By far the best is that which
with as little foundation, assigned to Aurelius is to be found in the fifth volume of Cicero's works
Victor.
with as little foundation, assigned to Aurelius is to be found in the fifth volume of Cicero's works
Victor.
William Smith - 1844 - Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities - a
10.
s.
36.
& 21.
) sis Philosophia, Ferrara, 1591, fol.
The Latin
Plutarch (de Gloria Athen. 2) ranks him with translation of the work is contained in vol. ï. of
Euphranor and Nicias.
the works (Opera) of Marsilius Ficinus, Basel,
2. A statuary, famed for statues of philosophers. 1561.
(Plin. H. N. xxxiv. 19. & 26. ) [C. P. M. ] 2. A Greek grammarian of uncertain date, who
ASCLEPIODOTUS ('Ασκληπιόδοτος. ) 1. wrote commentaries upon the orations of Demos-
The author of an epigram which seems to have thenes and the history of Thucydides; but both
been taken from the base of a statue of Memnon. works are now lost. (Ulpian, ad Dem. Philip.
(Anthol. Graec. Append. No. 16, ed. Tauchnitz. ; 1; Schol. Bavar. ad Dem. de fals. leg. pp. 375,
comp. Brunck. Analect. i. p. 490 ; Letronne in the 378; Marcellin. Vit. Thucyd. 57; Schol. ad
Transactions of the R. Society of Literature, vol. ii. Thucyd. i. 56. )
1, part i. 1832. )
3. Of Tralles, a Peripatetic philosopher and a
2. Of Alexandria, the most distinguished among disciple of Ammonius, the son of Hermias. He
the disciples of Proclus, and the teacher of Damas- lived about A. D. 500, and wrote commentaries on
cius, was one of the most zealous champions of the first six or seven books of Aristotle's Meta-
Paganism. He wrote a commentary on the Tim- physics and on the dpcountants of Nicomachus of
aeus of Plato, which however is lost. (Olympiod. Gerasa. These commentaries are still extant in MS. ,
Meteorolog. 4; Suidas, s. v. 'AonAntidotos; Da- but only a portion of them has yet been printed in
mascius, Vis. Isid. ap. Phoz. pp. 344, b. 345, b. )
Brandis, Scholia Graeca in Aristot. Metaphys. p.
3. An author who lived in the time of Diocle 518, &c. ; comp. Fabr. Bibl. Graec. iii. p. 258 ;
tian, and seems to have written a life of this em- St. Croix in the Magasin. Encyclop. Cinquième
peror. (Vopisc. Aurelian. 44. ) He seems to be Année, vol. iii.
P.
359.
[L. S. )
the same as the one who is mentioned as a general ASCLE'PIUS ('AOKAMOs), a physician, who
in the reign of Probus. (Vopisc. Prol. 22. ) must have lived some time in or before the second
4. A pupil of Posidonius, who, according to century after Christ, as he is mentioned by Galen.
Seneca (Nal. Quaest. vi. 17), wrote a work called (De Differ. Morb. c. 9. vol. vi. p. 869. ) 8 person
“ Quaestionum Naturalium causae. "
of the same name is quoted by the Scholiast on
5. A commander of the Gallic mercenaries in the Hippocrates (Dietz, Schol. in Hippocr. et Gal. vol.
army of Perseus, king of Macedonia. (Liv. xlii. ii. p. 458, n. , 470, n. ) as having written a com-
51, xliv. 2. )
(L. S. ] mentary on the Aphorisms, and probably also on
ASCLEPIOʻDOTUS ('AOKANTOOOTOS), a phy- most of the other works of Hippocrates, as he is
sician, who was also well versed in mathematics said to have undertaken to explain his writings by
and music, and who grew famous for reviving the comparing one part with another. (Ibid. ; Littré,
use of white hellebore, which in his time had Oeuvres d'Hippocr. vol. i. p. 125. ) Another phy-
grown quite out of vogue. He lived probably sician of the same name is said by Fabricius to be
about the end of the fifth century after Christ, as mentioned by Aëtius.
(W. A. G. )
he was the pupil of Jacobus Psychrestus, and is ASCLETA'RIO, an astrologer and mathemati-
mentioned by Damascius. (Damascius, ap. Phot. cian in the time of Domitian. On one occasion he
Cod. 242, p. 344, b. , ed. Bekk. ; Suidas, s. v. was brought before the emperor for some offence.
