[763] Albanum nomen seems to indicate that the name afterwards became a common one at Alba, as Livy 1. 3, quoted by Forb., says “mansit Silvius postea omnibus cognomen qui Albae regnaverunt.” ‘Postumus’ means no more than latest: it came however to be applied to children born after the father's death (Plaut. Aul. 2. 1. 40, Varro L. L. 9. 38),—or born after the father's last will (Gaius Inst. 1. 147, Ulpian Dig. 26. 2, 5, referred to by Freund s. v.: see Dict. A. “Heres,” Roman). Here it evidently has its original meaning, as Caesellius Vindex ap. Gell. 2. 16 long ago remarked, though Serv. and in later times even Henry and Sir G. Lewis give it the sense of ‘posthumous,’ contrary to the plain meaning of the next line. Virg. seems to have intended to translate the Homeric τηλύγετος, as the commentators remark. The word appears to be restricted to children, till we come to writers like Apuleius and Tertullian, who use it as convertible with ‘postremus.’ In the legendary accounts Silvius seems actually to have been called Silvius Postumus: see Lewis, Credibility, vol. 1, pp. 357 foll.
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John Conington. P. Vergili Maronis opera. P. Vergili Maronis Opera. The works of Virgil, with a Commentary by John Conington, M.A. Late Corpus Professor of Latin in the University of Oxford. London. Whittaker and Co., Ave Maria Lane. 1876.
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