DE ANTIQUIS DICTIONIBUS. 13 
Est namque hoc animadvertere cum in quibusdam aliis tum in libro Catonis, qui in- 
scribtus est Carmen de moribus. Ex quo libro verba haec sunt. ‘ Avaritiam omnia 
vitia habere putabant; sumptuosus, cupidus, elegans, vitiosus, inritus qui habebatur, is 
laudabatur;' ex quibus verbis apparet elegantem dictum antiquitus non ab ingenii 
elegantia, sed qui nimis lecto amoenoque cultu victuque esset. Postea elegans re- 
prehendi quidem desiit, sed laude nulla dignabatur, nisi cuius elegantia erat modera- 
tissima." 
29. Mendacium. Slight differences between the two manuscripts. The reading of 
the Cod. Ricc., alterum for alium, is better. As we learn from A. Gell. N. A. IL IE 
our author gives in a very concise and pithy manner the substance of a definition of 
Nigidius: * Verba sunt ipsa haec P. Nigidii, hominis in studiis bonarum artium prae- 
cellentis, quem M. Cicero* ingenii doctrinarumque nomine summe reveritus est. 
*Inter mendacium dicere et mentiri distat; qui mentitur, ipse non fallitur, alterum 
fallere conatur: qui mendacium dicit, ipse fallitur" Item hoc addidit: ‘Qui men- 
titur, inquit, fallit, quantum in se est: at qui mendacium dicit, ipse non fallit, quantum 
in se est.’ Item hoc quoque super eadem re dicit: * Vir bonus, inquit, praestare 
debet,ne mentiatur: prudens ne mendacium dicat: alterum incidit in hominem, alte- 
rum non." i 
30. Lictorem. Some trifling differences between the two manuscripts. The matter 
is derived from the work of Valgius Rufus, whom our manuscripts erroneously call 
Valerius, and Tiro. Cf. A. Gell. N. A. 12, 3: * Valgius Rufus in secundo librorum, 
quos inscripsit de rebus per epistulam quaesitis, lictorem dicit a ligando appellatum 
esse, quod cum magistratus populi Romani virgis. quempiam verberari iussissent, crura 
eius et manus ligari vincirique a viatore solita sint, is, qui ex conlegio viatorum officium 
ligandi haberet, lictor sit appellatus; utiturque ad eam rem testimonio M. Tullii verbaque 
eius refert ex oratione, quae dicta est pro C. Rabirio: * Lictor, inquit, conliga manus.’ 
Haec ita Valgius. Et nos cum illo sentimus, sed Tiro Tullius, M. Ciceronis libertus, 
‘lictorem vel a limo vel a licio dictum scribsit; licio enim transverso, quod limum 
appellatur, qui magistratibus, inquit, praeministrabant, cincti erant." This article, 
unless it be copied from some other unknown compiler, — not Gellius, — would seem 
to be the work of Petronius, who collected his materials from various sources, in this 
instance from Valgius Rufus and Tiro, and not necessarily borrowed from Gellius. 
As to Valgius Rufus, it is probable that he is the same person with C. Valgius Rufus 
who was Consul Suffectus in 742 U. C., 12 a. C., and known as a poet. 
* Cicero several times mentions P. Nigidius as his friend and stanch politieal supporter; of his learning 
he speaks, Fam. 4, 13, 3: * Nunc P. Nigidio, uni omnium doctissimo . . . . ne benigne quidem polliceri possum." 