Ewpavos ; Freind's Hist. of Physic. ) (W. A. G. ] Domitian tried to put the knowledge of the astro-
ASCLEPIO'DOTUS, CASSIUS, a man of loger to the test, and asked him what kind of
great wealth among the Bithynians, shewed the death he was to die, whereupon Ascletario an-
same respect to Soranus, when he was under swered, " I know that I shall soon be tom to
Nero's displeasure, as he had when Soranus was in pieces by the dogs. ” To prevent the realisation of
prosperity. He was accordingly deprived of his this assertion, Domitian ordered him to be put to
property and driven into exile, A. D. 67, but was death immediately, and to be buried. When his
restored by Galba. (Tac. Ann. xvi. 33; Dion body lay on the funeral pile, a vehement wind
Cass. Ixii. 26. )
arose, which carried the body from the pile, and
ASCLEʻPIUS ('Aoknýmios). 1. A fabulous some dogs, which had been near, immediately
personage, said to have been a disciple of Hermes, began devouring the half-roasted body. Domitian,
the Egyptian Thot, who was regarded as the father on being informed of this, is said to have been
of all wisdom and knowledge. There existed in more moved and perplexed than he had ever been
antiqnity a Greek dialogue (16yos téc10s) be before. This tale, which is related in all its sim-
## p. 384 (#404) ############################################
384
ASCONIUS.
ASELLUS.
plicity by Suetonius ( Domit. 15), is much distorted their discrepancies arise solely from the conjectural
in the accounts which Cedrenus, Constantine Ma- cmendations which have been introduced from
nasses, and Glycas give of it.
[L. S. ] time to time for the purpose of correcting the
Q. ASCOʻNIUS PEDIA'NU'S, who holds the numerous corruptions and supplying the frequently-
first place among the ancient commentators of recurring blanks. Poggio has leti no description
Cicero, seems to have been born a year or two be- of the archetype, but it evidently must have been
fore the commencement of the Christian era, and in bad order, from the number of small gaps occa-
there is some reason to believe that he was a sioned probably by edges or corners having been
native of Padua. It appears from a casual expres- torn off
, or words rendered illegible by damp. In-
sion in his notes on the speech for Scaurus, that deed the account given of the place where the
these were written after the consulship of Largus monks had deposited their literary trcasures is
Caecina and Claudius, that is, after A. D. 42. We sufficient to account fully for such imperfections,
learn from the Eusebian chronicle that he became for it is represented to have been “ a most ſoul
blind in his seventy-third year, during the reign of and dark dungeon at the bottom of a tower, into
Vespasian, and that he attained to the age of which not even criminals convicted of capital
eighty-five. The supposition that there were two offences would have been thrust down. "
Asconii, the one the companion of Virgil and the The first edition of Asconius was taken directly
expounder of Cicero, the other an historian who from the transcript of Poggio, and was published
fourished at a later epoch, is in opposition to the at Venice in 1477, along with sundry essays and
clear testimony of antiquity, which recognises one dissertations on the speeches of Cicero. The work
only. He wrote a work, now lost, on the life of was frequently reprinted in the early part of the
Sallust; and another, which has likewise per- sixteenth century, and numerous editions have
ished, against the censurers of Virgil, of which appeared from time to time, either separately or
Donatus and other grammarians have availed them- attached to the orations themselves ; but, notwith-
belves in their illustrations of that poet ; but there standing the labours of many excellent scholars,
is no ground for ascribing to him the tract entitled the text is usually exhibited in a very corrupt and
Origo gentis Romanae, more commonly, but interpolated form.
By far the best is that which
with as little foundation, assigned to Aurelius is to be found in the fifth volume of Cicero's works
Victor.
as edited by Orelli and Baiter; but many improve-
But far more important and valuable than the ments might yet be made if the three original
above was his work on the speeches of Cicero; and transcripts were to be carefully collated, instead of
fragments of commentaries, bearing his name, are reproducing mere copies of copies which have been
still extant, on the Divinatio, the first two speeches disfigured by the carelessness or presumption of
against Verres and a portion of the third, the successive scribes.
