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[2] Cic. Q. Fr. 2.13.4auricula infima molliorem” (written in June, 54 B.C.); Bücheler conjectures that Cicero copied the expression from the liber Catulli, which must, therefore, have been published before the middle of the year 54 B.C. But the comparison is of precisely the homely sort that might be proverbial; cf. for example Amm. Marc. 19.12.5ima quod aiunt auricula mollior,” where it is unsafe to judge that quod aiunt points to a proverbial comparison that spread from a mere invention of Catullus. auricilla is a diminutive from auricula, itself a diminutive, as ocellus (Catul. 3.18, etc.) from oculus. With the diminutive forms of noun and adjective in the same phrase cf. Catul. 3.18turgiduli celli;” 64.316 aridulis labellis.


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