they would have clashed
a minute ago if I had not put _autem_ between them. This is the origin
of our saying _mecum_ and _tecum_, not _cum me_, and _cum te_, so that
they too might be like _nobiscum_ and _vobiscum_.

XLVI. And some men find fault with all this; men who are rather late
in mending antiquity; for they wish us, instead of saying _Deum atque
hominum fidem_, to say _Deorum_. Very likely it may be right, but were
our ancestors ignorant of all this, or was it usage that gave them
this liberty? Therefore the same poet who had used these uncommon
contractions--

"Patris mei mecum factum pudet," for meorum factorum,

and,

"Texitur: exitium examen rapit," for exitiorum,

does not say "_liberum_" as many of us do say in such an expression as
_cupidos liberum_, or in _liberum loco_, but, as these men approve,

"Neque tuum unquam in gremium extollas liberorum ex te genus."

And again he says,--

"Namque aesculapi liberorum...."

And another of these poets says in his Chryses, not only

"Cives, antiqui amici majorum meum,"

which was common enough; but he says, with a much more unmusical
sound,--

"Consilium, augurium, atque extum interpretes."

And again he goes on--

"Postquam prodigium horriferum, putentfum pavos,"

which are not at all usual contractions in a string of words which are
all neuter. Nor should I much like to say _armum judicium_, though the
expression occurs in that same poet,--

"Nihilne ad te de judicio armum accidit?"

instead of _armorum_. But I do venture (following the language of the
censor's returns) to say _jabrum_ and _procum_, instead of _fabrorum_
and _procorum_. And I actually never by any chance say _duorum virorum
judicium_, or _triumvirorum capitalium_, or _decemvirorum litibus
judicandis_.

And Attius said--

"Video sepulchra dua duorum corporam."

And at another time he has said,--

"Mulier una duum virum."

I know which is proper; but sometimes I speak according to the licence
of the present fashion, so far as to say _Proh Deum_, or _Proh
Deorum_; and at other times I speak as I am forced to, when I say
_trium virum_, not _virorum_, and _sestertium nummum_, not _nummorum_;
because with respect to these words there is no variety of usage.

XLVII. What am I to say is the reason why they forbid us to say
_nosse, judicasse_, and enjoin us to use _novisse_ and _judicavisse_?
as if we did not know that in words of this kind it is quite correct
to use the