Chapter I: Early Poets and Prose Writers (2)

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 in B.C. 160, would make the year of his birth to be B.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 contrast _ibid._ 'Fenestella ... contendens utroque maiorem natu fuisse.' Terence must have been some years older, as his first piece, the _Andria_, was produced B.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 about B.C. 190. The reproach of his adversary in _Heaut. Tim._ prol. 23,

'_repente_ ad studium hunc se adplicasse _musicum_,'

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

'Exemplum statuite in me, ut adulescentuli
vobis 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 nobiles
hunc adiutare adsidueque una scribere,
quod illi maledictum vehemens esse existumant:
eam laudem hic ducit maxumam, quom illis placet
qui vobis univorsis et populo placent,
quorum opera in bello, in otio, in negotio
suo 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 lines _H.T._ 723 _sqq._

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 the _Adelph._ 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 of _Phormio_, 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.

In B.C. 166, Terence submitted to Caecilius Statius, the examiner of plays, his first work, the _Andria_, 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 with _H.T._ prol. 23-4,

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

Hence probably arose the hatred of other writers, referred to as _isti_ (_Andr._ 15; 21); _iniqui_ (_H.T._ 27); cf. also _Hec._ prol. ii. 38,

'Nolite sinere per vos artem musicam
recidere 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'

is from Caecilius (l. 177 R.),

'vivas ut possis quando nec quis ut velis.'

Cf. also _Adelph._ 985,

'Quod prolubium? quae istaec subitast largitas?'

and Caecilius (l. 91 R.),

'Quod prolubium, quae voluptas, quae te lactat largitas?'

Terence died B.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.'

(2) WORKS.

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 the _Andria_ is 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 throughout _tibiis paribus_.[20] The Greek original was by Menander; it was the first work of Terence, and the year of production was B.C. 166.

The play is adapted from Menander's +Andria+ with additions from his +Perinthia+. _Andr._ prol. 13,

'Quae convenere in Andriam ex Perinthia
fatetur 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,'

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

2. _Heauton Timorumenos_ is from Menander's +Heauton timôroumenos+, 'self tormentor.' The title is referred to in l. 146,

'hic me exerceo,'

l. 81,

'An quoiquamst usus homini, se ut cruciet?'

and prol. 5,

'Ex integra Graeca integram comoediam
hodie sum acturus Heauton timorumenon.'

The play was produced at the Ludi Megalenses in B.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 mihi
statariam agere ut liceat per silentium.'

3. _Eunuchus_, 'contaminated' from Menander's +Eunouchos+ and his +Kolax+. _Eun._ prol. 19,

'Nunc acturi sumus
Menandri Eunuchum';

_ibid._ 30,

'Colax Menandrist: in east parasitus colax
et miles gloriosus: eas se non negat
personas transtulisse in Eunuchum suam
ex Graeca: sed eas ab aliis factas prius
Latinas scisse sese, id vero pernegat.'

The didascalia shows that the piece was produced at the Ludi Megalenses in B.C. 161, and from the MSS. we may conclude that it was also acted in B.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 dextris _tota_. Graeca Menandru. Facta _iii._ 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 the +Epidikazomenos+ of Apollodorus of Carystus. _Phorm._ prol. 24,

'Adporto novam
Epidicazomenon quam vocant comoediam
Graeci, Latini Phormionem nominant,
quia primas partis qui aget, is erit Phormio
parasitus, 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 the MSS. it is probable that a second representation took place in B.C. 141 at the Megalesian games.

5. _Hecyra_ is founded on a play by Apollodorus of Carystus, doubtless called +Hêkyra+; cf. Donatus' preface, 'fabula Apollodori dicitur esse Graeca.' The first attempted representation was in B.C. 165, at the Ludi Megalenses. _Hec._ prol. i. 1,

'Hecyra quom datast
nova, ei novom intervenit vitium et calamitas,
ut neque spectari neque cognosci potuerit:
ita populus studio stupidus in funambulo
animum occuparat.'

The second (unsuccessful) representation was at the ludi funerales of Aemilius Paulus in B.C. 160. _Hec._ prol. ii. 38,

'Refero denuo.
Primo actu placeo. Quom interea rumor venit
datum 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 sumus
quom 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 in B.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. Graeca _Apollodoru_. 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. _Adelphoe_ is founded on Menander's +Adelphoi+ with a scene added from Diphilus' +Synapothnêskontes+. _Adelph._ prol. 6,

Synapothnescontes Diphili comoediast;
eam Commorientis Plautus fecit fabulam.
In Graeca adulescens est, qui lenoni eripit
meretricem in prima fabula: eum Plautus locum
reliquit integrum; eum hic locum sumpsit sibi
in Adelphos, verbum de verbo expressum extulit.'

