Pacuvius

Marcus Pacuvius (c. 220 BCE at Brundisium; † around 130 BC in Taranto ) was a Roman writer and painter.

Pacuvius ' family name ( nomen gentile ) suggests an Oscan origin. He was said to be the nephew of Ennius, another theory is that ( Jerome, Chron a Abr. 1864) whose grandson, which he would later be recognized as Terence.

From 200 BC Pacuvius simultaneously works as a painter and poet, Pliny the Elder tells of a painting of Pacuvius in the temple of Hercules in the Forum in Rome Boarium ( Naturalis historia 35.19 ). At the age he is said to have retired to Tarentum. Gellius reports a dubious meeting with Accius.

His work is divided into tragedies and Saturae. Among the tragedies and the praetexta Paullus is handed down. The other tragedies in Greek garb. He is regarded as a pupil of Ennius, but is no longer effective as that largely on Euripides back, but also on Aeschylus and Sophocles, as well as on other unknown poets. His plays deal with the Trojan cycle of legends and the legends of Medea from the perspective of future generations.

Little is known of his satires.