Pontifex maximus pointed out that the term existed before there were any bridges in Rome and derived the word from Old Latin "pontis" (sic) meaning a powerful or absolute master, while others derived it from "potis facere" in the sense of "able to sacrifice". The last derivation is mentioned also by Varro, who rejected it, but it was the view of Pontifex Maximus Quintus Scaevola. Others have held that the word was originally "pompifex" (leader of public processions). The word "pons" originally meant "way" and "pontifex" would thus mean "maker of roads and bridges". Another opinion is that the word is a
Latin word order emphatic one such as "omnis" "all": This also applies when a participle is used instead of an adjective: The orders Adjective-Noun-Genitive and Adjective-Genitive-Noun are both common in Caesar and Cicero; but Genitive-Adjective-Noun is infrequent. There are certain words that are enclitic, that is to say, they always follow a stronger word. Typical of these are "enim" "for", "autem" "however, moreover", and "vero" "indeed", which virtually always come after the first full word of the sentence (not counting prepositions), never first. Other words which require a stronger word to lean on are "quoque" "also" and "quidem" "indeed". These can never begin