Caecilius Statius

Caecilius Statius (c. 220 BC; † 168 BC) was a Roman writer of comedies.

Life

Caecilius, born probably 220 BC, was a Celt of the tribe of the Insubres from the Po Valley. When the Romans during the numerous battles against the Northern Italy Celts 223 and 222 BC, the cities and Mediolanum Comum conquered, Caecilius was taken prisoner, came to Rome and became a slave by the name of Statius. On his release, he took part in the gentile name of his patron and was called Caecilius Statius. On the Aventine Hill in Rome was Caecilius housemate ( contubernalis ) Ennius. His comedies pleased the audience first did not, Caecilius thought about giving up the art of poetry. It was the probably quite unselfish promotion by the famous theater director Ambivius Turpio brought Caecilius successes. According to the Chronicle of Jerome Caecilius died in 168 BC His grave is said to have been on one of the cemeteries on the Janiculum.

Works

Of the comedies of Caecilius 42 items are known to frequent Greek and Latin (listed in Schanz- Hosius ). Get less than 300 verses or Versfragmente. The piece Plocium ( the collar ) is very well known by Aulus Gellius: here is an old husband complained about its rich and ugly wife, who forced him to dismiss a charming servant.

Sources / models

Menander, the eminent poet of the New Comedy in Athens, was the great example of Caecilius, as already indicated the titles of comedies. In addition Caecilius drew from the works of Philemon and Poseidippos. The New Comedy plays in the civic sphere of the polis and has a fictional, self-contained story. Also on poets of the Middle Comedy, Antiphanes and Alexis, Caecilius uses.

Tradition

Cicero delivered 15 fragments from the Synephebi, vernier 106 fragments; other witnesses are Verrius Marcus Flaccus, Aulus Gellius, Charisius, Diomedes, Aelius Donatus, Servius, Priscian of Caesarea, Isidore of Seville, among others

Continued operation

Volcacius Sedigitus held Caecilius end of the 2nd century BC in his canon of the ten Roman comedian ( in Gellius 15.24 ) for the best comedy writer ( Caecilio palmam stations Mimico do) because of the coarseness of his mirth and humor. Varro estimates of Caecilius the ability to excite feelings and passions, and the tragic pathos in the Latin language so as to bring it Menander in his plays in the speeches of Charisios, Polemon, Demeas among others expressed had shown us. Cicero blames the Latin Caecilius ( Brutus 258), speaks to him authority in matters of the Latin language from ( Atticus 7,3,10 ), which on its ancient language and the peculiarities are pointed out in word form and word usage. That Caecilius but still is a great comedian, Cicero does not altogether ( De optimo genere oratorum 2). In Horace there is the widespread opinion, Caecilius was open to all on expressive power of the word ( gravitas ) Ahead ( Epistle 2,1,59 ), he was expected to Plautus to the word creators ( Ars poetica 45-55 ). Both figures indicate why the comedies of Caecilius could be forgotten, " the Latin literary language and style their ideals have developed differently. Urbanity, purity and fineness came off wealth, power and color, especially in the comedy " ( Michael von Albrecht ).

Timeless are the polished Latin excerpts from the comedies of Caecilius: "Live as you can, because you can not do as you please " ( ut vivas potentiometers, quando quis non ut Novelis, Ribbek 142); " Wool only; you're going to accomplish it " (fac Novelis, perficies, Ribbek 290 ); "Man is to man a God, if he knows his duty " (homo homini deus est, si suum officium sciat, Ribbek 264). In later times, Caecilius was less valued and less read.

Importance

The Latin comedy in Greek dress, the palliata had Naevius and Plautus already established. Caecilius, the comedy made ​​palpable, immediately understandable and even vulgar. " Caecilius combines skillful direction and sententious formulation of thought with a rather crude characterization and a colorful language" (Albrecht ). His work shows understanding of art and theoretical ideas: what he called rules of Fabula palliata are the approach to the management of the action template, the contamination prohibition and demand a piece must be new. This Caecilius has prepared the work of Terence.

Text output

  • Comicorum Romanorum et praeter Plautum Terentium Fragmenta, ed. Otto Ribbeck, 3rd edition, Leipzig 1898 ( reprint 1962)
  • Eric Herbert Warmington: Remains of Old Latin, Volume 1, London 1935, pp. 467 ff
  • Alfonso Traina: Comoedia. Padova 1960, pp. 87 ff (selection with comment )
Milan Contubernium Posidippus Antiphanes (comic poet) Vernier scale Verrius Flaccus Marcus Terentius Varro Integrated Authority File
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