That this was the first performance is shown by _novam_ in l. 12. The part from Diphilus is Act ii., Scene 1. The play was produced in B.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 the _Hecyra_ remained unnoticed, and must give the second place (instead of the third) to the _H.T._, with a section of the MSS., and the third place to the _Eun._ with Donatus against the MSS.

_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 facit
paucas Latinas';

_Phorm._ prol. 5,

'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 facit
paucas Latinas: id esse factum hic non negat,
neque se pigere et deinde facturum autumat.
Habet bonorum exemplum, quo exemplo sibi
licere 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 in _Adelph._ 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 of _H.T._ and of the second prologue of _Hec._ He calls himself _senex_, cf. _H.T._ prol. 1. For his popularity cf. _Hec._ prol. ii. 55,

'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_, and _duae dextrae_ (see note 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.'

Single words sometimes stand at the head of a lyrical piece, as _Phorm._ 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 in MSS. by C (Canticum). (2) Scenes sung as recitative, with musical accompaniment, in MSS. denoted by M.M.C. (perhaps for 'Modi Mutati Cantici'). (3) Scenes in senarii, without music, in MSS. 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 the MSS.

_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 the _Andr._; Chremes (+chremptomai+, 'cough'), for an old man, in _Andr._, _H.T._, _Phorm._; Crito (+krinô+, 'judge'), for an old man, in _Andr._, _Phorm._; Sosia (+sôzein+), for a freedman, in _Andr._, _Hec._ So names of slaves as Davus (+Daos+, 'Dacian'), Dromo, Geta, Syrus, all in several plays.

_The arguments_, consisting of twelve senarii each, were composed by C. Sulpicius Apollinaris in the second century A.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 Menandrum
in 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 honore
cum Graecis, neve hac despectus parte iaceres.
Unum hoc maceror ac doleo tibi desse, Terenti."'

EARLY MINOR AUTHORS.

(_a_) POETS:

The poetical contemporaries of Terence were:

1. _Titinius_, the first writer of _togatae_; 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 his _palliatae_, six of which are probably from Menander. He died B.C. 103, probably about eighty.

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

3. _Iuventius_, _Valerius_, and _Vatronius_ wrote _palliatae_; _P. Licinius Tegula_ a hymn to Juno, B.C. 200 (Livy xxxi. 12); _Q. Fabius Labeo_ (cos. B.C. 183) and _M. Popillius Laenas_ (cos. 173) were poets.

(_b_) PROSE WRITERS:

_Fabius Pictor_ was 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 by _L. Cincius Alimentus_, who was praetor B.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, +Romaiôn hosoi ta palaia erga tês poleôs Hellênikê dialektô synegrapsan, hôn eisi presbytatoi Kointos te Phabios kai Leukios Kinkios ... toutôn de tôn andrôn hekateros hois men autos ergois paregeneto, dia tên empeirian akribôs anegrapse, ta de archaia to meta ton ktisin tês poleôs genomena kephalaiôdôs epedramen.+

CATO.

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 treatise _De 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 the _Origines_, 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 title _Origines_ fails 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 Greek +ktiseis+, but to 'res Romanae ab origine repetitae.')

(3) _Praecepta ad Filium_ was 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 than B.C. 195. Cato incorporated some of them in the _Origines_, _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 of +apophthegmata+ (Cic. _de Off._ i. 104), _Liber de re militari_ (Gell. vi. 4, 5), and _Carmen de moribus_ (Gell. xi. 2, 2).

ACCIUS.

(1) LIFE.

The forms Accius and Attius are both found on inscriptions, _e.g._ from Pisaurum; but in the MSS. of Nonius Marcellus, who often quotes Accius, and who is careful about his forms, 'Accius' is always found, and generally in MSS. of other authors.

L. Accius was born B.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 founded B.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 Pliny _N.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, see p. 35. Accius must have lived to about B.C. 86, as Cicero (born B.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.'

His _Tereus_ was produced in B.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.'

(2) WORKS.

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._--_Aeneadae_ or _Decius_, and _Brutus_. _Decius_ treated 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.' _Brutus_ treated 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 divitant
alienas, 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,'

and _Aen._ xii. 435-6,

'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.'

