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 will often take precedence over a conjunction, and the following word order where the topic (in this case the grammatical subject) precedes "cum" "when" is fairly common: Not every sentence has a topic, but some present information which is entirely new. Pinkster gives the following as an example: Such sentences are sometimes called "presentative sentences" and often start with a verb. The focus is the new information, i.e. the message which is being conveyed to the listener. Often in Latin the topic comes first, and then the focus. For example, in the sentence below, the topic is "in the bathhouse"