Victores ludos instituere novos.

Parte locant Clivum, qui tunc erat ardua rupes:

Utile nunc iter est. Publiciumque vocant.’

Ovid, Fasti, v. 237-254, H.

2 illa, i.e. Flora, the Roman goddess of Flowers and Spring.

3 luxuriae instrumenta = appliance of luxury.

5 locuples (locus + plenus) = rich in lands.

pecunia from pecus, cattle being in olden time the chief form of wealth and the chief medium of exchange. For pecus, cf. fee, fief, feudal.

7 Venerat . . . saltus = it had grown into a custom to feed (cattle) on the public forest-pastures. (Cf. the ager publicus.) H.

9 sua publica = their common property, i.e. their interest in the public land.