(W. R. )
speeches for Cornelius (i. ii. ), the speech In toga ASCUS ("Aokos ), a giant, who in conjunction
candida, for Scaurus, against Piso, and for Milo. The with Lycurgus chained Dionysus and threw him
remarks which were drawn up for the instruction into a river. Hermes, or, according to others,
of his sons (Comm. in Milon. 14) are conveyed in Zeus, rescued Dionysus, conquered (eduarev) the
very pure language, and refer chiefly to points of giant, flayed him, and made a bag ( đokos) of his
history and antiquities, great pains being bestowed skin. From this event the town of Damascus in
on the illustration of those constitutional forms of Syria was believed to bare derived its name.
the senate, the popular assemblies, and the courts (Etym. M. and Steph. Byz. s. r. Aauaokós. ) (L. S. ]
of justice, which were fast falling into oblivion A'SDRUBAL. [HASDRUBAL. ]
under the empire. This character, however, does ASE'LLIO, P. SEMPRONIUS, was tribune
not apply to the notes on the Verrine orations, of the soldiers under P. Scipio Africanus at Nu-
which are of a much more grammatical cast, and mantia, B. c. 133, and wrote a history of the affairs
exhibit not unfrequently traces of a declining in which he had been engaged. (Geli. ii. 13. ) His
Latinity. Hence, after a very rigid and minute work appears to bave commenced with the Punic
examination, the most able modern critics have wars, and it contained a very full account of the
decided that these last are not from the pen of times of the Gracchi. The exact title of the work,
Asconius, but must be attributed to some gram- and the number of books into which it was divided,
marian of a much later date, one who may have are not known. From the great superiority which
been the contemporary or successor of Servius or Asellio assigns to history above annals (ap. Gell.
Donatus. It is impossible here to analyse the v. 18), it is pretty certain that his own work was
reasoning by which this conclusion has been satis- not in the form of annals. It is sometimes cited
factorily established, but those who wish for full by the name of libri rerum gestarum, and some-
information will find everything they can desire in times by that of historiae ; and it contained at
the excellent treatise of Madrig. (De Asconii least fourteen books. (Gell. xiii. 3, 21; Charis. ii.
Pediani, fc. Commentariis, Hafniae, 1828, 8vo. ) p. 195. ) It is cited also in Gell. i. 13, ir. 9, xiii.
The history of the preservation of the book is 3, 21 ; Priscian, v. p. 668; Serv. ad Virg. Aen.
curious. Poggio Bracciolini, the renowned Floren- xii. 121; Nonius, s. v. gliscitur.
tine, when attending the council of Constance in Cicero speaks (de Leg. i. 2) slightingly of Asellio.
the year 1416, discovered a manuscript of Asconius P. Sempronius Asellio should be carefully distin-
in the monastery of St. Gall. This MS. was guished from C. Sempronius Tuditanus, with
transcribed by him, and about the same time by whom he is often confounded. [TUDITANUS. ]
Bartolomeo di Montepulciano, and by Sozomen, a Comp. Krause, l'itae et Fragm. Historicum Lati-
canon of Pistoia. Thus three copies were taken, norum, p. 216, &c.
and these are still in existence, but the original has ASELLUS, a cognomen in the Annian and
long since disappeared. All the MSS. employed Claudian gentes. The Annia gens was a plebeian
by the editors of Asconius seem to have been de one; and the Aselli in the Cornelia gens were
rived from the transcript of Poggio exclusively, and also plebeians.
## p. 385 (#405) ############################################
ASINIA.
385
ASOPIS.
Autos
im
itra
66
bor
ter fr
shaker
kald
e beti
tie
R;
1. C. or P. ANNIUS Asellus, a senator, who grandfather Asinius. (Senec. Epit. Controv. lib.
had not been included in the census, died, leaving iv. praef. ; Tac. Ann. iii. 11, xiv. 40; Suet. Oct.
his only daughter his heres. The property, how- | 43. )
ever, was seized by Verres, the praetor urbanus, ASI'NIA GENS, plcbcian. The Asinii came
on the ground that such a bequest was in violation from Teate, the chief town of the Marrucini (Sil.
