Rarum et intra, etc. Enallage, cf. note certum quique, 32.
Retro sequuntur, i.e. follow it back, as it were, in its growth, and tie it up on the very crown of the head only, instead of letting it hang down, as it grows (submittere crinem). So K., Or. and many others. Passow and Död. take sequuntur in the sense of desire, delight in (our word seek). The word bears that sense, e.g. 5: argentum magis quam aurum sequuntur. But then what is retro sequuntur? for retro must be an adjunct of sequuntur both from position, and because there is no other word which it can limit. Saepe implies, that sometimes they made a knot elsewhere, but often they fasten it there, and there only. See Or. in loc. This whole passage illustrates our author's disposition to avoid technical language. Cf. note, II. 2, 21.
Innoxiae. Harmless, unlike the beauty cultivated among the Romans to dazzle and seduce.
In altitudinem, etc. For the sake of (increased) height and terror, i.e. to appear tall and inspire terror. Cf. note, A, 5: in jactationem; A. 7: in suam famam. The antithetic particle is omitted before this clause as it often is by our author.
Ut hostium oculis, to strike with terror the eyes of the enemy, for primi in omnibus proeliis oculi vincuntur, 43.
XXXIX. Vetustissimos. Oldest. Vetus is old, of long duration ([Greek; etos], aetas). antiquus, ancient, belonging to a preceding age (ante). Recens (fresh, young) is opposed to the former: novus (new, modern), to the latter. See Ramshorn and Freund.
Fides antiquitatis. Antiquitatis is objective gen.==the belief, or persuasion of their antiquity.
Auguriis—sacram. The commentators all note the hexameter structure of these words, and many regard them as a quotation from some Latin poet. The words themselves are also poetical, e.g. patrum for majorum, and formidine for religione. The coloring is Virgilian. Cf. Aen. 7, 172; 8, 598. See Or. in loc. and Preliminary Remarks to the Histories, p. 234.
Legationibus coeunt. Just as we say: convene by their delegates, or representatives.
Publice==publica auctoritate, cf. same word, 10.