Lewis & Short

urbs, urbis (dat. VRBEI, Corp. Inscr. Lat. 206), f. [Sanscr. vardh-, to make strong; cf. Pers. vard-ana, city], a walled town, a city.

  1. I. Lit.
      1. 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. 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.
    1. B. Transf., as in Engl.
      1. 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. 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.
  2. * II. Trop.: urbem philosophiae, mihi crede, proditis, dum castella defenditis, i. e. the main point, Cic. Div. 2, 16, 37.