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 annalists _L. Cassius Hemina_ and _L. Calpurnius Piso Frugi_; the orators _Ti._ and _C. Graccus_, and their opponent _C. Fannius_, and _M. Aemilius Scaurus_, the _princeps senatus_, who also wrote an autobiography (Cic. _Brut._ 112). _L. Coelius Antipater_ wrote 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).

LUCILIUS.

(1) LIFE.

C. Lucilius' dates are given by Jerome as B.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 of B.C. 180, A. Postumius Albinus and C. Calpurnius Piso, with those of B.C. 148, Sp. Postumius Albinus and L. Calpurnius Piso, and that Lucilius was born B.C. 180. No reference is found in Lucilius to any event after B.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 called _senex_, which shows that he lived a long life.

Lucilius was born at Suessa in Campania. He was an _eques_, 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.'

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 remorant
virtus Scipiadae et mitis sapientia Laeli,
nugari cum illo et discincti ludere, donec
decoqueretur 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.'

Lucil. _Sat._ xxx. 5 (of Scipio),

'Sicubi ad auris
fama 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 in B.C. 129.

There are many references to Lucilius' attacks on public men. Cf. Hor. _Sat._ ii. 1, 62,

'Quid? cum est Lucilius ausus
primus in hunc operis componere carmina morem,
detrahere et pellem, nitidus qua quisque per ora
cederet, introrsum turpis, num Laelius et qui
duxit ab oppressa meritum Carthagine nomen
ingenio offensi aut laeso doluere Metello
famosisque Lupo cooperto versibus? atqui
primores 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,"

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.'

Juv. 1, 165,

'Ense velut stricto quotiens Lucilius ardens
infremuit, rubet auditor cui frigida mens est
criminibus, 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.'

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 scripturarius
pro 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 after B.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,'

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 about B.C. 131-129. Book i. was composed after the death of Carneades in B.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. ad _Aen._ 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.'

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

'Quintus Opimius ille, Iugurtini pater huius,
et formosus homo fuit et famosus, utrumque
primo 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, 132 _sqq._; _Ep._ i. 1, 106-8),

'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 ista
consumis 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,'

according to Servius ad _Aen._ 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]

Some other points may be noted:

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

'Persium non curo legere: Laelium Decumum volo.'

Cf. Cic. _de Or._ ii. 25, 'Hic [Persius] fuit enim, ut noramus, omnium fere nostrorum hominum doctissimus: "Laelium Decimum volo," quem cognovimus virum bonum et non inlitteratum sed nihil ad Persium.'

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

'Quoi sua conmittunt mortali claustra Camenae.'

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

'Hoc nolueris et debueris te
si minu' delectat, quod +technion+ Eisocratiumst
+lêrôdes+que totum ac +symmeirakiôdes+,
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.'

For Lucilius' influence on other poets, see above; also under 'Persius,' p. 262. For Horace's views on Lucilius, see above; also _Sat._ 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.'

ATTA AND AFRANIUS.

Writers of _togatae_ were Atta and Afranius.

Sueton. p. 15 R., 'Togatas tabernarias in scaenam dataverunt praecipue duo, L. Afranius et T. Quintius.'

T. Quintius Atta died B.C. 77, according to Jerome yr. Abr. 1940, 'T. Quintius Atta, scriptor togatarum, Romae moritur.'

Eleven titles and about twenty lines of fragments are extant. Horace refers to Atta in _Ep._ ii. 1, 79 _sqq._,

'Recte necne crocum floresque perambulet Attae
fabula si dubitem, clament periisse pudorem
cuncti paene patres, ea cum reprendere coner
quae gravis Aesopus, quae doctus Roscius egit.'

L. Afranius was probably born between B.C. 154 and 144. He was the chief writer of _togatae_ (Quint. x. 1, 100, 'Togatis excellit Afranius'), and also an orator.

Cic. _Brut._ 167, 'L. Afranius poeta, homo perargutus, in fabulis quidem etiam ut scitis disertus.'

There are extant forty-two titles (with Latin names) and more than four hundred lines of fragments. The plays exhibit Roman surroundings, and describe low life, especially of the provincial towns. Cf. the title _Brundusinae_, also l. 136,

'Ubi hice Moschis, quaeso, habet, meretrix Neapolitis?'

Afranius imitated Menander, and probably Terence.

