PACUVIUS.

Cic.Cato Maior, 14, ‘Annos septuaginta natus—tot enim vixit Ennius—ita ferebat duo quae maxima putantur onera, paupertatem et senectutem, ut eis paene delectari videretur.’

Cic.Brut.78, ‘Hoc [C. Sulpicio Gallo] praetore ludos Apollini faciente, cum Thyesten fabulam docuisset, Q. Marcio Cn. Servilio coss. (B.C.169) mortem obiit Ennius.’

Jerome yr. Abr. 1849 =B.C.168, ‘Ennius poeta septuagenario maior articulari morbo periit, sepultusque est in Scipionis monumento via Appia intra primum ab urbe miliarium. Quidam ossa eius Rudiam ex Ianiculo translata affirmant.’

For his gout cf. Enn.Sat.1. 8,

‘Numquam poetor nisi si podager’;

‘Numquam poetor nisi si podager’;

Hor.Ep.i. 19, 7,

‘Ennius ipse pater numquam nisi potus ad armaprosiluit dicenda.’

‘Ennius ipse pater numquam nisi potus ad armaprosiluit dicenda.’

‘Ennius “equi fortis et victoris senectuti comparat suam”’ (Cic.Cato Maior, 14).

The lines areAnn.xviii. fr. 7,

‘Sic ut fortisequus, spatio qui saepe supremovicit Olimpia, nunc senio confectus quiescit.’

‘Sic ut fortisequus, spatio qui saepe supremovicit Olimpia, nunc senio confectus quiescit.’

His epitaph (Epigr.i) is quoted by Cic.Tusc.i. 34 and 117,

‘Aspicite, o cives, senis Enni imaginis formam!hic vestrum panxit maxima facta patrum;Nemo me dacrumis decoret nec funera fletufaxit. Cur? Volito vivus per ora virum.’

‘Aspicite, o cives, senis Enni imaginis formam!hic vestrum panxit maxima facta patrum;Nemo me dacrumis decoret nec funera fletufaxit. Cur? Volito vivus per ora virum.’

According to Aelius Stilo, Ennius has depicted his own character inAnn.vii. fr. 10, wherein he portrays Servilius Geminus, the trusty companion of a man of position (Gell. xii. 4). For Ennius’ self-appreciation cf. also his epitaph (if by himself) quoted above, andAnn.i. fr. 4,

‘Latos per populos terrasque poemata nostraclara cluebunt.’

‘Latos per populos terrasque poemata nostraclara cluebunt.’

In philosophy Ennius was an eclectic. Cf.Trag.1. 417,

‘Philosophari est mihi necesse, at paucis: nam omnino haut placet.Degustandum ex ea, non in eam ingurgitandum censeo.’

‘Philosophari est mihi necesse, at paucis: nam omnino haut placet.Degustandum ex ea, non in eam ingurgitandum censeo.’

His rationalism is seen inTelamo, fr. 1,

‘Ego deum genus esse semper dixi et dicam caelitum,sed eos non curare opinor, quid agat humanum genus:nam si curent, bene bonis sit, male malis, quod nunc abest’;

‘Ego deum genus esse semper dixi et dicam caelitum,sed eos non curare opinor, quid agat humanum genus:nam si curent, bene bonis sit, male malis, quod nunc abest’;

ibid., fr. 2,

‘Sed superstitiosi vates inpudentesque arioli,aut inertes aut insani aut quibus egestas imperat,qui sibi semitam non sapiunt, alteri monstrant viam,quibus divitias pollicentur, ab eis drachumam ipsi petunt.’

‘Sed superstitiosi vates inpudentesque arioli,aut inertes aut insani aut quibus egestas imperat,qui sibi semitam non sapiunt, alteri monstrant viam,quibus divitias pollicentur, ab eis drachumam ipsi petunt.’

Traces of Epicureanism are seen inAnn.i. fr. 13,

‘Terraque corpusquae dedit ipsa capit neque dispendi facit hilum.’

‘Terraque corpusquae dedit ipsa capit neque dispendi facit hilum.’

Ennius also believed in the Pythagorean theory of metempsychosis, and considered that his soul had animated the body of a peacock.Ann.i. fr. 14,

‘Memini me fiere pavom.’

‘Memini me fiere pavom.’

Persius 6, 10,

‘Cor iubet hoc Enni postquam destertuit esseMaeonides Quintus pavone e Pythagoreo.’

‘Cor iubet hoc Enni postquam destertuit esseMaeonides Quintus pavone e Pythagoreo.’

Cf. also Lucr. i. 120-6.

1.Tragedies.—Of those founded on mythology we have fragments of twenty-two, eight at least of which were borrowed from Euripides. TheAuct. ad Herenn.ii. 34, quotes nine lines which are a literal translation of the beginning of theMedea. The date of theThyestes,B.C.169, is the only one known (Cic.Brut.78, quotedp. 28). Besides these, Ennius probably wrote a praetexta on ‘the Rape of the Sabines’; and hisAmbraciais probably a praetexta on the capture of the town by M. Fulvius Nobilior inB.C.189 (L. Müller includes it in theSaturae).

2.Comedies.—There are very slight fragments of theCupunculaand thePancratiastes.

3.Saturae.—A miscellaneous collection of poems.

Porphyr. ad Hor.Sat.i. 10, 47, ‘Ennius quattuor libros saturarum reliquit.’

The reference in Hor.Sat.i. 10, 66,

‘Quam rudis et Graecis intacti carminis auctor,’

‘Quam rudis et Graecis intacti carminis auctor,’

is not to Ennius, as some have supposed, but to the inventor ofsatura, whoever he may have been.

TheSaturaeinclude (a)Scipio, probably a short epic. It was mostly written in trochaic septenarii. (b)Epicharmus(in trochaic tetrameters), dealing with Pythagoreanism in the department of physics. (c)EuhemerusorSacra Historia, modelled on Euhemerus’ἱερὰ ἀναγραφή,[16]the doctrines of which were applied to the religion of Rome.

Cic.N.D.i. 119, ‘Euhemerus, quem noster et interpretatus et secutus est praeter ceteros Ennius.’

(d)ProtrepticaorPraecepta, containing moral maxims. (e)Hedyphagetica, ‘On Gastronomy,’ modelled on a hexameter poem by Archestratus (aboutB.C.310). (f)Sota, so called fromΣωτάδης, after whom the Sotadean metre has been named. The book was probably of a lascivious nature. (g) Epigrams; the chief of which are mentioned above.

4. TheAnnales, an epic poem in hexameters, which dealt with the history of Rome down to the beginning of the Third Macedonian War. It contained eighteen Books; there are about six hundred lines extant. The following is a sketch of the contents:

Book i., from Aeneas to the death of Romulus; ii., reigns of Numa Pompilius, Tullus Hostilius, Ancus Martius; iii., the last three kings; iv.-v., the republic down to the war with Pyrrhus; vi., the war with Pyrrhus; vii., First Punic War, etc.; viii.-ix., Second Punic War; x.-xii., Second Macedonian War, Cato’s consulship; xiii.-xv., War with Antiochus, subjugation of the Aetolians; xvi.-xviii., from Istrian War to beginning of Third Macedonian War.

Ennius’ servicesto Latin literature lay partly in introducing the use of the hexameter and other metres from Greek in place of the old Saturnian metre. His versification is, of course, rough in comparison with that of later writers, the principal points being

(1) Harsh elisions.Ann.l. 199,

‘Hos et ego in pugna vici victusque sum ab isdem.’

‘Hos et ego in pugna vici victusque sum ab isdem.’

(2) Quadrisyllable endings; l. 23,

‘Est locus Hesperiam quam mortales perhibebant.’

‘Est locus Hesperiam quam mortales perhibebant.’

(3) Absence of caesura, or abrupt break, l. 188,

‘Bellipotentes sunt magis quam sapientipotentes’;

‘Bellipotentes sunt magis quam sapientipotentes’;

l. 511,

‘Cui par imber et ignis, spiritus et gravis terra.’

‘Cui par imber et ignis, spiritus et gravis terra.’

(4) Omission of-sin scansion, as in the last two examples.

(5) Short vowels sometimes lengthened; l. 86,

‘Omnibus cura viris uter esset induperator.’

‘Omnibus cura viris uter esset induperator.’

(6) Prosaic lines (often spondaic); l. 34,

‘Olli respondit rex Albai longai’;

‘Olli respondit rex Albai longai’;

l. 174,

‘Cives Romani tunc facti sunt Campani.’

‘Cives Romani tunc facti sunt Campani.’

