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 a sentence, therefore. Other words, such as "fere" "approximately" and "etiam", are frequently enclitic: In the phrase "ne ... quidem" "not even", the word "quidem" generally follows the first word of the emphasised phrase, rather than the whole phrase: Personal pronouns such as "me" "me" and "mihi" "to me" can have weak and strong forms in Latin. When weak they tend to be found early in the sentence, either after the first word (which can be a conjunction such as "cum" "when" or "et" "and") or after an enclitic such as "enim", if present: Contrast sentences like the following, where