Hor. _Ep._ ii. 1, 57,

'Dicitur Afrani toga convenisse Menandro.'

Macrob. _Saturn._ vi. 1, 4, 'Afranius togatarum scriptor in ea togata, quae Compitalia inscribitur, non inverecunde respondens arguentibus, quod plura sumpsisset a Menandro,

"Fateor" inquit "sumpsi non ab illo modo,
sed ut quisque habuit conveniret quod mihi,
quod me non posse melius facere credidi
etiam a Latino"' (ll. 25-8).

Sueton. _vit. Ter._ p. 33 R., 'Terentium Afranius omnibus comicis praefert.'

MINOR POETS:

(_a_) The poets immediately after Afranius include

(1) Hostius.--He was perhaps the grandfather of Cynthia (Hostia), Propertius' mistress. Prop. iv. 20, 7,

'Est tibi forma potens; sunt castae Palladis artes,
splendidaque a docto fama refulget avo.'

There are nine lines extant from his epic poem _Bellum Histricum_, which was probably on the war of B.C. 125. Frag. 5 (Bährens),

'Non si mihi linguae
centum atque ora sient totidem vocesque liquatae,'

is from _Il._ ii. 489, and is imitated by Verg. _Aen._ vi. 625 (as noticed by Macrob. _Saturn._ vi. 3, 6).

(2) Writers of epigrams--Pompilius, Valerius Aedituus, Porcius Licinus, and Q. Lutatius Catulus (cons. B.C. 102).

(3) Q. Valerius Soranus wrote verse on philology and archaeology.

(4) Volcacius Sedigitus wrote verse on literary history up to the time of the _fabula palliata_. He wrote _indices_ of Plautus (Gell. iii. 3, 1), and a work _De Poetis_, which included his canon on the comic poets (Gell. xv. 24).

'Caecilio palmam Statio do mimico.
Plautus secundus facile exuperat ceteros.
Dein Naevius, qui fervet, pretio in tertiost.
Si erit, quod quarto detur, dabitur Licinio.
Post insequi Licinium facio Atilium.
In sexto consequetur hos Terentius,
Turpilius septimum, Trabea octavum optinet,
nono loco esse facile facio Luscium.
Decimum addo causa antiquitatis Ennium.'

(_b_) The following poets wrote during Cicero's youth, B.C. 106-84:

(1) Cn. Matius, author of _Mimiambi_, and a translation of the _Iliad_. An example of the last is Frag. I (Bährens) = _Il._ i. 56,

'Corpora Graiorum maerebat mandier igni.'

(2) Laevius, author of _Erotopaegnia_, of a lyrical character. Porphyr. ad Hor. _Od._ iii. 1, 2, 'Romanis utique non prius audita, quamvis Laevius lyrica ante Horatium scripserit; sed videntur illa non Graecorum lege ad lyricum characterem exacta.'

About sixty lines are extant. Gell. xix. 7 speaks of Laevius' curious vocabulary, and instances _oblittera_ for _oblitterata_; _trisaeclisenex_, _dulciorelocus_, etc.

(3) A. Furius of Antium. Only six lines are extant.

(4) C. Iulius Caesar Strabo, a tragic writer and orator.

(5) Sueius. His works are (_a_) _Moretum_, an idyll; (_b_) _Pulli_, on the breeding of fowls; (_c_) _Nidus_; (_d_) an epic poem, _Annales_.

(6) Writers of _fabula Atellana_;[24] Novius and L. Pomponius (Bononiensis). Fronto p. 62 (ed. Naber), 'Elegantis Novium et Pomponium et id genus in verbis rusticanis et iocularibus ac ridiculariis.'

Of Novius forty-three titles and over one hundred lines are preserved, and of Pomponius about seventy titles and two hundred lines. The well-known characters of the _fabula Atellana_ are retained, as is seen from the titles. Cf. _Duo Dosseni_, _Maccus Copa_ of Novius; _Bucco Adoptatus_, _Maccus Miles_, _Maccus Sequester_, _Maccus Virgo_ of Pomponius.