of the lex Voconia. (Cic. in Verr. i. 41, &c. , Ital. xvii. 453; Liv. Epit. 73 ; Catull. 1. 2); and
comp. i. 58, ii. 7; Dict. of Ant. s. v. Voconia Lex. ) their name is derived from asinu, which was a
2. Tu. Claudius Asellus, tribune of the sol- cognomen of the Scipios, as asellus was of the Annii
diers in the army of the consul, C. Claudius Nero, and Claudii. The Herius, spoken of by Silius
B. C. 207, praetor in B. C. 206, when he obtained Italicus (l. c. ) in the time of the second Punic war,
Sardinia as his province, and plebeian aedile in about B. c. 218, was an ancestor of the Asinii;
B. C. 204. (Liv. xxvii. 41, xxviii. 10, xxix. 11. ) but the first person of the name of Asinius, who
Appian (de Bell. Annib. 37) relates an extraor- occurs in history, is Herius Asinius, in the Marsic
dinary adventure of this Claudius Asellus in B. C. war, B. C. 90. (Asinius. ] The cognomens of
212.
the Asinii are AGRIPPA, CELER, Dento, GALLUS,
3. T1. Claudius ASELLUS, of the equestrian POllio, SALONINUS. The only cognomens which
order, was deprived of his horse, and reduced to occur on coins, are Gallus and Pollio. (Eckhel,
the condition of an acrarian, by Scipio Africanus, v. p. 144. )
the younger, in his censorship, B. c. 142. When ASI'NIUS. 1. HERIUS ASINIUS, of Teate,
Asellus boasted of his military services, and com- the commander of the Marrucini in the Marsic
plained that he had been degraded unjustly, Scipio war, fell in battle against Marius, B. C. 90. (Liv.
replied with the proverb, “ Agas asellum," 1 e. Epit
. 73 ; Vell Pat. ii. 16; Appian, B. C. i. 40;
A gas asellum, si bovem non agere queas” (Cic. Eutrop. v. 3. )
de Orat. ii. 64), which it is impossible to translate 2. Cn. Asinius, only known as the father of C.
so as to preserve the point of the joke ; it was a Asinius Pollio. [Pollio. ]
proverbial expression for saying, that if a person 3. Asinius, a friend of Antony, who surrepti-
cannot hold as good a station as he wishes, he tiously crept into the senate after the death of
must be content with a lower. When Asellus Caesar, B. C. 44. (Cic. Phil. xiii. 13. )
was tribune of the plebs in B. C. 139, he accused ASI'NIUS QUADRA'TUS. (QUADRATUS.
Plutarch (de Gloria Athen. 2) ranks him with translation of the work is contained in vol. ï. of
Euphranor and Nicias.
the works (Opera) of Marsilius Ficinus, Basel,
2. A statuary, famed for statues of philosophers. 1561.
(Plin. H. N. xxxiv. 19. & 26. ) [C. P. M. ] 2. A Greek grammarian of uncertain date, who
ASCLEPIODOTUS ('Ασκληπιόδοτος. ) 1. wrote commentaries upon the orations of Demos-
The author of an epigram which seems to have thenes and the history of Thucydides; but both
been taken from the base of a statue of Memnon. works are now lost. (Ulpian, ad Dem. Philip.
(Anthol. Graec. Append. No. 16, ed. Tauchnitz. ; 1; Schol. Bavar. ad Dem. de fals. leg. pp. 375,
comp. Brunck. Analect. i. p. 490 ; Letronne in the 378; Marcellin. Vit. Thucyd. 57; Schol. ad
Transactions of the R. Society of Literature, vol. ii. Thucyd. i. 56. )
1, part i. 1832. )
3. Of Tralles, a Peripatetic philosopher and a
2. Of Alexandria, the most distinguished among disciple of Ammonius, the son of Hermias. He
the disciples of Proclus, and the teacher of Damas- lived about A. D. 500, and wrote commentaries on
cius, was one of the most zealous champions of the first six or seven books of Aristotle's Meta-
Paganism. He wrote a commentary on the Tim- physics and on the dpcountants of Nicomachus of
aeus of Plato, which however is lost. (Olympiod. Gerasa. These commentaries are still extant in MS. ,
Meteorolog. 4; Suidas, s. v. 'AonAntidotos; Da- but only a portion of them has yet been printed in
mascius, Vis. Isid. ap. Phoz. pp. 344, b. 345, b. )
Brandis, Scholia Graeca in Aristot. Metaphys. p.
