CAECILIUS, STATIUS

born c. 219 BC died 168 BC, Rome Roman comic poet ranked by the literary critic Volcatius Sedigitus at the head of all Roman writers of comedy. Information is too meagre to justify any firm statement beyond saying that Caecilius was a writer of considerable moral power (a tribute paid by the poet Horace); that he admired and imitated the Greek playwright Menander; that his work was less lively than that of his predecessor, Plautus, and less polished than that of his young contemporary, Terence. Little is known certainly of his life, though many writers refer to him. Of his comedies only 42 titles (most of them identical with titles of plays by Menander) and 280 lines or parts of lines have survived. Cicero could name Caecilius' Hymnis in a public speech without having to indicate the author's name, and perhaps this is some indication of the popularity that he enjoyed.