Gnaeus Naevius (270-201(200/190) B.C.E.) (jan 1, 270 BC – jan 1, 201 BC)
Description:
Born in Campania and later died in Utica; first Roman writer of note; fought in the First Punic War (264-241 BC); said “Fato Metelli Romae fiunt consules” (“The Metelli were made consuls of Rome by fate”—not merit.) which enraged the Metelli so much that they imprisoned him; while in jail, he continued his literary career, invented fabulae praetextae, wrote fabulae palliatae
When he died it was said, “In Rome, they forgot how to speak the Latin language.”
His theatrical career spanned 235-204 BC.
Comedies includes: Acontizomenus, Agitatoria, Agrypnuntes, Assitogiola, Carbonaria, Chlamydaria, Colax, Cementria, Corollaria, Dementes, Detrius, Dolus, Figulus, Glaucoma, Gymnasticus, Hariolus, Lampadio, Leo, Nagido, Neruolaria, Pellicus, Personata, Proiectus, Quadrigemini, Stalagmus, Stigmatias, Tarentilla, Technicus, Testicularia, Tribacelus, Triphallus, Tunicularia
Tragedies include: Danae (in bacchaic verse rather than spoken senarii), Equos Troianus, Hector Proficiscens, Hesiona, Iphigenia, Lycurgus, Romulus, Clastidium (on the victory of Marcus Claudius Marcellus at Clastidium in 222 BC).
Wrote the Carmen Belli Poenici (Bellum Punicum). A narrative poem on the First Punic War written in Saturnian verse. - principal work, saturnian meter
While imprisoned in jail he wrote: Hariolus and Leon
His epitaph reads:
Immortales mortales si foret fas flere,
flerent divae Carmenae Naevium poetam.
itaque, postquam est Orchi traditus thesauro,
obliti sunt Romani loquier lingua Latina
Added to timeline:
Latin Lit
Date:
