinaris<\/em> (430-489 AD), bishop of Clermont Ferrand, in Carmina,<\/em> 7, uses this paronomasia: Carmen 7<\/em> is a panegyric to his father-in-law Avitus <\/em>on his inauguration as emperor. In a meeting of the gods Rome<\/em> complains of its decadence; its history is reviewed and Jupiter <\/em>takes part. Soon Avitus <\/em>is proclaimed emperor by the Visigothics <\/em>and Gallicromans<\/em>.<\/p>\n Sidonius Apollinaris, Carmina, 7, 550 y ss<\/em>.<\/p>\n Now the supreme office calls for thee; in time of peril a realm cannot be ruled by a poltroon. All ambitious rivalry gives place when extremity calls for men of renown. After the losses of Ticinum and Trebia the trembling republic came in haste to Fabius. By the election of Livius the disaster of Cannae, famous for Varro’s rout, was undone; undone too was the Carthaginian, still exulting over the deaths of the Scipios. The world, they say, lies captive in the captive city ; the Emperor has perished, and now the Empire has its head here.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n Ascend the tribunal, we beseech thee, and raise up the fainting; this time of peril asks not that some other should love Rome more. Nor do thou by any chance deem thyself unequal to sovereignty. When Brennus’ host beset the Tarpeian rock, then, thou knowest, Camillus was himself the whole of our state, and he, the destined avenger of his country, covered the smoking embers of the city with the slaughtered enemy. No gold scattered among the people hath secured for thee the verdict of the centuries ; this time no venal tribes bought with plenteous coin rush to give their votes the suffrages of the world no one can buy. Though a poor man, thou art being chosen; rich art thou in thy deserts, and that suffices in itself. Why dost thou hinder the desires of thy country, when she orders thee to give orders to her? This is the judgment of all: \u00bb if thou becomest the master I shall be free.\u00bb <\/strong><\/em>(Translated by W.B. Anderson).<\/p>\n nunc iam summa vocant, dubio sub tempore regnum Flavius Cresconius Corippus<\/em>, who lived approximately from the year 500 to 570 AD was probably the last major Latin author of antiquity, on time of the Byzantine <\/em>emperors Iustinian I and Iustin II.<\/em> His two major works are the epic poem Johannis <\/strong> and the panegyric In laudem Iustini minoris.<\/em><\/p>\n It is precisely in this last one that in several occasions he uses the formula \u00aburbis<\/em>–orbis<\/em>\u00ab; Precisely it is a feature of his style, the repetition of words and concepts and also the use of paronomasias <\/em>or words very similar in form although different in the meaning. So<\/p>\n Verses I, 173 y ss.<\/em><\/p>\n The whole group, prostrate and lying before their feet, while speaking thus, says together: \u00abHave pity, pious, of those who beg you, holy man, come to help us in adversity. As the day arrives you will see that everything is lost if the people can hear that the throne is empty and the emperor is not there. As much as your affection for your virtuous father may affect you, let not your love for your country be less than that you have for your father. Your uncle himself, dying, ordered you with his own words to kept the scepter. See how much it was the forecast and request of the old man for our city and the whole world (aspice quanta fuit nostrae simul urbis et orbis). In your behalf God made all that he wanted to happen. Mount your father\u2019s throne, mighty prince, and rule the world that is submission to you.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n Talia dicentis pedibus prostrata iacensque And again in Verses 244 y ss.<\/em><\/p>\n And not unjustly, I think, would he, in death, be so happy and with a countenance so full of goodness, if his mind, conscious of the good that he makes, would not have abandoned his tranquil body members, flying towards heaven and would not have ensured the empire by the confirmation of an heir. When the noble Justin came here, throwing his loving arms around the lifeless body, he said, sobbing: \u00abLight of the city and the universe, Father Justinian, are you leaving your beloved court and are you abandoning your relatives, your servants and so many subjects? Do you despise your lands? Do not you sail for the exhausted world? Here you have the Avars and the harsh Franks and the Gepids and the Getas, and so many other nations who, after raising their ensigns, cause war everywhere. With how much strength will we overcome so many enemies if you, firmness of Rome, are dead? \u00ab<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n Haud, reor, immerito sic laetus et ore benignus And again in verses III, 72 y ss.:<\/em><\/p>\n Organs, plectrums and lyres resounded throughout the city; a thousand kinds of spectacles, a thousand banquets, dances, laughter, conversation, joy and applause were offered. They prayed for long life for the emperors in happy cries. \u00abAfter its old age,\u00bb they say, \u00abthe world rejoices its rejuvenation and seeks the principles of its original appearance. The iron age has now gone, and the golden age is getting up in your time, Justin, hope of the city and the world, light of the Roman Empire, glory added to all the emperors who preceded you, whose victorious wisdom has gained the highest summit of your father\u2019s kingdom\u00bb<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n Organa, plectra, lyrae totam insonuere per urbem. The summary of all this, of the content and the of literary figure, is personified by a happy verse of the fifth century French poet Rutilius Namatianus<\/em>, from which we retain part of the only poem we know he wrote, entitled \u00abDe reditu suo\u00bb (On the return <\/strong>). In it he sings the greatness and ancient splendor of Rome <\/em>and criticizes Christianity<\/em>. In the so-called Hymn to Rome<\/em>, which appears personified, we find the summary verse which I referred:<\/p>\n ‘urbem fecisti quod prius orbis erat’<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n \u00abListen, O fairest queen of thy world, Rome, welcomed amid the starry skies, listen, thou mother of men and mother of gods, thanks to thy temples we are not far from heaven: thee do we chant, and shall, while destiny allows, for ever chant. None can be safe if forgetful of thee. Sooner shall guilty oblivion whelm the sun than the honour due to thee quit my heart; for benefits extend as far as the sun’s rays, where the circling Ocean-flood bounds the world. For thee the very Sun-God who holdeth all together doth revolve: his steeds that rise in thy domains he puts in thy domains to rest. Thee Africa hath not stayed with scorching sands, nor hath the Bear, armed with its native cold, repulsed thee. As far as living nature hath stretched towards the poles, so far hath earth opened a path for thy valour. For nations far apart thou hast made a single fatherland; under thy dominion captivity hath meant profit even for those who knew not justice:and by offering to the vanquished a share in thine own justice, thou hast made a city of what was erstwhile a world.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n \u00abAs authors of our race we acknowledge Venus and Mars \u2014 mother of the sons of Aeneas, father of the scions of Romulus: clemency in victory tempers armed strength: both names befit thy character: hence thy noble pleasure in war and in mercy: it vanquishes the dreaded foe and cherishes the vanquished.<\/strong><\/em> (Translated by J. Wight Duff and Arnold M. Duff)<\/p>\n \u00abexaudi, regina tui pulcherrima mundi, The Roman Catholic Church<\/em> is debtor of Ancient Rome<\/em> almost everything, in much of its myths, beliefs and dogmas, in its rites, in its artistic expression, in its administrative and juridical structure, and of course in its official language, which is still Latin<\/em>. This expression is further evidence of this. If the Catholic Pope<\/em> today can address \u00abthe city and the world\u00bb<\/em>, it is precisely because he is \u00abthe bishop of Rome<\/em>,\u00bb the city (urbs<\/em>) that was the capital of the world (orbis<\/em>)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The saying \u00aburbi et orbi\u00bb was remarkably successful in referring to a \u00abcity\u00bb that had a notable success in becoming the capital of the \u00aborb\u00bb and also because in itself the phrase contains an attractive word game, apun, consisting of relating Words of different meaning but which differ only in a phoneme or a letter; that is because \u00aburbi and orbi\u00bb is a paronomasia.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7,6,13,14,15],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4914","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-culture","category-habits","category-history","category-language-literature","category-mythology"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.antiquitatem.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4914","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.antiquitatem.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.antiquitatem.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.antiquitatem.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.antiquitatem.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4914"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.antiquitatem.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4914\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4947,"href":"https:\/\/www.antiquitatem.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4914\/revisions\/4947"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.antiquitatem.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4914"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.antiquitatem.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4914"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.antiquitatem.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4914"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\nFor his own honour and for Rome’s delight.
\nFrom either sea the youths and maidens come,
\nAnd all the world was then contain’d in Rome!
\n(atque ingens ORBIS in URBE fuit)
\nIn this vast concourse, in this choice of game,
\nWhat Roman heart but felt a foreign flame!
\nOnce more our prince prepares to make us glad,
\nAnd the remaining east to Rome will add.
\nRejoice, ye Roman soldiers, in your urns,
\nYour ensigns from the Parthians shall return,
\nAnd the slain Crassi shall no longer mourn.
\nA youth is sent those trophies to demand,
\nArd bears his father’s thunders in his hand;
\nDoubt not th’ imperial boy in wars unseen,
\nIn childhood all of Caesar’s race are men.
\nCelestial seeds shoot out before their day,
\nPrevent their years, and brook no dull delay.<\/strong><\/em>
\n(Translated by John Dryden (1631\u20131700).<\/p>\n
\n Persidas induxit Cecropiasque rates?
\nnempe ab utroque mari iuvenes, ab utroque puellae
\n Venere, atque ingens orbis in Urbe fuit.
\nquis non invenit turba, quod amaret, in illa?
\n eheu, quam multos advena torsit amor!
\necce, parat Caesar domito quod defuit orbi
\n addere: nunc, oriens ultime, noster eris.
\nParthe, dabis poenas: Crassi gaudete sepulti,
\nsignaque barbaricas non bene passa manus.
