Commentary on the Dream of Scipio

And elsewhere he says Floralium original: "Floralium", not Floraliorum, even though it signified not the Floral games there, but the festival of the Floralia itself. MASVRIVS also says in the second book of his Fastorum: "The day of the Liberalium original: "Liberalium" (festival of Liber/Bacchus) is called by the pontiffs the Martial Agonium," and in the same book he refers to that night and the day following it, which is the Lucarium festival in the grove, not saying Lucariorum. Likewise, many have said Liberalium, not Liberaliorum. Whence it must be proclaimed that the ancients indulged in abundance through variety, just as they said exanimos and exanimes original: "exanimos/exanimes" (lifeless), inermos and inermes original: "inermos/inermes" (unarmed), and then hilaros and hilares original: "hilaros/hilares" (cheerful). Therefore, it is certain that it is permissible to say both Saturnalium and Saturnaliorum, since the one is defended by rule and authority, and the other, even if by authority alone, is defended by the authority of many.

17 The remaining words, however, which seemed new to our Avienus, must be supported for us by the testimonies of the ancients. For ENNIVS—unless one thinks he should be rejected in favor of the more refined elegances of our age—used noctu concubia original: "noctu concubia" (at the time for bed) in these verses:

"Where the Gauls, secretly at the time for bed, attacked the summit of the citadel
And suddenly bloodied the vigilant guards."

18 In this place, it should be noted not only that he said noctu concubia, but also that he said qua noctu original: "qua noctu" (at which night). And he placed this in the seventh book of the Annalium Annals, in the third book of which he said the same thing more clearly:

"On this night, all Etruria will hang by a thread."

CLAVDIVS QVADRIGARIVS also, in the third book of his Annalium...