3. An author who lived in the time of Diocle 518, &c. ; comp. Fabr. Bibl. Graec. iii. p. 258 ;
tian, and seems to have written a life of this em- St. Croix in the Magasin. Encyclop. Cinquième
peror. (Vopisc. Aurelian. 44. ) He seems to be Année, vol. iii.
P.
359.
[L. S. )
the same as the one who is mentioned as a general ASCLE'PIUS ('AOKAMOs), a physician, who
in the reign of Probus. (Vopisc. Prol. 22. ) must have lived some time in or before the second
4. A pupil of Posidonius, who, according to century after Christ, as he is mentioned by Galen.
Seneca (Nal. Quaest. vi. 17), wrote a work called (De Differ. Morb. c. 9. vol. vi. p. 869. ) 8 person
“ Quaestionum Naturalium causae. "
of the same name is quoted by the Scholiast on
5. A commander of the Gallic mercenaries in the Hippocrates (Dietz, Schol. in Hippocr. et Gal. vol.
army of Perseus, king of Macedonia. (Liv. xlii. ii. p. 458, n. , 470, n. ) as having written a com-
51, xliv. 2. )
(L. S. ] mentary on the Aphorisms, and probably also on
ASCLEPIOʻDOTUS ('AOKANTOOOTOS), a phy- most of the other works of Hippocrates, as he is
sician, who was also well versed in mathematics said to have undertaken to explain his writings by
and music, and who grew famous for reviving the comparing one part with another. (Ibid. ; Littré,
use of white hellebore, which in his time had Oeuvres d'Hippocr. vol. i. p. 125. ) Another phy-
grown quite out of vogue. He lived probably sician of the same name is said by Fabricius to be
about the end of the fifth century after Christ, as mentioned by Aëtius.
(W. A. G. )
he was the pupil of Jacobus Psychrestus, and is ASCLETA'RIO, an astrologer and mathemati-
mentioned by Damascius. (Damascius, ap. Phot. cian in the time of Domitian. On one occasion he
Cod. 242, p. 344, b. , ed. Bekk. ; Suidas, s. v. was brought before the emperor for some offence.
Ewpavos ; Freind's Hist. of Physic. ) (W. A. G. ] Domitian tried to put the knowledge of the astro-
ASCLEPIO'DOTUS, CASSIUS, a man of loger to the test, and asked him what kind of
great wealth among the Bithynians, shewed the death he was to die, whereupon Ascletario an-
same respect to Soranus, when he was under swered, " I know that I shall soon be tom to
Nero's displeasure, as he had when Soranus was in pieces by the dogs. ” To prevent the realisation of
prosperity. He was accordingly deprived of his this assertion, Domitian ordered him to be put to
property and driven into exile, A. D. 67, but was death immediately, and to be buried. When his
restored by Galba. (Tac. Ann. xvi. 33; Dion body lay on the funeral pile, a vehement wind
Cass. Ixii. 26. )
arose, which carried the body from the pile, and
ASCLEʻPIUS ('Aoknýmios). 1. A fabulous some dogs, which had been near, immediately
personage, said to have been a disciple of Hermes, began devouring the half-roasted body. Domitian,
the Egyptian Thot, who was regarded as the father on being informed of this, is said to have been
of all wisdom and knowledge. There existed in more moved and perplexed than he had ever been
antiqnity a Greek dialogue (16yos téc10s) be before. This tale, which is related in all its sim-
## p. 384 (#404) ############################################
384
ASCONIUS.
ASELLUS.
plicity by Suetonius ( Domit. 15), is much distorted their discrepancies arise solely from the conjectural
in the accounts which Cedrenus, Constantine Ma- cmendations which have been introduced from
nasses, and Glycas give of it.
