I.a walled town, a city.
I. Lit.
1. In gen.: “hi coetus sedem primum certo loco domiciliorum causā constituerunt: quam cum locis manuque sepsissent, ejusmodi conjunctionem tectorum oppidum vel urbem appellaverunt, delubris distinctam spatiisque communibus,” Cic. Rep. 1, 26, 41; cf.: “post ea qui fiebat orbis, urbis principium,” Varr. L. L. 5, § 143 Müll.: urbs dicitur ab orbe, quod antiquae civitates in orbem flebant, id. ap. Serv. Verg. A. 1, 12: “interea Aeneas urbem designat aratro,” Verg. A. 5, 755 Serv.: “veni Syracusas, quod ab eā urbe ... quae tamen urbs, etc.,” Cic. Phil. 1, 3, 7: certabant urbem Romam Remoramne vocarent, Enn. ap. Cic. Div. 1, 48, 107 (Ann. v. 85 Vahl.): arce et urbe sum orba, id. ap. Cic. Tusc. 3, 19, 44 (Trag. v. 114 ib.): “urbes magnae et imperiosae,” id. Rep. 1, 2, 3: “urbs illa praeclara (Syracusae),” id. ib. 3, 31, 43: “duabus urbibus eversis inimicissimis huic imperio,” id. Lael. 3, 11.— Rarely, and mostly poet., with the name of the city in gen.: “urbs Patavi, Buthroti,” Verg. A. 1, 247; 3, 293: “Cassius in oppido Antiochiae cum omni exercitu,” Cic. Att. 5, 18, 1.—With adj. prop.: urbs Romana = Roma, Liv. 9, 41, 16; 22, 37, 12; 40, 36, 14; Flor. 1, 13, 21.—Of other cities (rare and post-class.): “Lampsacenae urbis salus,” Val. Max. 7, 3, ext. 4: in urbe Aquilejensi, Paul. v. S. Ambros. 32: “urbs urbium,” a metropolis, Flor. 2, 6, 35.—
2. In partic., the city of Rome (like ἄστυ, of Athens): “postquam Urbis appellationem, etiamsi nomen proprium non adiceretur, Romam tamen accipi sit receptum,” Quint. 6, 3, 103; cf. id. 8, 2, 8; 8, 5, 9: “hujus urbis condendae principium profectum a Romulo,” Cic. Rep. 2, 2, 4; cf. id. ib. 1, 47, 71; 1, 1, 1; “1, 37, 58: (Caesar) maturat ab urbe proficisci,” Caes. B. G. 1, 7: “de urbe augendā quid sit promulgatum, non intellexi,” Cic. Att. 13, 20, 1: “conditor urbis (Romulus),” Ov. F. 1, 27: “(pater) Dextera sacras jaculatus arces Terruit urbem,” Hor. C. 1, 2, 4: “minatus urbi vincla,” id. Epod. 9, 9; “called also urbs aeterna,” Amm. 14, 6, 1.— Ad urbem esse, to stop at or near Rome; in publicists' lang., of returning generals, who had to remain outside of the city till the Senate decreed them the right of entrance; “or of provincial magistrates who were preparing for departure to their provinces,” Cic. Verr. 1, 15, 45 Ascon.; 2, 2, 6, § 17; Sall. C. 30, 4; Caes. B. C. 6, 1.—
B. Transf., as in Engl.
1. The city, for the citizens (rare; cf. “civitas): invadunt urbem somno vinoque sepultam,” Verg. A. 2, 265: “maesta attonitaque,” Juv. 11, 198: bene moratae, Auct. ap. Quint. 8, 6, 24.—
2. The capital city, metropolis (post-class.): “si tam vicinum urbi municipium sit, ut, etc.,” Dig. 39, 2, 4 fin.; Cod. Th. 14, 1, 3.—*
II. Trop.: “urbem philosophiae, mihi crede, proditis, dum castella defenditis,” i. e. the main point, Cic. Div. 2, 16, 37.