\nultor adest, primisque ducem profitetur in annis,
\n bellaque non puero tractat agenda puer.<\/em><\/p>\n
\nquantae clades orbem et urbes ceciderunt!<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n
\nOro vos, ante Tiberium, id est ante Christi adventum, quantae clades orbem et urbes ceciderunt! Legimus Hieran, Anaphen et Delon et Rhodon et Co insulas multis cum milibus hominum pessum abisse.<\/em><\/p>\n
\ncaptivus, ut aiunt, orbis in urbe iacet (<\/strong><\/em>verse 557)<\/strong><\/p>\n
\nnon regit ignavus, postponitur ambitus omnis
\nultima cum claros quaerunt: post damna Ticini
\nac Trebiae trepidans raptim respublica venit
\nad Fabium; Cannas celebres Varrone fugato
\nScipiadumque etiam turgentem funere Poenum
\nLivius electus fregit, captivus, ut aiunt,
\norbis in urbe iacet; princeps perit, hic caput omne
\nnunc habet imperium, petimus, conscende tribunal,
\nerige collapsos; non hoc modo tempora poscunt,
\nut Romam plus alter amet. nec forte reare
\nte regno non esse parem: cum Brennica signa
\nTarpeium premerent, scis, tum respublica nostra
\ntota Camillus erat, patriae qui debitus ultor
\ntexit fumantes hostili strage favillas.
\nnon tibi centurias aurum populare paravit,
\nnec modo venales numerosoque asse redemptae
\nconcurrunt ad puncta tribus; suffragia mundi
\nnullus emit, pauper legeris ; quod sufficit unum,
\nes meritis dives, patriae cur vota moraris,
\nquae iubet ut iubeas ? haec est sententia cunctis :
\nsi dominus fis, liber ero.’<\/em><\/p>\n
\nomnis turba simul \u201cpius es, miserere\u201d perorat
\n\u201csupplicibus, vir sancte, tuis: succurre periclis.
\nOmnia mox veniente die periisse videbis,
\nsi vacuam vulgussine pr\u00edncipe senserit aulam.
\nQuantumcumque boni moveat dilectio patris,
\nnon sit amor patriae patrio minor. Ipse tenere
\nsceptra tuus moriens te iussit avunculus ore.
\naspice quanta fuit nostrae simul urbis et orbis
\npr\u00f3vida cura seni. pro te deus omnia fecit,
\nquae fieri voluit. solium conscende paternum
\net rege subiectum, pr\u00ednceps fortissime, mundum<\/em><\/p>\n
\nIlle foret moriens, nisi mens sibi conscia recti
\nin caelum properans securos linqueret artus
\net tutum imperium firmato herede locaret.
\nHuc ubi magnanimus sacra cum coniuge venit,
\ncara per exanimum circumdans brachia corpus
\ncum lacrimis Iustinus ait: \u201clux urbis et orbis,
\nIustiniane pater, dilectam deseris aulam?
\nCognatos f\u00e1mulos et tantos linquis alumnos?
\nContemnis terras? Fesso non prospicis orbi?
\nEn Avares Francique truces Gepidesque Getaeque
\ntotque aliae gentes commotis undique ignis
\nbella movent; qua vi tantos superabimos hostes,
\ncum virtus Romana iacet?..<\/em>.<\/p>\n
\nMille voluptatum species, convicia mille,
\nsaltatus, risus, discursus, gaudia, plausus.
\nAugustis vitam laetis clamoribus optant.
\npost senium dicunt \u201csese iuvenescere mundus
\ngaudet Et antiquae repetit primordia formae.
\nF\u00e9rrea nunc abeunt aurea saecula surgunt
\ntemporibus, Iustine, tuis, spes urbis et orbis,
\nRomani iubar imperii, decus addite cunctis
\nretro principibus, cuius sapientia victrix
\nobtinuit patrii fastigia m\u00e1xima regni.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n
\ninter sidereos Roma recepta polos,
\nexaudi, genetrix hominum genetrixque deorum,
\nnon procul a caelo per tua templa sumus:
\nte canimus semperque, sinent dum fata, canemus:
\nsospes nemo potest immemor esse tui.
\nobruerint citius scelerata oblivia solem,
\nquam tuus ex nostro corde recedat honos.
\nnam solis radiis aequalia munera tendis,
\nqua circumfusus fluctuat Oceanus.
\nvolvitur ipse tibi, qui continet omnia, Phoebus
\neque tuis ortos in tua condit equos.
\nte non flammigeris Libye tardavit harenis,
\nnon armata suo reppulit Ursa gelu:
\nquantum vitalis natura tetendit in axes,
\ntantum virtuti pervia terrae tuae.
\nfecisti patriam diversis gentibus unam:
\nprofuit iniustis te dominante capi.
\ndumque offers victis proprii consortia iuris,
\nurbem fecisti quod prius orbis erat.
\n\u00abauctores generis Venerem Martemque fatemur,
\nAeneadum matrem Romulidumque patrem:
\nmitigat armatas victrix clementia vires,
\nconvenit in mores nomen utrumque tuos:
\nhinc tibi certandi bona parcendique voluptas:
\nquos timuit superat, quos superavit amat.<\/em><\/p>\n