[L. S. ] time to time for the purpose of correcting the
Q. ASCOʻNIUS PEDIA'NU'S, who holds the numerous corruptions and supplying the frequently-
first place among the ancient commentators of recurring blanks. Poggio has leti no description
Cicero, seems to have been born a year or two be- of the archetype, but it evidently must have been
fore the commencement of the Christian era, and in bad order, from the number of small gaps occa-
there is some reason to believe that he was a sioned probably by edges or corners having been
native of Padua. It appears from a casual expres- torn off
, or words rendered illegible by damp. In-
sion in his notes on the speech for Scaurus, that deed the account given of the place where the
these were written after the consulship of Largus monks had deposited their literary trcasures is
Caecina and Claudius, that is, after A. D. 42. We sufficient to account fully for such imperfections,
learn from the Eusebian chronicle that he became for it is represented to have been “ a most ſoul
blind in his seventy-third year, during the reign of and dark dungeon at the bottom of a tower, into
Vespasian, and that he attained to the age of which not even criminals convicted of capital
eighty-five. The supposition that there were two offences would have been thrust down. "
Asconii, the one the companion of Virgil and the The first edition of Asconius was taken directly
expounder of Cicero, the other an historian who from the transcript of Poggio, and was published
fourished at a later epoch, is in opposition to the at Venice in 1477, along with sundry essays and
clear testimony of antiquity, which recognises one dissertations on the speeches of Cicero. The work
only. He wrote a work, now lost, on the life of was frequently reprinted in the early part of the
Sallust; and another, which has likewise per- sixteenth century, and numerous editions have
ished, against the censurers of Virgil, of which appeared from time to time, either separately or
Donatus and other grammarians have availed them- attached to the orations themselves ; but, notwith-
belves in their illustrations of that poet ; but there standing the labours of many excellent scholars,
is no ground for ascribing to him the tract entitled the text is usually exhibited in a very corrupt and
Origo gentis Romanae, more commonly, but interpolated form.
By far the best is that which
with as little foundation, assigned to Aurelius is to be found in the fifth volume of Cicero's works
Victor.
as edited by Orelli and Baiter; but many improve-
But far more important and valuable than the ments might yet be made if the three original
above was his work on the speeches of Cicero; and transcripts were to be carefully collated, instead of
fragments of commentaries, bearing his name, are reproducing mere copies of copies which have been
still extant, on the Divinatio, the first two speeches disfigured by the carelessness or presumption of
against Verres and a portion of the third, the successive scribes.
(W. R. )
speeches for Cornelius (i. ii. ), the speech In toga ASCUS ("Aokos ), a giant, who in conjunction
candida, for Scaurus, against Piso, and for Milo. The with Lycurgus chained Dionysus and threw him
remarks which were drawn up for the instruction into a river. Hermes, or, according to others,
of his sons (Comm. in Milon. 14) are conveyed in Zeus, rescued Dionysus, conquered (eduarev) the
very pure language, and refer chiefly to points of giant, flayed him, and made a bag ( đokos) of his
history and antiquities, great pains being bestowed skin. From this event the town of Damascus in
on the illustration of those constitutional forms of Syria was believed to bare derived its name.
the senate, the popular assemblies, and the courts (Etym. M. and Steph. Byz. s. r. Aauaokós. ) (L. S. ]
of justice, which were fast falling into oblivion A'SDRUBAL. [HASDRUBAL. ]
under the empire. This character, however, does ASE'LLIO, P. SEMPRONIUS, was tribune
not apply to the notes on the Verrine orations, of the soldiers under P. Scipio Africanus at Nu-
which are of a much more grammatical cast, and mantia, B. c. 133, and wrote a history of the affairs
exhibit not unfrequently traces of a declining in which he had been engaged. (Geli. ii. 13. ) His
Latinity. Hence, after a very rigid and minute work appears to bave commenced with the Punic
examination, the most able modern critics have wars, and it contained a very full account of the
decided that these last are not from the pen of times of the Gracchi. The exact title of the work,
Asconius, but must be attributed to some gram- and the number of books into which it was divided,
marian of a much later date, one who may have are not known. From the great superiority which
been the contemporary or successor of Servius or Asellio assigns to history above annals (ap. Gell.
Donatus. It is impossible here to analyse the v. 18), it is pretty certain that his own work was
reasoning by which this conclusion has been satis- not in the form of annals. It is sometimes cited
factorily established, but those who wish for full by the name of libri rerum gestarum, and some-
information will find everything they can desire in times by that of historiae ; and it contained at
the excellent treatise of Madrig. (De Asconii least fourteen books. (Gell. xiii. 3, 21; Charis. ii.
Pediani, fc. Commentariis, Hafniae, 1828, 8vo. ) p. 195. ) It is cited also in Gell. i. 13, ir. 9, xiii.
