a Roman comic poet, the immediate predecessor of Terence, was, according to the accounts
preserved by Aulus Gellius (Statius, which was afterwards, probably when he
received his freedom, converted into a sort of cognomen, and he became known as Caecilius
Statius. His death happened Vit.
Terent.)
The names of at least forty dramas by Caecilius have been preserved, together with a
considerable number of fragments, but all of them are extremely brief, the two longest
extending one (ap. Aul. de N. D. xxix.) to twelve only. Hence we must rest satisfied
with collecting and recording the opinions of those who had the means of forming an estimate
of his powers, without attempting to judge independently. The Romans themselves, then, seem
to agree in placing Caecilius in the first rank of his own department, classing him for the
most part with Plautus and Terence. " Caecilius excels in the arrangement of his plots,
Terentius in the development of character, Plautus in dialogue ;" and again, " None rival
Titinnius and Terentius in depicting character, but Trabea and Atilius and Caecilius at once
command our feelings," are the observations of Varro (ap. Non. s. v.
Poseere; Charis. lib. ii. sub fin.).--" We may pronounce Ennius chief among epic poets,
Pacuvius among tragic poets, perhaps Caecilius among comic poets," De Optim. Dic. i.), although in other passages he censures his
latinity as impure. (Ad Att. 2.3, Brut. 100.74.)
The dictum of the fashionable critics of the Augustan age is embodied by Horace in the line
(Ep. 2.1. 59), " Vincere Caecilius gravitate, Terentius arte." Velleius
declares (2.17), that the " charms of Latin wit were brilliantly displayed by Caecilius,
Terentius, and Afranius." " We are most lame in comedy, although the ancients extol
Caecilius," is the testimony of Quintilian (x. 1.99), while Vulcatius Sedigitus in an epigram
preserved in the Noctes Atticae (15.24) pronounces Caecilius first among the nine comic poets
there enumerated, the second place being assigned to Plautus, and the sixth to Terence.
This popularity, however, was not acquired at once, for the speaker of the prologue to the
Hecyra, while he apologises for reproducing a piece which had already twice failed, reminds
the audience that although the works of Caecilius were now listened to with pleasure, several
had at first been driven off the stage, while others had with difficulty kept their ground.
The whole of the forty plays alluded to above, as far as we can gather from their titles,
belong to the class of Palliatae, that is, were free translations or
adaptations of the works of Greek writers of the new comedy. There is a curious chapter in
Aulus Gellius (Plocium of Caecilius and the corresponding
portions of the drama by Menander, from which it was derived. We here gain some knowledge of
the manner in which these transfusions were performed, and we feel strongly impressed with
the poorness, flatness, and vapid heaviness of the Latin imitation when placed in
juxtaposition with the sparkling brilliancy of the rich and racy original. To adopt the
quaint simile of the grammarian, they resemble each other in the same degree as the bright
and precious armour of Glaucus resembled the dull and paltry harness of Diomede.