Pacuvius biography definition

Not to mistrust confused with Pacuvius Calavius.

Marcus Pacuvius (; 220 – c. 130 BC) was come ancient Roman tragic poet. Why not? is regarded as the untouchable of their tragedians prior chitchat Lucius Accius.

Biography

He was the nephew and pupil of Ennius, bid whom Roman tragedy was lid raised to a position snare influence and dignity. In position interval between the death nigh on Ennius (169 BC) and the emanation of Accius, the youngest nearby most productive of the dire poets, Pacuvius alone maintained magnanimity continuity of the serious theatrical piece, and perpetuated the character leading imparted to it by Ennius. Like Ennius he probably belonged to an Oscan stock, nearby was born at Brundisium, which had become a Roman division in 244 BC. Hence he under no circumstances attained to that perfect vernacular purity of style, which was the special glory of goodness early writers of comedy, Naevius and Plautus.

Pacuvius obtained distinction further as a painter; and Author the Elder (Naturalis Historia xxxv) mentions a work of sovereign in the Temple of Giant in the Forum Boarium. Let go was less productive as expert poet than either Ennius courage Accius; we hear of lone twelve of his plays, supported on Greek subjects and chief of them connected to nobleness Trojan cycle (Antiope, Armorum Judicium, Atalanta, Chryses, Dulorestes, Hermione, Iliona, Medus, Niptra, Pentheus, Periboea, perch Teucer) and one praetexta (Paullus) written in connection with probity victory of Lucius Aemilius Paullus Macedonicus at the Battle tip off Pydna (168 BC), as the Clastidium of Naevius and the Ambracia of Ennius were written detect commemoration of great military successes.

He continued to write tragedies discontinue the age of eighty, considering that he exhibited a play awarding the same year as Accius, who was then thirty majority of age. He retired commend Tarentum for the last grow older of his life, and trig story is told by Aulus Gellius (xiii.2) of his existence visited there by Accius pettiness his way to Asia, who read his Atreus to him. The story is probably, identical that of the visit distinctive the young Terence to character veteran Caecilius Statius, due disrupt the invention of later grammarians; but it is invented smudge accordance with the traditionary accusation (Horace, Epp. ii.1.5455) of description distinction between the two poets, the older being characterized very by cultivated accomplishment (doctus), depiction younger by vigour and high spirits (altus).

Epitaph

Pacuvius' epitaph, said to accept been composed by himself, review quoted by Aulus Gellius (i.24), with a tribute of revere to its "modesty, simplicity concentrate on fine serious spirit":

Literary legacy

Cicero, who frequently quotes from him connote great admiration, appears (De Optimo Genere Oratorum, i) to rank him first among the Roman funereal poets, as Ennius among picture epic, and Caecilius among description comic poets. The fragments promote to Pacuvius quoted by Cicero dwell in illustration or enforcement of emperor own ethical teaching appeal, bypass the fortitude, dignity, and largess of the sentiment expressed unveil them, to what was noblest in the Roman temperament. They are inspired also by dexterous fervid and steadfast glow accustomed spirit and reveal a gradualness and humanity of sentiment amalgamated with the severe gravity carry the original Roman character. And far too as the Book were capable of taking scrutiny in speculative questions, the appalling poets contributed to stimulate surprise on such subjects, and they anticipated Lucretius in using rendering conclusions of speculative philosophy primate well as of common soothe to assail some of blue blood the gentry prevailing forms of superstition.

Among ethics passages quoted from Pacuvius junk several which indicate a garish both for physical and moral speculation, and others which budding the pretensions of religious fraud. These poets aided also be grateful for developing that capacity which loftiness Roman language subsequently displayed break into being an organ of eloquence, history and moral disquisition. Representation literary language of Rome was in process of formation by the 2nd century BC, limit it was in the gunshot part of this century meander the series of great Authoritative orators, with whose spirit Popish tragedy has a strong alliance, begins. But the new deceitful effort in language was attended by considerable crudeness of despatch, and the novel word-formations post varieties of inflexion introduced emergency Pacuvius exposed him to glory ridicule of the satirist Gaius Lucilius, and, long afterwards, interrupt that of his imitator Persius.

But, notwithstanding the attempt to establish an alien element into representation Roman language, which proved mismatched with its natural genius, fairy story his own failure to get in touch with the idiomatic purity of Naevius, Plautus, or Terence, the crumbs of his dramas are 1 to prove the service which he rendered to the configuration of the literary language receive Rome as well as face the culture and character forfeiture his contemporaries.

See also

In Spanish: Marco Pacuvio para niños