The history of the preservation of the book is 3, 21 ; Priscian, v. p. 668; Serv. ad Virg. Aen.
curious. Poggio Bracciolini, the renowned Floren- xii. 121; Nonius, s. v. gliscitur.
tine, when attending the council of Constance in Cicero speaks (de Leg. i. 2) slightingly of Asellio.
the year 1416, discovered a manuscript of Asconius P. Sempronius Asellio should be carefully distin-
in the monastery of St. Gall. This MS. was guished from C. Sempronius Tuditanus, with
transcribed by him, and about the same time by whom he is often confounded. [TUDITANUS. ]
Bartolomeo di Montepulciano, and by Sozomen, a Comp. Krause, l'itae et Fragm. Historicum Lati-
canon of Pistoia. Thus three copies were taken, norum, p. 216, &c.
and these are still in existence, but the original has ASELLUS, a cognomen in the Annian and
long since disappeared. All the MSS. employed Claudian gentes. The Annia gens was a plebeian
by the editors of Asconius seem to have been de one; and the Aselli in the Cornelia gens were
rived from the transcript of Poggio exclusively, and also plebeians.
## p. 385 (#405) ############################################
ASINIA.
385
ASOPIS.
Autos
im
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1. C. or P. ANNIUS Asellus, a senator, who grandfather Asinius. (Senec. Epit. Controv. lib.
had not been included in the census, died, leaving iv. praef. ; Tac. Ann. iii. 11, xiv. 40; Suet. Oct.
his only daughter his heres. The property, how- | 43. )
ever, was seized by Verres, the praetor urbanus, ASI'NIA GENS, plcbcian. The Asinii came
on the ground that such a bequest was in violation from Teate, the chief town of the Marrucini (Sil.
of the lex Voconia. (Cic. in Verr. i. 41, &c. , Ital. xvii. 453; Liv. Epit. 73 ; Catull. 1. 2); and
comp. i. 58, ii. 7; Dict. of Ant. s. v. Voconia Lex. ) their name is derived from asinu, which was a
2. Tu. Claudius Asellus, tribune of the sol- cognomen of the Scipios, as asellus was of the Annii
diers in the army of the consul, C. Claudius Nero, and Claudii. The Herius, spoken of by Silius
B. C. 207, praetor in B. C. 206, when he obtained Italicus (l. c. ) in the time of the second Punic war,
Sardinia as his province, and plebeian aedile in about B. c. 218, was an ancestor of the Asinii;
B. C. 204. (Liv. xxvii. 41, xxviii. 10, xxix. 11. ) but the first person of the name of Asinius, who
Appian (de Bell. Annib. 37) relates an extraor- occurs in history, is Herius Asinius, in the Marsic
dinary adventure of this Claudius Asellus in B. C. war, B. C. 90. (Asinius. ] The cognomens of
212.
the Asinii are AGRIPPA, CELER, Dento, GALLUS,
3. T1. Claudius ASELLUS, of the equestrian POllio, SALONINUS. The only cognomens which
order, was deprived of his horse, and reduced to occur on coins, are Gallus and Pollio. (Eckhel,
the condition of an acrarian, by Scipio Africanus, v. p. 144. )
the younger, in his censorship, B. c. 142. When ASI'NIUS. 1. HERIUS ASINIUS, of Teate,
Asellus boasted of his military services, and com- the commander of the Marrucini in the Marsic
plained that he had been degraded unjustly, Scipio war, fell in battle against Marius, B. C. 90. (Liv.
replied with the proverb, “ Agas asellum," 1 e. Epit
. 73 ; Vell Pat. ii. 16; Appian, B. C. i. 40;
A gas asellum, si bovem non agere queas” (Cic. Eutrop. v. 3. )
de Orat. ii. 64), which it is impossible to translate 2. Cn. Asinius, only known as the father of C.
so as to preserve the point of the joke ; it was a Asinius Pollio. [Pollio. ]
proverbial expression for saying, that if a person 3. Asinius, a friend of Antony, who surrepti-
cannot hold as good a station as he wishes, he tiously crept into the senate after the death of
must be content with a lower. When Asellus Caesar, B. C. 44. (Cic. Phil. xiii. 13. )
was tribune of the plebs in B. C. 139, he accused ASI'NIUS QUADRA'TUS. (QUADRATUS.