(7) Harsh instances of tmesis; l. 586,

‘Saxo cere comminuit brum’:

‘Saxo cere comminuit brum’:

l. 605,

‘Massili portabant iuvenes ad litora tanas.’

‘Massili portabant iuvenes ad litora tanas.’

(8) Apocope; l. 451

‘replet te laetificumgau’;

‘replet te laetificumgau’;

l. 561,

‘divom domus altisonumcael’;

‘divom domus altisonumcael’;

l. 563,

‘endo suamdo’ (= in suam domum).

‘endo suamdo’ (= in suam domum).

(9) Alliteration used freely; l. 113,

‘O Tite tute Tati tibi tanta tiranne tulisti’;

‘O Tite tute Tati tibi tanta tiranne tulisti’;

l. 452,

‘At tuba terribili sonitu taratantara dixit.’

‘At tuba terribili sonitu taratantara dixit.’

(10) Non-elision; l. 275,

‘Miscent inter sese inimicitiam agitantes.’

‘Miscent inter sese inimicitiam agitantes.’

Influence of Ennius.—This is seen in Lucretius, and to a very great extent in Virgil. For Lucretius’ appreciation of Ennius see Lucr. i. 117-9. Cf. alsoAnn.l. 150,

‘Postquam lumina sis oculis bonus Ancus reliquit,’

‘Postquam lumina sis oculis bonus Ancus reliquit,’

and Lucr. iii. 1025,

‘Lumina sis oculis etiam bonus Ancus reliquit.’

‘Lumina sis oculis etiam bonus Ancus reliquit.’

Servius on Verg.Aen.viii. 630-4, says ‘Sane totus hic locus Ennianus est.’ Cf. Servius also onAen.i. 20; xi. 608, etc. A large number of imitations are quoted by Macrobius, especially inSaturn.Book vi. Virgil modified and refined many of Ennius’ rough expressions. ThusAnn.l. 452 (above quoted), becomes, in Verg.Aen.ix. 503,

‘At tuba terribilem sonitum procul aere sonoroincrepuit’;

‘At tuba terribilem sonitum procul aere sonoroincrepuit’;

Ann.l. 464,

‘irarumque effunde quadrigas’

‘irarumque effunde quadrigas’

becomes in Verg.Aen.xii. 499,

‘irarumque omnes effundit habenas.’

‘irarumque omnes effundit habenas.’

Views on Ennius.—A very few of these may be quoted. Lucr. i. 117-9,

‘Ennius ut noster cecinit qui primus amoenodetulit ex Helicone perenni fronde coronam,per gentes Italas hominum quae claraclueret.’

‘Ennius ut noster cecinit qui primus amoenodetulit ex Helicone perenni fronde coronam,per gentes Italas hominum quae claraclueret.’

Cic.Opt. Gen. Or.2, ‘Licet dicere Ennium summum epicum poetam, si cui ita videtur.’ Hor.Ep.ii. 1, 50,

‘Ennius et sapiens et fortis et alter Homerus,ut critici dicunt, leviter curare videturquo promissa cadant et somnia Pythagorea.’

‘Ennius et sapiens et fortis et alter Homerus,ut critici dicunt, leviter curare videturquo promissa cadant et somnia Pythagorea.’

Propert. v. 1, 61,

‘Ennius hirsuta cingat sua dicta corona.’

‘Ennius hirsuta cingat sua dicta corona.’

Quint. x. 1, 88, ‘Ennium sicut sacros vetustate lucos adoremus, in quibus grandia et antiqua robora iam non tantam habent speciem quantam religionem.’

M. Pacuvius, the son (not grandson as Jerome states) of Ennius’ sister, was born at Brundisium,B.C.220, spent most of his life at Rome, and died at Tarentum shortly beforeB.C.130. He was a painter as well as a poet.

Jerome yr. Abr. 1863 =B.C.154, ‘Pacuvius Brundusinus tragoediarum scriptor clarus habetur, Ennii poetae ex filia nepos, vixitque Romae quoad picturam exercuit ac fabulas venditavit, deinde Tarentum transgressus prope nonagenarius diem obiit.’

Pliny,N.H.xxxv. 19, ‘Celebrata est in foro boario, aede Herculis, Pacuvii poetae pictura. Ennii sorore genitus hic fuit, clarioremque eam artem Romae fecit gloria scaenae.’

Cic.Brut.229, ‘Accius isdem aedilibus ait se et Pacuvium docuisse fabulam, cum ille octoginta, ipse triginta annos natus esset.’

As Accius was bornB.C.170, Cicero’s words imply that Pacuvius was bornB.C.220, and produced plays as late asB.C.140, while from Jerome we may conclude that he died shortly beforeB.C.130. That Pacuvius was taught by his uncle Ennius is shown by Varro,Sat. Menipp.356 (Bücheler),

‘Pacvi[17]discipulus dicor, porro is fuit Enni,Ennius Musarum: Pompilius clueor.’

‘Pacvi[17]discipulus dicor, porro is fuit Enni,Ennius Musarum: Pompilius clueor.’

He was a member of the literary circle of Laelius. Cf. Laelius’ words in Cic.Lael.24, ‘In hospitis et amici mei M. Pacuvi nova fabula.’ In his last years he was intimate with Accius: cf. Gell. xiii. 2, ‘Cum Pacuvius, inquiunt, grandi iam aetate et morbo corporis diutino adfectus, Tarentum ex urbe Roma concessisset, Accius tunc, haut parvo iunior, proficiscens in Asiam, cum in oppidum venisset, devertit ad Pacuvium comiterque invitatus plusculisque ab eo diebus retentus, tragoediam suam, cui Atreus nomen est, desideranti legit.’

Gell. i. 24, 4, gives Pacuvius’ epitaph, as written by himself, ‘Epigramma Pacuvii verecundissimum et purissimum, dignumque eius elegantissima gravitate:

“Adulescens, tam etsi properas, te hoc saxum rogat,ut sese aspicias, deinde quod scriptum est legas.Hic sunt poetae Pacuvi Marci sitaossa. Hoc volebam nescius ne esses. Vale.”’

“Adulescens, tam etsi properas, te hoc saxum rogat,ut sese aspicias, deinde quod scriptum est legas.Hic sunt poetae Pacuvi Marci sitaossa. Hoc volebam nescius ne esses. Vale.”’

1.Tragedies.—Titles of twelve are known, and over four hundred lines of fragments are extant. TheAntiopa, which is the best known, was from Euripides.

Cic.de Fin.i. 4, ‘Quis enim tam inimicus paene nomini Romano est, qui Enni Medeam aut Antiopam Pacuvi spernat aut reiciat quod se eisdem Euripidis fabulis delectari dicat?’

TheNiptrais from Sophocles. Cic.T.D.ii. 49, speaking of ll. 256-8 (Ribbeck), says, ‘Pacuvius melius quam Sophocles.’

Pacuvius also wrote one praetexta,Paulus, doubtless on L. Aemilius Paulus, the victor of Pydna.

2.Saturae(lost).

Sueton. p. 20R., ‘Carmen quod ex variis poematibus constabat satura vocabatur, quale scripserunt Pacuvius et Ennius.’

Pacuvius, like Ennius, shows interest in philosophy, and attacks superstition; l. 93,

‘Mater est terra: ea parit corpus, animam aeter adiugat’;

‘Mater est terra: ea parit corpus, animam aeter adiugat’;

ll. 366-75; cf. l. 372,

‘Sunt autem alii philosophi, qui contra fortunam negantesse ullam, sed temeritate res regi omnis autumant’;

‘Sunt autem alii philosophi, qui contra fortunam negantesse ullam, sed temeritate res regi omnis autumant’;

ll. 83-5,

‘Nam isti qui linguam avium intelleguntplusque ex alieno iecore sapiunt quam ex suo,magis audiendum quam auscultandum censeo.’

‘Nam isti qui linguam avium intelleguntplusque ex alieno iecore sapiunt quam ex suo,magis audiendum quam auscultandum censeo.’

For Pacuvius’ stilted expressions, cf. Quint. i. 5, 67, ‘Ceterum etiam ex praepositione et duobus vocabulis dure videtur struxisse Pacuvius

“Nerei repandirostrum, incurvicervicum pecus”’ (l. 408);

“Nerei repandirostrum, incurvicervicum pecus”’ (l. 408);

Paulus, l. 5

‘Qua vix caprigeno generi gradilis gressio est.’

‘Qua vix caprigeno generi gradilis gressio est.’

Some views on Pacuvius may be referred to:

Cic.de Opt. Gen. Or.1, ‘Itaque licet dicere et Ennium summum epicum poetam et Pacuvium tragicum et Caecilium fortasse comicum.’

