The expression is used as a simple relative with the implication of size only from context at Tr III v 29 'quaeque tibi linguae est facundia, confer in illud' and Tr III vi 7-8 'quique est in caris animi [codd: animo fort legendum; uide ad 91] tibi candor amicis— / cognitus est illi quem colis ipse uiro'.
61-62. ALTERNA ... GAVDIA. Flaccus will first rejoice to see Graecinus become consul; then Graecinus will have the pleasure of seeing Flaccus consul.
64. BINVS seems sufficiently confirmed, as Ehwald points out (KB 51-52) by bis ... bis in the preceding line; BIMVS, conjectured by Heinsius and found in certain late manuscripts, seems ingenious but unnecessary. Ehwald compares Ecl III 30 'bis uenit ad mulctram, binos alit ubere fetus'.
64-65. HONOR ... INGENS. At vii 17 Ovid calls the rank of primipilaris 'titulus ... ingens'.
65-66. MARTIA ... ROMA. The same phrase at Tr III vii 52 and EP I viii 24; compare as well Aen I 276-77 'Romulus ... Mauortia condet / moenia'. Mars, father of Romulus and Remus, was peculiarly the god of Rome: compare Fast I 39-40 & III 85-86 'Mars Latio uenerandus erat, quia praesidet armis: / arma ferae genti remque decusque dabant'.
The reference to Mars is very apt in view of the primarily military nature of the republican consul's office.
67. MVLTIPLICAT TAMEN HVNC GRAVITAS AVCTORIS HONOREM. Flaccus had been nominated for the consulship by Tiberius.
For language and sentiment compare Met VIII 430 'illi laetitiae est cum munere muneris auctor'.
67. GRAVITAS is linked with Hercules at Met IX 270, with Jupiter at Met I 207 (considered suspect by Merkel) and II 847, with all the Olympian gods at Met VI 73, and with Augustus at Tr II 512. Underneath the ostensible connection to Jupiter at Met II 846-47 'non bene conueniunt nec in una sede morantur / maiestas et amor' Professor R. J. Tarrant sees an allusion to Augustus.
69-70. IVDICIIS IGITVR LICEAT FLACCOQVE TIBIQVE / TALIBVS AVGVSTI TEMPVS IN OMNE FRVI. Compare EP II vi 17-18 (to Graecinus) 'quodque soles animo semper, quod uoce precari, / omnia Caesaribus sic tua facta probes'.