A Dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology

called in some manuscripts both of Tacitus and Pliny Mariacs, was an intimate friend of Pliny, who says (Ep. 4.22) of him, "quo viro nihil finnius, nihil verius." Mauricus showed his independence by the question which he dared to ask Domitian in the senate, at the accession of Vespasian, A. D. 70 (Tac. Hist. 4.40), which is the first time that his name is mentioned; and it is therefore not surprising that he was banished during the reign of Domitian. He was recalled from exile by Nerva, and an anecdote related by Pliny (Ep. l.c.) and Aurelius Victor (Epit. 12) shows with what freedom he spoke to the latter emperor. (Tac. Agric. 45; Plin. Ep. 1.5.10, 3.11.3.) Mauricus was the brother of Arulenus Rusticus (Plin. Ep. 1.14). [RUSTICUS.] Three of Pliny's epistles are addressed to Mauricus (1.14, 2.18, 6.14).