Hor.Ep.ii. 1, 55,

‘Ambigitur quotiens uter utro sit prior, aufertPacuvius docti[18]famam senis, Accius alti’;

‘Ambigitur quotiens uter utro sit prior, aufertPacuvius docti[18]famam senis, Accius alti’;

Mart. xi. 90, 5,

‘Attonitusque legis “terrai frugiferai,”Accius et quidquid Pacuviusque vomunt.’

‘Attonitusque legis “terrai frugiferai,”Accius et quidquid Pacuviusque vomunt.’

Cf. also Gell. vi. 14, 6; Cic.Brut.258;Or.36; Quint. x. 1, 97; Persius, 1. 76-8; Tac.Dial.20.

Jerome yr. Abr. 1838 =B.C.179, ‘Statius Caecilius comoediarum scriptor clarus habetur, natione Insuber Gallus et Ennii primum contubernalis. Quidam Mediolanensem ferunt. Mortuus est anno post mortem Ennii [iii.] et iuxta eum in Ianiculo sepultus.’

iii. is an addition by Ritschl, as we know Caecilius to have been alive inB.C.166, when Terence’sAndriawas performed. Some read iv. The date of his death will then beB.C.166 or 165. Caecilius probably came to Rome among the Insubrian prisoners of war at some time betweenB.C.200 and 194. The year of his birth is unknown; he is never mentioned, like other old writers, such as Plautus and Ennius, as having lived to a great age. If he diedB.C.166, we might suppose that he was born aboutB.C.219, as that would make him of military age when the Insubrian war began inB.C.200. His name as a slave was Statius. His patron is unknown.

Gell. iv. 20, 13, ‘Statius servile nomen fuit ... Caecilius quoque ille comoediarum poeta inclutus servus fuit; et propterea nomen habuit “Statius.” Sed postea versum est quasi in cognomentum: appellatusque est Caecilius Statius.’

Elsewhere he is sometimes called merely Caecilius (as Cic.de Or.ii. 40), but never Statius alone.

Caecilius’ works were at first unsuccessful; cf. the actor Ambivius’ words in Ter.Hec.prol. ii. 6-7,

‘In eis quas primum Caecili didici novas,partim sum earum exactus, partim vix steti.’

‘In eis quas primum Caecili didici novas,partim sum earum exactus, partim vix steti.’

Later he examined plays before they were acted, as,e.g.Terence’sAndriainB.C.166 (see under ‘Terence,’p. 42). This implies that he occupied a responsible and leading position in the guild of poets.

We have two hundred and ninety lines of fragments, and titles of forty-two comedies, sixteen of which correspond with those of plays by Menander. For Caecilius’ imitation of Menander see Gell. ii. 23. Cf.,e.g., ‘Caecilii Plocium legebamus; hautquaquam mihi et qui aderant displicebat... Sed enim postquam in manus Menander venit, a principio statim, di boni, quantum stupere atque frigere quantumque mutare a Menandro Caecilius visus est!’

Among the views on Caecilius are:

Cic.ad Att.vii. 3, 10, ‘(Caecilius) malus auctor Latinitatis est’ (probably because he was an Insubrian).

Cic.de Opt. Gen. Or.1, ‘fortasse summus comicus.’ Sedigitus ap. Gell. xv. 24,

‘Caecilio palmam Statio do mimico.’

‘Caecilio palmam Statio do mimico.’

Hor.Ep.ii. 1, 59,

‘(dicitur) vincere Caecilius gravitate.’

‘(dicitur) vincere Caecilius gravitate.’

The contemporaries of Caecilius includeTrabea,Atilius(‘poeta durissimus,’ Cic.ad Att.xiv. 20, 3),Aquilius(possibly the author of theBoeotia, attributed by Varro to Plautus, Gell. iii. 3, 4),Licinius Imbrex,Luscius Lanuvinus, all writers ofpalliatae. Our chief information about Luscius Lanuvinus is got from the prologues to Terence’s plays (in all of which, except that of theHecyra, he is attacked), and from Donatus’ commentary on these passages. From Ter.Eun.prol. 9-13, we see that he did not tone down his originals to suit a Roman audience,

‘Idem Menandri Phasma nuper perdiditatque in Thensauro scripsit, causam dicereprius unde petitur, aurum qua re sit suom,quam illic qui petit, unde is sit thensaurus sibiaut unde in patrium monumentum pervenerit.’

‘Idem Menandri Phasma nuper perdiditatque in Thensauro scripsit, causam dicereprius unde petitur, aurum qua re sit suom,quam illic qui petit, unde is sit thensaurus sibiaut unde in patrium monumentum pervenerit.’

Donatusad loc., ‘Arguit Terentius quod Luscius contra consuetudinem litigantium defensionem ante accusationem induxerit.’

Our chief source of information is Suetonius’ life of Terence, preserved by Donatus, who also makes a slight addition of his own. Jerome’s notice is also based on Suetonius.

P. Terentius Afer was born in Africa, and was brought in early life to Rome, where he was a slave of P. Terentius Lucanus, by whom he was educated and subsequently manumitted.

Sueton.vit. Ter.p. 26R., ‘P. Terentius Afer, Karthagine natus, serviit Romae Terentio Lucano senatori, a quo ob ingenium et formam non institutus modo liberaliter, sed et mature manu missus est. Quidam captum esse existumant: quod fieri nullo modo potuisse Fenestella docet, cum inter finem secundi Punici belli et initium tertii et natus sit et mortuus.’

Terence’s cognomen probably shows that he belonged to one of the African peoples subdued by Carthage. It may be taken as certain that he was not of Punic birth, and that he was brought to Rome in the ordinary course of the slave trade.

The date of Terence’s birth is not accurately known. Sueton.ibid.p. 32, ‘Nondum quintum atque vicesimum ingressus annum ... egressus urbe est neque amplius rediit,’ which refers to his voyage to Greece inB.C.160, would make the year of his birth to beB.C.185. This, however, is an improbable assumption, which rests on the fact that Roman scholars attributed to him the age of his intimate friend, P. Scipio Africanus the younger. Thus Sueton.ibid.p. 27 (of Terence, Scipio, Laelius), says, ‘quamvis et Nepos aequales omnes fuisse tradat’; with which contrastibid.‘Fenestella ... contendens utroque maiorem natu fuisse.’ Terence must have been some years older, as his first piece, theAndria, was producedB.C.166. A successful piece like it makes it probable that he had then passed his boyhood, and it is likely that he was born aboutB.C.190. The reproach of his adversary inHeaut. Tim.prol. 23,

‘repentead studium hunc se adplicassemusicum,’

‘repentead studium hunc se adplicassemusicum,’

means only that he had not made himself prominent by previous exercises in play-writing. Further inH.T.prol. 51-2, he describes his opponents asadulescentuli,

‘Exemplum statuite in me, ut adulescentulivobis placere studeant potius quam sibi.’

‘Exemplum statuite in me, ut adulescentulivobis placere studeant potius quam sibi.’

Terence was on intimate terms with P. Scipio Africanus and C. Laelius, who were supposed to have helped him in the composition of his plays.

Sueton.ibid.p. 30, ‘Non obscura fama est adiutum Terentium in scriptis a Laelio et Scipione: eamque ipse auxit, numquam nisi leviter se tutari conatus, ut in prologo Adelphorum (ll. 15-21),

“Nam quod isti dicunt malivoli, homines nobileshunc adiutare adsidueque una scribere,quod illi maledictum vehemens esse existumant:eam laudem hic ducit maxumam, quom illis placetqui vobis univorsis et populo placent,quorum opera in bello, in otio, in negotiosuo quisque tempore usust sine superbia.”

“Nam quod isti dicunt malivoli, homines nobileshunc adiutare adsidueque una scribere,quod illi maledictum vehemens esse existumant:eam laudem hic ducit maxumam, quom illis placetqui vobis univorsis et populo placent,quorum opera in bello, in otio, in negotiosuo quisque tempore usust sine superbia.”

... Sciebat Laelio et Scipioni non ingratam esse hanc opinionem, quae tum magis et usque ad posteriora tempora valuit.’

Sueton. p. 31, also repeats a story that C. Laelius was the author of the linesH.T.723sqq.

Cf. also Cic.ad Att.vii. 3, 10, ‘Terentium, cuius fabellae propter elegantiam sermonis putabantur a C. Laelio scribi.’

Quint. x. 1, 99, ‘Licet Terentii scripta ad Scipionem Africanum referantur.’

