A Dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology

Smith, William

A Dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology. William Smith, LLD, ed. 1890

is described by Pliny (Plin. Nat. 11.43) as "illustrem in Poetica." A. Gellius (15.24) has preserved from his work de Poetis, which appears to have been a sort of metrical Didascalia, thirteen Iambic senarians, in which the principal Latin comic dramatists are enumerated in the order of merit. In this " Canon," as it has been termed, the first place is assigned to Caecilius Statius, the second to Plautus, the third to Naevius, the fourth to Licinius, the fifth to Attilius, the sixth to Terentius, the seventh to Turpilius, the eighth to Trabea, the ninth to Luscius, the tenth, " causa antiquitatis," to Ennius. In addition to these verses, two fragments, probably from the same piece with the above, one a single line, the other extending to three, and both referring to Terence, are quoted in the life of that writer ascribed to Suetonius. (Burmann, Anthol. Lat 2.223. or No. 140, ed. Meyer; Osann, Anal. Crit. p. 3; Ludewig, Ueber den Canon des Vulcatius Sedigilus, Programm zu Neustrelitz, 4to. 1842 ; Klussmann, de Naevio poeta.)

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