I.the largest of the seven hills of Rome, with several separate heights (whence the plur. form); added to the city by Servius Tullius; now the heights of Santa Maria Maggiore, Varr. L. L. 5, § 49 Müll.; Liv. 1, 44; Ov. F. 3, 246; 6, 601; Prop. 3 (4), 23, 24; Hor. S. 1, 8, 14; Tac. A. 15, 40; Suet. Tib. 15; Juv. 11, 51 et saep. In earlier times low people were buried there; “hence: atrae,” Hor. S. 2, 6, 33.—
II. Derivv.,
B. Esquĭlīnus (Exq- ), a, um, adj., the same: “tribus,” Varr. L. L. 5, § 45 Müll.; Liv. 45, 15; Plin. 18, 3, 3, § 13 al.: “porta,” Tac. A. 2, 32 fin.; also simply, Esquilina , ae, f., Cic. Pis. 23 fin.: “campus,” Suet. Claud. 25: alites, i. e. birds of prey (which devoured the bodies of criminals executed on the Esquiline), Hor. Epod. 5, 100; cf. “veneficium (for which human bones, etc., were brought from the Esquiline),” id. ib. 17, 58.—*