The remark that ll. 20-1 of the above extract from theAdelph.could not refer to young men like Scipio and Laelius was made even in antiquity.

Sueton.ibid.p. 31, ‘Santra (a grammarian of the time of Augustus) Terentium existimat, si modo in scribendo adiutoribus indiguerit, non tam Scipione et Laelio uti potuisse, qui tunc adulescentuli fuerint, quam C. Sulpicio Gallo, homine docto, quo console Megalensibus ludis initium fabularum dandarum fecerit, vel Q. Fabio Labeone et M. Popillio, consulari utroque ac poeta. Ideo ipsum non iuvenes designare qui se adiuvare dicantur, sed viros quorum operam et in bello et in otio et in negotio populus sit expertus.’

In K. Dziatzko’s opinion (second edition ofPhormio, p. 10, Leipzig, 1885), the expression ‘homines nobiles’ points to the literary circle of Terence, including old as well as young men, while in what follows he touches upon the general reputation of those noble families among the Roman people. There is nothing to show that Terence got more than general support and advice from his friends. That his diction reflects the conversational language of the better classes is recognized.

InB.C.166, Terence submitted to Caecilius Statius, the examiner of plays, his first work, theAndria, which was accepted, and performed in that year.

Sueton.ibid.pp. 28-9, ‘Scripsit comoedias sex. Ex quibus primam Andriam cum aedilibus daret, iussus ante Caecilio recitare ad cenantem cum venisset, dicitur initium quidem fabulae, quod erat contemptiore vestitu, in subsellio iuxta lectulum residens legisse, post paucos vero versus invitatus ut accumberet cenasse una, dein cetera percucurrisse non sine magna Caecilii admiratione.’

From the fact of Caecilius’ not recognizing him we may conclude that Terence had as yet no connexion with the guild of poets. This fits in withH.T.prol. 23-4,

‘Repente ad studium hunc se adplicasse musicum,amicum ingenio fretum, haud natura sua.’

‘Repente ad studium hunc se adplicasse musicum,amicum ingenio fretum, haud natura sua.’

Hence probably arose the hatred of other writers, referred to asisti(Andr.15; 21);iniqui(H.T.27); cf. alsoHec.prol. ii. 38,

‘Nolite sinere per vos artem musicamrecidere ad paucos.’

‘Nolite sinere per vos artem musicamrecidere ad paucos.’

As to further connexion between Caecilius and Terence, note (1) that they had a common actor Ambivius; (2) that Terence sometimes imitates Caecilius. Thus, according to Donatus,Andr.805,

‘ut quimus, aiunt, quando ut volumus non licet’

‘ut quimus, aiunt, quando ut volumus non licet’

is from Caecilius (l. 177 R.),

‘vivas ut possis quando nec quis ut velis.’

‘vivas ut possis quando nec quis ut velis.’

Cf. alsoAdelph.985,

‘Quod prolubium? quae istaec subitast largitas?’

‘Quod prolubium? quae istaec subitast largitas?’

and Caecilius (l. 91 R.),

‘Quod prolubium, quae voluptas, quae te lactat largitas?’

‘Quod prolubium, quae voluptas, quae te lactat largitas?’

Terence diedB.C.159, on his way home from Greece, where he had probably gone the year before. The place of his death is uncertain. Whatever plays he may have written while in Greece are lost.

Sueton.ibid.p. 32, ‘Post editas comoedias, nondum quintum atque vicesimum ingressus annum, causa vitandae opinionis qua videbatur aliena pro suis edere, seu percipiendi Graecorum instituta moresque quos non perinde exprimeret in scriptis, egressus urbe est neque amplius rediit.... Q. Cosconius redeuntem e Graecia perisse in mari dicit cum fabulis conversis a Menandro: ceteri mortuum esse in Arcadia sive Leucadiae tradunt, Cn. Cornelio Dolabella M. Fulvio Nobiliore coss., morbo implicatum ex dolore ac taedio amissarum sarcinarum quas in nave praemiserat, ac simul fabularum quas novas fecerat.’

Terence’s personal appearance is mentioned by Sueton. p. 33, who also states that he had property, and left a daughter who afterwards married a Roman knight. ‘Fuisse dicitur mediocri statura, gracili corpore, colore fusco. Reliquit filiam, quae post equiti Romano nupsit: item hortulos xx. iugerum via Appia ad Martis.’

1.Andria.—The particulars of its production are given above. Of its success, Donatus in his commentary says, ‘Successu adspecta prospero hortamento poetae fuit ad alias conscribendas.’ The didascalia to theAndriais lost, but we can restore it as follows from Donatus’ information, ‘Incipit Andria Terenti. Acta ludis Megalensib. M. Fulvio M’ Glabrione aedil. curul. Egit L. Ambivius Turpio.[19]Modos fecit Flaccus Claudi. Tibis paribus tota. Graeca Menandru. Facta i. M. Marcello C. Sulpicio cos.’

The meaning of the didascalia is as follows: The piece was produced at the Megalesian games (held at the beginning of April) under the curule aediles mentioned; L. Ambivius Turpio undertook the representation; the music was composed (as in all Terence’s comedies) by Flaccus, slave of Claudius, and given throughouttibiis paribus.[20]The Greek original was by Menander; it was the first work of Terence, and the year of production wasB.C.166.

The play is adapted from Menander’sἈνδρίαwith additions from hisΠερινθία.Andr.prol. 13,

‘Quae convenere in Andriam ex Perinthiafatetur transtulisse atque usum pro suis.’

‘Quae convenere in Andriam ex Perinthiafatetur transtulisse atque usum pro suis.’

The prologue dates from the first performance, though Wagner and Ribbeck have inferred from l. 5,

‘Nam in prologis scribundis operam abutitur,’

‘Nam in prologis scribundis operam abutitur,’

that it was written for a second representation, possibly inB.C.164. There are two endings to the play; the shorter one is genuine, the longer spurious, and omitted in the bestMSS.

2.Heauton Timorumenosis from Menander’sἩαυτὸν τιμωρούμενος, ‘self tormentor.’ The title is referred to in l. 146,

‘hic me exerceo,’

‘hic me exerceo,’

l. 81,

‘An quoiquamst usus homini, se ut cruciet?’

‘An quoiquamst usus homini, se ut cruciet?’

and prol. 5,

‘Ex integra Graeca integram comoediamhodie sum acturus Heauton timorumenon.’

‘Ex integra Graeca integram comoediamhodie sum acturus Heauton timorumenon.’

The play was produced at the Ludi Megalenses inB.C.163, as is seen from the didascalia, ‘Incipit Heauton Timorumenos Terenti. Acta ludis Megalensib. L. Cornelio Lentulo L. Valerio Flacco aedilib. curulib. Egit Ambivius Turpio. Modos fecit Flaccus Claudi. Acta primum tibis inparib., deinde duabus dextris. Graeca Menandru. Facta ii. M’ Iuventio Ti. Sempronio cos.’

The play is called ‘stataria’ in prol. 36,

‘Date potestatem mihistatariam agere ut liceat per silentium.’

‘Date potestatem mihistatariam agere ut liceat per silentium.’

3.Eunuchus, ‘contaminated’ from Menander’sΕὐνοῦχοςand hisΚόλαξ.Eun.prol. 19,

‘Nunc acturi sumusMenandri Eunuchum’;

‘Nunc acturi sumusMenandri Eunuchum’;

ibid.30,

‘Colax Menandrist: in east parasitus colaxet miles gloriosus: eas se non negatpersonas transtulisse in Eunuchum suamex Graeca: sed eas ab aliis factas priusLatinas scisse sese, id vero pernegat.’

‘Colax Menandrist: in east parasitus colaxet miles gloriosus: eas se non negatpersonas transtulisse in Eunuchum suamex Graeca: sed eas ab aliis factas priusLatinas scisse sese, id vero pernegat.’

The didascalia shows that the piece was produced at the Ludi Megalenses inB.C.161, and from theMSS.we may conclude that it was also acted inB.C.146. The didascalia is, ‘Incipit Eunuchus Terenti. Acta ludis Megalensib. L. Postumio Albino L. Cornelio Merula aedilib. curulib. Egit Ambivius Turpio. Modos fecit Flaccus Claudi. Tibis duabus dextristota. Graeca Menandru. Factaiii.M. Valerio C. Fannio cos.’

Sueton.vit. Ter.p. 29, speaks of the success of the play, ‘Eunuchus quidem his deinceps acta est meruitque pretium quantum nulla antea cuiusquam comoedia, octo milia nummum.’