PROSE WRITERS OF THE SAME PERIOD:

_L. Cornelius Sisenna_ (praetor B.C. 78), author of _Historiae_ of the Social and Civil Wars (Vell. Pat. ii. 9). Cicero thought him superior to his predecessors, but childish (_Brut._ 228, _De Leg._ i. 7), and Sallust remarks his want of frankness in speaking of Sulla's career (_Iug._ 95). He avoided a piecemeal and desultory treatment of events; cf. his own words quoted by Gell. xii. 15, 2, 'Nos una aestate in Asia et Graecia gesta litteris idcirco continentia mandavimus, ne vellicatim aut saltuatim scribendo lectorum animos impediremus.' His translation of the +Milêsiaka+ of Aristides is mentioned by Ovid, _Tr._ ii. 443.

Contemporary with Sisenna were _Q. Claudius Quadrigarius_, and _Valerius Antias_, whose narrative was coloured by partiality for the Valerii and for Scipio Africanus (see under 'Livy').

_C. Licinius Macer_, father of the poet Calvus, was one of Livy's sources for the early history. Dion. Hal. (vi. 11 and vii. 1) complains of his carelessness and the weakness of his chronology. He claimed that he used original authorities, _e.g._ the _libri lintei_, lists of magistrates written on linen. He was a strong democrat, and is looked upon by Mommsen (_R.H._ iv., p. 602) as manufacturing authorities in support of his political views.

_Sulla_ wrote memoirs of his own life (Plut. _Lucull._ 1), and _Lucullus_ composed in Greek a history of the Marsian War (_ibid._).

Footnotes to Chapter I

[1] The scheme of this old national metre, which depends on accent and not on quantity, may be seen from the two examples given below. Various forms are found, but one of the commonest types is identical with the rhythm of the nursery rhyme,

'The queen was in the parlour, eating bread and honey.'

[2] 'I have heard that a Roman poet is languishing in prison with head on hand'--probably a metaphor from a pillar (but the sense is far from certain).

[3] Utica was besieged by Scipio from 204 to 202 B.C.

[4] In the _fabula togata_ or _tabernaria_ the surroundings of the comedy were Roman, in the _fabula palliata_ Greek, as in Plautus' plays. _Togata_ in a wider sense included tragedy as well as comedy.

[5] This term means the construction of a new play by uniting two old ones.

[6] The references are to the revised edition of Ritschl.

[7] A species of burlesque tragedy, called after its inventor Rhinthon, who flourished B.C. 300.

[8] _R.H._ ii. p. 431 trans.

[9] This shows that the ancient (rough alphabetical) order has been departed from. Some grammarian of the fifth century altered the position of the play on account of the reference to it in _Epid._ 213-5 (quoted above).

[10] I.e. the 'Patruus' written by the old Roman (lit., 'son of the porridge-eater').

[11] These games were celebrated in April. Plays were exhibited also at the _Ludi Romani_ (September) and the _Ludi Plebei_ (November).

[12] Much of the information on this head is taken from J. Brix's edition of the _Trinummus_. Leipzig, 1888.

[13] This is shown in the universal classical usage of _bene_, _male_, etc.

[14] The references are to Vahlen's edition.

[15] Thus the original name of Beneventum was Maleventum, i.e. +MaloFenta+, accusative of +MaloFeis+; cf. Agrigentum from +Akragas+, and Tarentum from +Taras+.

[16] Euhemerus of Messana, who wrote about the end of the fourth century B.C., tried in this work to show that the worship of the gods arose from the worship of deified kings and heroes.

[17] The Oscan form of _Pacuvi_.

[18] The term _doctus_ refers to his knowledge of the Greek laws of artistic composition.

[19] After Ambivius' name appears in most of the didascaliae 'L. Hatilius Praenestinus.' Probably this person was an actor at some later productions, and his name has in this way crept into the MSS.

[20] _Tibiae_ were called _pares_ or _impares_ according as they were or were not of the same length and key. _Duae dextrae_ were two pipes both playing the treble. _Tibiae Sarranae_, from Sarra, the old Latin name for Tyre, were a special form of _tibiae pares_.

[21] _Mediocritas_ = +to meson+, the intermediate style between +to hadron+, 'the florid' (_ubertas_), and +to ischnon+, 'the simple' (_gracilitas_). See W. Peterson's note on Quint. x. 1, 44.

[22] For the omission of names, cf. iv. 12 (Jordan), 'dictatorem Karthaginiensium magister equitum monuit' (of Hannibal and Maharbal).

[23] This means that Lucilius would represent the nom. plu. by _-ei_ and the gen. sing, by _-i_.

[24] The _fabula Atellana_ was a species of farce adopted by the Romans from the Oscan town of Atella in Campania. See Livy, vii. 2, for this and the early history of the Roman drama.