240 PLINY'S NATURAL HISTOBY. [Book VII. 



Bus, 90 Sebosus, 91 Cornelius Celsus, 92 Maximus Valerius, 91 

 Trogus, 94 Nigidius Figulus, 95 Pomponius Atticus, 96 Pedianus 

 Asconius, 97 Fabianus, 98 Cato the Censor, 99 the Eegister of the 

 Triumphs, 1 Fabius Yestalis. 2 



" the last of the Romans," his real offence being the freedom with which, 

 in his work, he had spoken against Sejanus. He starved himself to death, 

 and the senate ordered his works to be burnt. Some copies, however, 

 were preserved by his daughter, Marcia, and his friends. 



90 C. Maecenas Melissus, a native of Spoletum. He was of free birth, 

 but exposed in his infancy, and presented to be reared by Maecenas. He 

 was afterwards manumitted, and obtained the favour of Augustus, who 

 employed him to arrange the library in the portico of Octavia. At an 

 advanced age he commenced the composition of a collection of jokes and 

 bon-mots. He also wrote plays of a novel character, which he styled 

 " Trabeatae." 91 See end of B. ii. 



92 A. Cornelius Celsus, the celebrated writer on medicine. Little is 

 known of his age or origin, or even his profession. It is supposed, how- 

 ever, that he lived in the time of Augustus and Tiberius. His treatises on 

 Medicine and Surgery are still used as hand-books for the medical student, 

 and his style is much admired for its purity. 



93 Or Valerius Maximus. He is supposed to have lived in the time of 

 Tiberius, and wrote nine books on memorable deeds and sayings, which 

 still survive, and are replete with curious information. 



94 Trogus Pompeius, the Eoman Historian, on whose work Justin 

 founded his history. His grandfather, who was of the Gaulish tribe of 

 the Vocontii, received the citizenship of Rome during the war against 

 Sertorius ; and his father was a private secretary of Julius Caesar. Except 

 as set forth in the pages of Justin, no portion of his history, except a few- 

 scattered fragments, exists. The quotations from him in Pliny, are thought 

 to have been all taken from a treatise of his, " De Animalibus," mentioned 

 by Charisius, and not from his historical works. 95 See end of B. vi. 



96 The friend and correspondent of Cicero, descended from on*e of the 

 most ancient equestrian families of Rome. His surname was, probably, 

 given to him from his long residence at Athens, and his intimate acquaint- 

 ance with the Greek language and literature. Though, generally, of a 

 virtuous character, he neglected no means of making money, and was, con- 

 sequently, a man of great opulence, He wrote a book of Annals, or rather 

 an Epitome of Roman History, which, like the rest of his works, has perished. 



97 He lived in the time of Augustus and Tiberius, and is mentioned by 

 the Eusebian Chronicle, as becoming blind in his seventy-third year, dur- 

 ing the reign of Vespasian, and attaining the age of eighty-five. He wrote 

 a work on the Life of Sallust, another on the Censurers of Virgil, and 

 commentaries on the speeches of Cicero, of which alone a few portions are 

 still extant, and are of considerable value in a historical as well as a gram- 

 matical point of view. 



98 Probably Papirius Fabianus. See end of B. ii. 



99 See end of B. iii. l See end of B. v. 



* Nothing whatever is known relative to this author. 