4.Phormio, the fifth comedy Terence composed, and the fourth completely represented. It was first performed at the Ludi Romani,B.C.161. The Greek original was theἘπιδικαζόμενοςof Apollodorus of Carystus.Phorm.prol. 24,

‘Adporto novamEpidicazomenon quam vocant comoediamGraeci, Latini Phormionem nominant,quia primas partis qui aget, is erit Phormioparasitus, per quem res geretur maxume,’

‘Adporto novamEpidicazomenon quam vocant comoediamGraeci, Latini Phormionem nominant,quia primas partis qui aget, is erit Phormioparasitus, per quem res geretur maxume,’

The didascalia is, ‘Incipit Terenti Phormio. Acta ludis Romanis. L. Postumio Albino L. Cornelio Merula aedilib. curulib. Egit L. Ambivius Turpio. Modos fecit Flaccus Claudi. Tibis imparib. tota. Graeca Apollodoru Epidicazomenos. Facta iiii. C. Fannio M. Valerio cos.

From notices in theMSS.it is probable that a second representation took place inB.C.141 at the Megalesian games.

5.Hecyrais founded on a play by Apollodorus of Carystus, doubtless calledἩκυρά; cf. Donatus’ preface, ‘fabula Apollodori dicitur esse Graeca.’ The first attempted representation was inB.C.165, at the Ludi Megalenses.Hec.prol. i. 1,

‘Hecyra quom datastnova, ei novom intervenit vitium et calamitas,ut neque spectari neque cognosci potuerit:ita populus studio stupidus in funambuloanimum occuparat.’

‘Hecyra quom datastnova, ei novom intervenit vitium et calamitas,ut neque spectari neque cognosci potuerit:ita populus studio stupidus in funambuloanimum occuparat.’

The second (unsuccessful) representation was at the ludi funerales of Aemilius Paulus inB.C.160.Hec.prol. ii. 38,

‘Refero denuo.Primo actu placeo. Quom interea rumor venitdatum iri gladiatores, populus convolat,tumultuantur clamant pugnant de loco:ego interea meum non potui tutari locum.’

‘Refero denuo.Primo actu placeo. Quom interea rumor venitdatum iri gladiatores, populus convolat,tumultuantur clamant pugnant de loco:ego interea meum non potui tutari locum.’

Cf.Phorm.prol. 31,

‘Ne simili utamur fortuna, atque usi sumusquom per tumultum noster grex motus locost.’

‘Ne simili utamur fortuna, atque usi sumusquom per tumultum noster grex motus locost.’

The first prologue was written for the second performance; the second (spoken by the actor Ambivius) for the third performance, also inB.C.160. The didascalia is, ‘Incipit Terenti Hecyra. Acta ludis Megalensib. S. Iulio Caesare Cn. Cornelio Dolabella aedilib. curulib. Egit L. Ambivius Turpio. Modos fecit Flaccus Claudi. Tibis paribus tota. GraecaApollodoru. Facta v. Cn. Octavio T. Manlio cos. Relata est L. Aemelio Paulo ludis funeralib. Non est placita. Tertio relata est Q. Fulvio L. Marcio aedilib. curulib.’

6.Adelphoeis founded on Menander’sἈδελφοίwith a scene added from Diphilus’Συναποθνῄσκοντες.Adelph.prol. 6,

Synapothnescontes Diphili comoediast;eam Commorientis Plautus fecit fabulam.In Graeca adulescens est, qui lenoni eripitmeretricem in prima fabula: eum Plautus locumreliquit integrum; eum hic locum sumpsit sibiin Adelphos, verbum de verbo expressum extulit.’

Synapothnescontes Diphili comoediast;eam Commorientis Plautus fecit fabulam.In Graeca adulescens est, qui lenoni eripitmeretricem in prima fabula: eum Plautus locumreliquit integrum; eum hic locum sumpsit sibiin Adelphos, verbum de verbo expressum extulit.’

That this was the first performance is shown bynovamin l. 12. The part from Diphilus is Act ii., Scene 1. The play was produced inB.C.160 at the ludi funerales of L. Aemilius Paulus, as shown by the didascalia, ‘Incipit Terenti Adelphoe. Acta ludis funeralib. L. Aemelio Paulo. Fecere Q. Fabius Maxumus P. Cornelius Africanus. Egit L. Ambivius Turpio. Modos fecit Flaccus Claudi. Tibis Sarranis tota. Graeca Menandru. Facta vi. M. Cornelio Cethego L. Anicio Gallo cos.’

The order given above agrees essentially with the numbers denoting the order of production, as given in the didascaliae. We must, however, assume that the first representation of theHecyraremained unnoticed, and must give the second place (instead of the third) to theH.T., with a section of theMSS., and the third place to theEun.with Donatus against theMSS.

Prologues.—Terence uses these as weapons against his enemies, the chief of whom was Luscius Lanuvinus (see under his name), who attacked Terence for ‘contaminatio’ and for want of spirit in his plays. Cf.H.T.prol. 17,

‘Multas contaminasse Graecas, dum facitpaucas Latinas’;

‘Multas contaminasse Graecas, dum facitpaucas Latinas’;

Phorm.prol. 5,

‘tenui esse oratione et scriptura levi.’

‘tenui esse oratione et scriptura levi.’

Terence justifies repeatedly his use of ‘contaminatio.’H.T.prol. 16,

‘Nam quod rumores distulerunt malivoli,multas contaminasse Graecas, dum facitpaucas Latinas: id esse factum hic non negat,neque se pigere et deinde facturum autumat.Habet bonorum exemplum, quo exemplo sibilicere id facere quod illi fecerunt putat.’

‘Nam quod rumores distulerunt malivoli,multas contaminasse Graecas, dum facitpaucas Latinas: id esse factum hic non negat,neque se pigere et deinde facturum autumat.Habet bonorum exemplum, quo exemplo sibilicere id facere quod illi fecerunt putat.’

Cf.Andria, prol. 15-21;Adelph.prol. 1-14;Eun.prol. 31-3. Luscius also attacked him for not adhering more closely to his Greek originals, in spite of the fact that, generally speaking, Terence translated closely from these. Cf.Adelph.prol. 10-11, quoted above. A piece was considered to be new if it had not previously been presented to a Roman audience. So Terence justifies his originality inAdelph.prol. 6-14, or excuses himself on the ground that he did not know that a piece had been previously used:Eun.prol. 19-34.

Representation of the plays.—Ambivius was the chief actor in all the plays. He is the speaker of the prologue ofH.T.and of the second prologue ofHec.He calls himselfsenex, cf.H.T.prol. 1. For his popularity cf.Hec.prol. ii. 55,

‘Mea causa causam accipite et date silentium.’

‘Mea causa causam accipite et date silentium.’

The music was provided by Flaccus, slave of Claudius. The composer himself was probably the instrumentalist. Four kinds of flutes are mentioned as used by him:tibiae pares,impares,sarranae, andduae dextrae(seenote p. 45). The scene of all the plays is at Athens. There is no chorus. The form of the plays is modelled closely on Greek. More than half of the verses are iambic senarii, the next commonest being troch. septen. and iamb. octon. These are used in dialogue. Trochaic octonarii are used in lyrical parts, other lyrical metres being rare, and the anapaestic metre not being used. Short lines are also found in the middle of lyrical pieces, or at the end of pieces of dialogue.Andr.605,

‘Sed eccum video ipsum: occidi.’

‘Sed eccum video ipsum: occidi.’

Single words sometimes stand at the head of a lyrical piece, asPhorm.485 ‘Dorio,’ which makes a line.

The different kinds of scenes are under the same conditions as in Plautus. We have (1) scenes provided with music, probably represented inMSS.by C (Canticum). (2) Scenes sung as recitative, with musical accompaniment, inMSS.denoted by M.M.C. (perhaps for ‘Modi Mutati Cantici’). (3) Scenes in senarii, without music, inMSS.denoted by DV (Diverbium). The division into scenes is very ancient; but the division into acts, though existing in the time of Terence (cf.Hec.prol. 39, ‘primo actu placeo,’), is not marked in theMSS.

Names of characters.—Terence uses only Greek names, which often suit the characters of the persons, and many of which are repeated in the different plays. Cf. Pamphilus and Glycerium, of the lovers in theAndr.; Chremes (χρέμπτομαι, ‘cough’), for an old man, inAndr.,H.T.,Phorm.; Crito (κρνίω, ‘judge’), for an old man, inAndr.,Phorm.; Sosia (σῴζειν), for a freedman, inAndr.,Hec.So names of slaves as Davus (Δᾶος, ‘Dacian’), Dromo, Geta, Syrus, all in several plays.

