Fergus Millar, "The Political Character of the Classical Roman Republic, 200–151 B.C.," as reprinted in Rome, the Greek World, and the East (University of North Carolina Press, 2002), p. 126 online, originally published in Journal of Roman Studies 74 (1984) 1–19.
Eugenia: nombre de la nobleza entre los griegos, derivado de gheinesthai nacer. Aunque los griegos y los romanos no la hubiesen jamás deificado, se halla representada en muchos monumentos. Suele verse figurada por una muger en pie con una pica en la mano izquierda, y en la derecha una estatua pequeña de Minerva (Joaquín Bastús, Suplemento al Diccionario histórico enciclopédico, 1833, pg. 261).
Online Etymology Dictionary: noble (adj.) c.1200, "illustrious, distinguished; worthy of honor or respect," from Old French noble "of noble bearing or birth," from Latin nobilis "well-known, famous, renowned; excellent, superior, splendid; high-born, of superior birth," earlier *gnobilis, literally "knowable," from gnoscere "to come to know," from PIE root *gno- "to know" (see know). The prominent Roman families, which were "well known," provided most of the Republic's public officials.
