CHAP. 9.—HOWOFTEN THE NAME OF THE EQUESTRIAN ORDER
HAS BEEN CHANGED.
Indeed, the name itself of the equites even, has been frequently changed, and that too, in the case of those who only
owed their name to the fact of their service on horseback.
Under Romulus and the other kings, the equites were known
as "Celeres,"[1] then again as "Flexuntes,"[2] and after that
as "Trossuli,"[3] from the fact of their having taken a certain
town of Etruria, situate nine miles on this side of Volsinii,
without any assistance from the infantry; a name too which
survived till after the death of C. Gracchus.
At all events, in the writings left by Junius, who, from his
affection for C. Gracchus, took the name of Gracchanus,[4] we
find the following words—"As regards the equestrian order,
its members were formerly called 'Trossuli,' but at the
present day they have the name of 'Equites;' because it is
not understood what the appellation 'Trossuli' really means,
and many feel ashamed at being called by that name."[5]—He[6]
then goes on to explain the reason, as above mentioned, and
adds that, though much against their will, those persons are
still called "Trossuli."
1. According to Livy, B. i. c. 15, the Celeres were three hundred Roman
knights whom Romulus established as a body-guard. Their name, probably,
was derived from the Greek ke/lhs, a "war-horse," or "charger,"
and the body consisted, no doubt, of the patricians in general, or such of
them as could keep horses. Another origin assigned to the appellation is
"Celer," the name of a chieftain, who was a favourite of Romulus. The
adjective "celer," "swift," owes its origin, probably, to the title of these
horsemen.
2. A title derived, possibly, as Delafosse suggests, "a flectendis habenis,"
from "managing the reins."
3. Called "Trossum" or "Trossulum," it is supposed. The remains
of a town are still to be seen at Trosso, two miles from Montefiascone in
Tuscany. The Greek word trwcalli\s, a "cricket," and the Latin "torosulus,"
"muscular," have been suggested as the origin of this name.
Ajasson suggests the Latin verb "truso," to "push on," as its origin.
4. See the end of this Book.
5. From the ambiguous nature of the name, it being in later times an
expression of contempt, like our word "fop," or "beau." In this latter
sense, Salmasius derives it from the Greek trusso\s, "effeminate."
6. This concluding passage is omitted in most editions.