The arguments, consisting of twelve senarii each, were composed by C. Sulpicius Apollinaris in the second centuryA.D.

Prosody.—For the variations from later usage,see under ‘Plautus.’Terence is, of course, more regular in this respect than Plautus.

Views on Terence.—To those given above the following may be added:

Gell. vi. 14, 6, ‘Exempla in Latina lingua M. Varro esse dicit ubertatis Pacuvium, gracilitatis Lucilium, mediocritatis Terentium.’[21]

Sueton.vit. Ter.p. 34, ‘Cicero in Limone hactenus laudat,

“Tu quoque, qui solus lecto sermone, Terenti,conversum expressumque Latina voce Menandrumin medium nobis sedatis motibus effers,quiddam come loquens atque omnia dulcia miscens”;

“Tu quoque, qui solus lecto sermone, Terenti,conversum expressumque Latina voce Menandrumin medium nobis sedatis motibus effers,quiddam come loquens atque omnia dulcia miscens”;

item C. Caesar,

“Tu quoque, tu in summis, o dimidiate Menander,poneris, et merito, puri sermonis amator.Lenibus atque utinam scriptis adiuncta foret vis,comica ut aequato virtus polleret honorecum Graecis, neve hac despectus parte iaceres.Unum hoc maceror ac doleo tibi desse, Terenti.”’

“Tu quoque, tu in summis, o dimidiate Menander,poneris, et merito, puri sermonis amator.Lenibus atque utinam scriptis adiuncta foret vis,comica ut aequato virtus polleret honorecum Graecis, neve hac despectus parte iaceres.Unum hoc maceror ac doleo tibi desse, Terenti.”’

The poetical contemporaries of Terence were:

1.Titinius, the first writer oftogatae; fifteen titles and about one hundred and eighty lines of fragments are extant. He probably began to write after Terence’s death.

2.Sextus Turpilius.—We have titles of thirteen of hispalliatae, six of which are probably from Menander. He diedB.C.103, probably about eighty.

Jerome yr. Abr. 1914 =B.C.103, ‘Turpilius comicus senex admodum Sinuessae moritur.’

3.Iuventius,Valerius, andVatroniuswrotepalliatae;P. Licinius Tegulaa hymn to Juno,B.C.200 (Livy xxxi. 12);Q. Fabius Labeo(cos.B.C.183) andM. Popillius Laenas(cos. 173) were poets.

Fabius Pictorwas the earliest Roman historian: Liv. i. 44, 2, ‘scriptorum antiquissimus Fabius Pictor.’ A relative of Q. Fabius Maximus Cunctator (Plut.Fab. Max.18), he took part in the war with the Cisalpine Gauls,B.C.225 (Eutropius, iii. 5), and after the battle of Cannae was sent by the Senate on a mission to the oracle of Delphi (Liv. xxii. 57, 5).

Fabius wrote in Greek an account of the Second Punic War, prefixed to which was a sketch of the history of Rome from its foundation: Liv. xxii. 7, 4, ‘Fabium aequalem temporibus huiusce belli potissimum auctorem habui.’ There was also a Latin version, made either by Fabius Pictor or by a namesake (Gell. v. 4, 3).

The same subject was treated byL. Cincius Alimentus, who was praetorB.C.210 (Liv. xxvi. 23, i), and took an active part in the war in Sicily during the next two years (Liv. xxvii. 7, 12, and throughout that Book). He was taken prisoner by Hannibal, and conversed with him: Liv. xxi. 38, 3, ‘L. Cincius Alimentus, qui captum se ab Hannibale scribit, maxime auctor moveret ...’

Both Fabius and Cincius wrote in Greek, and both gave a cursory view of the earlier history: Dion. Hal. i. 6,῾Ρωμαίων ὅσοι τὰ παλαιὰ ἔργα τῆς πόλεως Ἑλληνικῇ διαλέκτῳ συνέγραψαν, ὧν εἰσι πρεσβύτατοι Κόϊντός τε Φάβιος καὶ Λεύκιος Κίγκιος ... τούτων δὲ τῶν ἀνδρῶν ἑκατέρος οἷς μὲν αὐτὸς ἕργοις παρεγένετο, διὰ τὴν ἐμπειρίαν ἀκριβῶς ἀνέγραψε, τὰ δὲ ἀρχαῖα τὰ μετὰ τὴν κτίσιν τῆς πόλεως γενόμενα κεφαλαιωδῶς ἐπέδραμεν.

M. Porcius Cato, the Censor (B.C.234-149), born at Tusculum, of a yeoman stock, was one of the most prominent figures of his time. For the best account of his military and political career, including his advancement to the Consulship (B.C.195) and Censorship (B.C.184), and his economic and social reforms, the reader may be referred to Mommsen,R.H., vol. ii.passim.

Cato was the founder of Latin prose, and the chief opponent of the exaggerated Hellenism that was finding its way into Roman life and literature (cf. his own words quoted by Pliny,N.H.xxix. 14, ‘Quandoque ista gens suas litteras dabit, omnia corrumpet’); but even he shows traces of Greek influence. Cato is represented now only by (1) his treatiseDe Agri Cultura, the earliest extant work in Latin prose, which, besides giving instruction for the husbandman, deals with housekeeping, cookery, and medicine.

(2) His great work was theOrigines, the earliest history in Latin prose, the contents of which are enumerated by Nepos,Cato, 3, 3, ‘Senex historias scribere instituit. Earum sunt libri vii. Primus continet res gestas regum populi Romani, secundus et tertius unde quaeque civitas orta sit Italica (ob quam rem omnes Origines videtur appellasse); in quarto autem bellum Poenicum est primum, in quinto secundum. Atque haec omnia capitulatim sunt dicta. Reliqua quoque bella pari modo persecutus est usque ad praeturam Ser. Galbae, qui diripuit Lusitanos (B.C.151). Atque horum bellorum duces non nominavit, sed sine nominibus res notavit.[22]In eisdem exposuit quae in Italia Hispaniisque aut fierent aut viderentur admiranda: in quibus multa industria et diligentia comparet, nulla doctrina.’

An attempt has been made by A. Bormann (M. Porcii Catonis Originum Libri vii., Brandenburg 1858, p. 38) to prove that the principle of division was geographical, and that history only came in incidentally in connexion with the reduction of provinces; but as Nepos was writing to an eminent authority on antiquities, his account is likely to be right. The period between the kings and the Punic Wars was probably omitted by Cato through want of authorities.

The titleOriginesfails to indicate the scope of the work, which was chiefly occupied with general history; it was probably taken, as Nepos suggests, from the contents of Books ii. and iii., which seem to have been the most novel and valuable part of the undertaking. (Jordan, however, takes ‘Origines’ as equivalent, not to the Greekκτίσεις, but to ‘res Romanae ab origine repetitae.’)

(3)Praecepta ad Filiumwas the general title of a didactic work containing rules for medicine, husbandry, and rhetoric (e.g.‘Rem tene, verba sequentur’). Cf. Quint. iii. 1, 19, ‘Romanorum primus, quantum ego quidem sciam, condidit aliqua in hanc materiam (rhetoric) M. Cato ille Censorius.’

(4)Speeches.—Fragments of eighty speeches, out of about two hundred and thirty, are collected by Jordan. They are almost equally divided between forensic and deliberative speeches: none is known of earlier date thanB.C.195. Cato incorporated some of them in theOrigines,e.g.For the Rhodians (Gell. vi. 3, 7), and Against Galba (Cic.Brut.89).

Works on civil law are attributed to Cato, and we hear also ofἀποφθέγματα(Cic.de Off.i. 104),Liber de re militari(Gell. vi. 4, 5), andCarmen de moribus(Gell. xi. 2, 2).

The forms Accius and Attius are both found on inscriptions,e.g.from Pisaurum; but in theMSS.of Nonius Marcellus, who often quotes Accius, and who is careful about his forms, ‘Accius’ is always found, and generally inMSS.of other authors.

L. Accius was bornB.C.170 at Pisaurum (of. Pliny,N.H.vii. 128, ‘Attio Pisaurense’).

Jerome yr. Abr. 1878 =B.C.139, ‘L. Accius tragoediarum scriptor clarus habetur, natus Mancino et Serrano coss. (B.C.170) parentibus libertinis et seni iam Pacuvio Tarenti sua scripta recitavit. A quo et fundus Accianus iuxta Pisaurum dicitur, quia illuc inter colonos fuerat ex urbe deductus.’

This last statement must refer to Accius’ father, as the colony of Pisaurum was foundedB.C.184. Jerome’s chronology is corroborated by

Cic.Brut.229, ‘Accius isdem aedilibus (B.C.140) ait se et Pacuvium docuisse fabulam, cum ille lxxx., ipse xxx. annos natus esset.’

Accius’ friendship and influence with leading men is shown by Cic.pro Arch.27, ‘D. Brutus, summus vir et imperator (cons.B.C.138) Acci amicissimi sui carminibus templorum ac monumentorum aditus exornavit suorum.’

Auct. ad Herenn.i. 24, ‘Mimus quidam nominatim Accium poetam compellavit in scaena. Cum eo Accius iniuriarum egit’; ii. 19, ‘P. Mucius eum qui L. Accium poetam nominaverat condemnavit.’

The above shows his self-consciousness; cf. also PlinyN.H.xxxiv. 19, ‘Notatum ab auctoribus et L. Accium poetam in Camenarum aede maxima forma statuam sibi posuisse, cum brevis admodum fuisset.’

For Accius’ friendship with Pacuvius, seep. 35. Accius must have lived to aboutB.C.86, as Cicero (bornB.C.106) talked with him on literary subjects.

Cic.Brut.107, ‘D. Brutus M. filius, ut ex familiari eius L. Accio poeta sum audire solitus.’

HisTereuswas produced inB.C.104, as is seen from

Cic.Phil.i. 36 (B.C.44), ‘Nisi forte Accio tum plaudi et sexagesimo post anno palmam dari, non Bruto, putabatis.’

1.Tragedies.—Titles of about forty-five plays, and about seven hundred lines of fragments are extant. The fragments show imitation of Aeschylus as well as of Sophocles and Euripides.

2.Praetextae.—AeneadaeorDecius, andBrutus.Deciustreated of the self-sacrifice of P. Decius Mus at Sentinum,B.C.295. Cf. l. 15, ‘Patrio exemplo et me dicabo atque animam devoro (= devovero) hostibus.’Brutustreated of the overthrow of Tarquinius Superbus and the establishment of the consulship.

3.Didascalica, in at least nine books, a history of Greek and Latin poetry, with special attention to the drama. The few fragments are mostly in Sotadean metre. Cf. Gell. vi. 9, 16, ‘L. Accius in Sotadicorum libro I.’

4.Pragmaticon libri(in trochaic tetrameters) on literary subjects.

5.Praxidica, on agriculture. Two lines on ploughing are quoted from ‘liber parergon,’ i., but it is not certain whether this is an independent work.

6.Annales, in hexameters.

7. A work in Saturnians.

Accius gave attention to points of language. Cf. Quint. i. 7, 14, ‘Semivocales geminare diu non fuit usitatissimi moris, atque e contrario usque ad Accium et ultra porrectas syllabas geminis, ut dixi, vocalibus scripserunt.’

Accius, like Ennius and Pacuvius, attacks superstition. Cf. ll. 169-70,

‘Nil credo auguribus, qui auris verbis divitantalienas, suas ut auro locupletent domos.’

‘Nil credo auguribus, qui auris verbis divitantalienas, suas ut auro locupletent domos.’

That Virgil imitated Accius is mentioned by Macrob. vi. 1, 58, who compares,e.g., l. 156,

‘Virtuti sis par, dispar fortunis patris,’

‘Virtuti sis par, dispar fortunis patris,’

andAen.xii. 435-6,

‘Disce, puer, virtutem ex me verumque laborem,fortunam ex aliis.’

‘Disce, puer, virtutem ex me verumque laborem,fortunam ex aliis.’

Views on Accius.—A few of these may be referred to. Cic.pro Sest.120, ‘Summi poetae ingenium.’ Ovid.Am.i. 15, 19,

‘Animosi Accius oris.’

‘Animosi Accius oris.’

Cf. also Quint. x. 1, 97; Tac.Dial.20; and Hor.Ep.ii. 1, 55 (see ‘Pacuvius,’p. 37).

Of the prose writers contemporary with Accius, the most important were the annalistsL. Cassius HeminaandL. Calpurnius Piso Frugi; the oratorsTi.andC. Graccus, and their opponentC. Fannius, andM. Aemilius Scaurus, theprinceps senatus, who also wrote an autobiography (Cic.Brut.112).L. Coelius Antipaterwrote a history of the Second Punic War in seven Books, making use of Silenus, whose account was favourable to the Carthaginians (Cic.de Div.i. 49). His strength lay in style (Cic.de Or.ii. 53); though painstaking, he was apt to exaggerate (Liv. xxvii. 27, 12; xxix, 25, 3).

C. Lucilius’ dates are given by Jerome asB.C.148-103.

yr. Abr. 1869 =B.C.148, ‘Lucilius poeta nascitur.’

yr. Abr. 1914 =B.C.103, ‘C. Lucilius satirarum scriptor Neapoli moritur, ac publico funere effertur anno aetatis xlvi.’

If Jerome’s notice were correct, Lucilius would have been only thirteen years old at the time of the Numantine War (B.C.134) in which he served.

Velleius ii. 9, 4, ‘Celebre et Lucili nomen fuit qui sub P. Africano Numantino bello eques militaverat.’

It is probable that Jerome has confused the consuls ofB.C.180, A. Postumius Albinus and C. Calpurnius Piso, with those ofB.C.148, Sp. Postumius Albinus and L. Calpurnius Piso, and that Lucilius was bornB.C.180. No reference is found in Lucilius to any event afterB.C.103, so that Jerome may be right in giving that as the year of his death. In Hor.Sat.ii. 1, 34, Lucilius is calledsenex, which shows that he lived a long life.

Lucilius was born at Suessa in Campania. He was aneques, and was the great-uncle of Pompey. Juv. 1, 19,

‘Cur tamen hoc potius libeat decurrere campo,per quem magnus equos Auruncae flexit alumnus,si vacat ac placidi rationem admittitis, edam.’

‘Cur tamen hoc potius libeat decurrere campo,per quem magnus equos Auruncae flexit alumnus,si vacat ac placidi rationem admittitis, edam.’

Porphyr. ad Hor.Sat.ii. 1, 75, ‘“infra Lucili censum”: Constat enim Lucilium avonculum maiorem Pompei fuisse: etenim avia Pompei Lucilii soror fuerat.’

Velleius ii. 29, 2, ‘Fuit [Cn. Pompeius] genitus matre Lucilia, stirpis senatoriae.’ This Lucilia was Lucilius’ niece, and her father, Lucilius’ brother, was a senator.

Lucilius was very intimate with Africanus the younger and Laelius, and celebrated them in his works. Hor.Sat.ii. 1, 71,

‘Quin ubi se a volgo et scaena in secreta remorantvirtus Scipiadae et mitis sapientia Laeli,nugari cum illo et discincti ludere, donecdecoqueretur olus, soliti.’

‘Quin ubi se a volgo et scaena in secreta remorantvirtus Scipiadae et mitis sapientia Laeli,nugari cum illo et discincti ludere, donecdecoqueretur olus, soliti.’

Schol. Cruq.ad loc., ‘Scipio Africanus et Laelius feruntur tam fuisse familiares et amici Lucilio, ut quodam tempore Laelio circum lectos triclinii fugienti Lucilius superveniens eum obtorta mappa quasi feriturus sequeretur.’

Hor.Sat.ii. 1, 16,

‘Attamen et iustum poteras et scribere fortem,Scipiadam ut sapiens Lucilius.’

‘Attamen et iustum poteras et scribere fortem,Scipiadam ut sapiens Lucilius.’

Lucil.Sat.xxx. 5 (of Scipio),

‘Sicubi ad aurisfama tuam pugnam clarans adlata dicasset.’

‘Sicubi ad aurisfama tuam pugnam clarans adlata dicasset.’

Such intimate association could not have existed if Lucilius had been, as Jerome implies, only nineteen at Scipio’s death inB.C.129.

There are many references to Lucilius’ attacks on public men. Cf. Hor.Sat.ii. 1, 62,

‘Quid? cum est Lucilius aususprimus in hunc operis componere carmina morem,detrahere et pellem, nitidus qua quisque per oracederet, introrsum turpis, num Laelius et quiduxit ab oppressa meritum Carthagine nomeningenio offensi aut laeso doluere Metellofamosisque Lupo cooperto versibus? atquiprimores populi arripuit populumque tributim,scilicet uni aequus virtuti atque eius amicis.’

