Clodius Aesopus

Clodius Aesopus was a Roman tragic poet, who worked mainly in the time of Cicero, where his survival data are unknown. The name seems to indicate that he was a freedman of a member of the gens Clodia.

Life

Cicero maintained friendly relations with him as to Roscius, the equally well-known actor, and did not disdain it, to benefit from their teaching. Plutarch (Cicero, 5 ) mentions this when he reported Aesopus that during the presentation of Atreus, as this thought about his revenge on Thyestes, with his stick struck the actor in the heat of the show around and killed a servant who at this moment the stage crossed.

Aesopus was last in the year 55 BC, mentioned as a spectator at the games, which were organized by Pompey at the opening of his theater. Cicero reported to be at an advanced age. Despite his extravagant life he left behind his profligate son an extensive assets, which in turn gave his best to squander it as soon as possible. Horace (Sat. iii. 3 239 ) mentions that he took a bead earrings of Cecilia Metella and dissolving in vinegar to have the pleasure of having a sip of a value of £ 8,000 ( the original is from the Encyclopædia Britannica of 1911, the pound sterling in the former value ) signified are to swallow.