‘Quid? cum est Lucilius aususprimus in hunc operis componere carmina morem,detrahere et pellem, nitidus qua quisque per oracederet, introrsum turpis, num Laelius et quiduxit ab oppressa meritum Carthagine nomeningenio offensi aut laeso doluere Metellofamosisque Lupo cooperto versibus? atquiprimores populi arripuit populumque tributim,scilicet uni aequus virtuti atque eius amicis.’

Lucil. lib. incert., ll. 63-4, quoted by Cic.N.D.i. 64,

‘“Tubulus si Lucius umquam,si Lupus aut Carbo, Neptuni filius,”

‘“Tubulus si Lucius umquam,si Lupus aut Carbo, Neptuni filius,”

ut ait Lucilius, putasset esse deos, tam periurus aut tam impurus fuisset?’

Pers. 1, 114,

‘Secuit Lucilius urbem,te Lupe, te Muci, et genuinum fregit in illis.’

‘Secuit Lucilius urbem,te Lupe, te Muci, et genuinum fregit in illis.’

Juv. 1, 165,

‘Ense velut stricto quotiens Lucilius ardensinfremuit, rubet auditor cui frigida mens estcriminibus, tacita sudant praecordia culpa.’

‘Ense velut stricto quotiens Lucilius ardensinfremuit, rubet auditor cui frigida mens estcriminibus, tacita sudant praecordia culpa.’

The Saturae.—There were thirty Books altogether, by whom arranged is unknown. Fragments are extant from all the Books, except xxi. and xxiv. (and possibly xxiii. and xxv.). Books i.-xx. and xxx. were in hexameters; xxii. in elegiacs; xxvi.-xxvii. in trochaic septenarii; and the next two in trochaic septenarii, iambic senarii, and hexameters. Books xxvi.-xxix. were published first, then Book xxx. In Book xxvi. Lucilius states his views of life, his poetic principles, what led him to write satire, etc. Cf. l. 3,

‘Nunc itidem populum aucupamur istis cum scriptoribus.’

‘Nunc itidem populum aucupamur istis cum scriptoribus.’

Lines 7-20 contain a conversation between Lucilius and a friend who wishes him to engage in public life. Cf. ll. 16-7,

‘Publicanu’ vero ut Asiae fiam scripturariuspro Lucilio, id ego nolo, et uno hoc non muto omnia.’

‘Publicanu’ vero ut Asiae fiam scripturariuspro Lucilio, id ego nolo, et uno hoc non muto omnia.’

Two divisions of the work may be recognized—(i) Books i.-xxi. (to which xxii.-xxv. may be an addition) in hexameters; these Books are referred to as one collection by Varro,L.L.v. 17. (2) Books xxvi.-xxx. in various metres.

Dates of Composition.—Hor.Sat.ii. 1, 62-70 (quoted above), shows that Lucilius attacked Lupus and Metellus while Scipio and Laelius were still alive,i.e.not afterB.C.129; xxvi., ll. 88-9, in which Lucilius sneers at marriage,

‘Homines ipsi hanc sibi molestiam ultro atque aerumnam offerunt.Ducunt uxores, producunt, quibus haec faveant, liberos,’

‘Homines ipsi hanc sibi molestiam ultro atque aerumnam offerunt.Ducunt uxores, producunt, quibus haec faveant, liberos,’

may have special reference to the attempts of Metellus in his censorship (B.C.131) to encourage it. If this is so, Books xxvi.-xxx. were composed aboutB.C.131-129. Book i. was composed after the death of Carneades inB.C.129 (cf. l. 12, ‘nec si Carneaden ipsum Orcu’ remittat’), and probably soon after the death of Lupus, on whom the gods are represented as sitting in judgment.

Serv. adAen.x. 104, ‘Totus hic locus de primo Lucili translatus est libro; ubi inducuntur di habere concilium et agere primo de interitu Lupi cuiusdam ducis in re publica, postea sententias dicere.’

InB.C.126 Lucilius was probably, along with otherperegrini, banished under the law of M. Iunius Pennus, trib. pl. in that year. He probably returned inB.C.124, when the law was repealed by C. Graccus. Bk. xi. was composed after the condemnation of L. Opimius inB.C.110. Cf. ll. 19-21,

‘Quintus Opimius ille, Iugurtini pater huius,et formosus homo fuit et famosus, utrumqueprimo adulescens, posterius dat rectiu’ sese.’

‘Quintus Opimius ille, Iugurtini pater huius,et formosus homo fuit et famosus, utrumqueprimo adulescens, posterius dat rectiu’ sese.’

Subjects of the Satires.—These were very varied. Besides personal satire, we have (1) ethical criticism, as ridicule of philosophers and attacks on luxury.

Lib. incert. ll. 134-5 (imitated by Hor.Sat.i. 3, 132sqq.;Ep.i. 1, 106-8),

‘Nondum etiam, qui haec omnia habebit,formonsus, dives, liber, rex solu’ feretur?’

‘Nondum etiam, qui haec omnia habebit,formonsus, dives, liber, rex solu’ feretur?’

iv. 4-6 (cf. Hor.Sat.ii. 2, 46-8),

‘O Publi, o gurges, Galloni: es homo miser, inquit,cenasti in vita numquam bene, cum omnia in istaconsumis squilla atque acupensere cum in decimano.’

‘O Publi, o gurges, Galloni: es homo miser, inquit,cenasti in vita numquam bene, cum omnia in istaconsumis squilla atque acupensere cum in decimano.’

(2) Travels, as the account of the journey to the Sicilian Strait, imitated by Hor.Sat.i. 5.

(3) Literary criticism. Lucilius jeers at Ennius’ line,

‘Sparsis hastis longis campus splendet et horret,’

‘Sparsis hastis longis campus splendet et horret,’

according to Servius adAen.xi. 601, ‘Est versus Ennianus vituperatus a Lucilio dicente per irrisionem eum debuisse dicere “horret et alget.”’ Euripides is criticised in xxix., frag. 9. Points of orthography and the like are also treated of, cf. ix. 11,

‘Iam puerei venere. E postremum facito atque i,ut pueri plures fiant. I si faci’ solum,pupilli, pueri, Lucili hoc uniu’ fiet.’[23]

‘Iam puerei venere. E postremum facito atque i,ut pueri plures fiant. I si faci’ solum,pupilli, pueri, Lucili hoc uniu’ fiet.’[23]

Some other points may be noted:

(1) He addresses a large circle of readers, xxix. 99,

‘Persium non curo legere: Laelium Decumum volo.’

‘Persium non curo legere: Laelium Decumum volo.’

Cf. Cic.de Or.ii. 25, ‘Hic [Persius] fuit enim, ut noramus,omnium fere nostrorum hominum doctissimus: “LaeliumDecimum volo,” quem cognovimus virum bonum et noninlitteratum sed nihil ad Persium.’

(2) For his self-esteem of. xxvi. 16, (quoted above). So xxx. 1,

‘Quoi sua conmittunt mortali claustra Camenae.’

‘Quoi sua conmittunt mortali claustra Camenae.’

(3) He often mixes Greek words with Latin. Cf. v. 12,

‘Hoc nolueris et debueris tesi minu’ delectat, quodτεχνίονEisocratiumstληρῶδεςque totum acσυμμειρακιῶδες,non operam perdo.’

‘Hoc nolueris et debueris tesi minu’ delectat, quodτεχνίονEisocratiumstληρῶδεςque totum acσυμμειρακιῶδες,non operam perdo.’

(4) For his carelessness as to style of. Hor.Sat.i. 4, 9,

‘In hora saepe ducentos,ut magnum, versus dictabat, stans pede in uno:cum flueret lutulentus, erat quod tollere velles;garrulus atque piger scribendi ferre laborem,scribendi recte; nam ut multum, nil moror.’

‘In hora saepe ducentos,ut magnum, versus dictabat, stans pede in uno:cum flueret lutulentus, erat quod tollere velles;garrulus atque piger scribendi ferre laborem,scribendi recte; nam ut multum, nil moror.’

For Lucilius’ influence on other poets, see above; also under ‘Persius,’p. 262. For Horace’s views on Lucilius, see above; alsoSat.i. 4; i. 10; ii. 1.

Cf. Quint. x. 1, 93, ‘Satira quidem tota nostra est, in qua primus insignem laudem adeptus Lucilius quosdam ita deditos sibi adhuc habet amatores, ut eum non eiusdem modo operis auctoribus sed omnibus poetis praeferre non dubitent. Ego quantum ab illis tantum ab Horatio dissentio, qui Lucilium “fluere lutulentum” et “esse aliquid, quod tollere possis” putat. Nam eruditio in eo mira et libertas atque inde acerbitas et abundantia salis.’


Back to IndexNext