Caecilius Statius

Caecilius Statius – Life, Work, and Legacy of a Roman Comic Poet

Learn about Caecilius Statius (c. 220/230 – c. 166 BC), the Roman comic playwright who adapted Greek New Comedy into Latin. Explore his life, poetic approach, surviving fragments, and influence on Roman drama.

Introduction

Caecilius Statius (Latin: Statius Caecilius) was a Roman comic poet of uncertain Gaulish origin, flourishing in the 2nd century BC. He is best known for his Latin adaptations of Greek New Comedy, and was highly regarded by ancient critics for his dramatic construction, emotional depth, and moral reflections. Though only fragments of his works survive, his influence on the development of Roman comedy is significant.

Early Life & Origins

• Birth and background
  Caecilius is generally dated to c. 220 BC (or somewhat earlier), though some traditions place him closer to c. 230 BC. He was probably born in Mediolanum (modern Milan) or another town of the Insubrian Gauls (Cisalpine Gaul). Some ancient sources (e.g. Jerome) claim he was of Celtic origin, and that he was taken captive during war and brought to Rome, possibly enslaved.

• Slavery, patronage, and name
  According to Aulus Gellius, he was originally a slave and adopted the name Statius (a name given to slaves), then later freed. He is thought to have assumed the nomen Caecilius from his patron, likely a member of the Caecilii, perhaps associated with the influential Metelli family.

• Connection with Ennius and early milieu
  Caecilius was a contemporary and intimate friend of the poet Ennius (often considered the father of Roman poetry). He likely moved in Rome’s dramatic and literary circles, balancing loyalty to Roman traditions while engaging with Greek models of drama.

Literary Career & Style

Adaptation of Greek New Comedy

• Caecilius specialized in fabulae palliatae — Roman comedies based on Greek New Comedy (Menander and others). He adapted Greek originals (often retaining the Greek titles) and localized them into Latin theater.

• Unlike earlier comic dramatists who might freely combine or “contaminate” elements from multiple Greek plays, Caecilius is credited by later critics (e.g. Varro) with careful plotting and relative restraint in contamination.

• His works often show more psychological depth and moral seriousness than earlier Roman comedy; they were less farcical and more attentive to character and situations.

Reputation among critics

• The dramatic critic Volcatius Sedigitus ranked Caecilius first among Roman comic poets.

• Varron praised him for argumentis (plot construction).

• Horace contrasts Caecilius’s dignity with the style of Terence.

• Cicero acknowledged Caecilius’s prominence in comedic literature but judged him stylistically inferior to Terence, in part due to his non-Latin origin and linguistic peculiarities.

• Quintilian was somewhat critical, disputing aspects of his comic style, but acknowledged his significance in the genre.

Surviving Works & Fragments

• Around 42 titles of his comedies are known in antiquity, though only fragments survive — approximately 280 verses in total.

• The best-preserved play is Plocium (“The Necklace”), from which about 45 verses survive, with some details of its plot.

• Another recently discovered fragment, Obolostates, was found among the papyri of Herculaneum and is estimated to preserve 400–500 lines, though it remains unedited in full.

• Because the fragments are so scattered and limited, reconstructing full plays is impossible; our knowledge relies heavily on citations by later authors (Aulus Gellius, Nonius, Priscian, etc.).

Themes & Contributions

• Caecilius’s comedies frequently engaged family, social, and domestic issues — marriages, familial obligations, moral dilemmas — rather than pure buffoonery.

• His works reflect moral and social reflection, sometimes combining serious themes with comedic structure.

• He helped elevate the plot in Roman comedy, giving more coherence and plausibility rather than the looser style of earlier playwrights.

• His relative fidelity to Greek originals, and his retention of Greek titles and structures, exhibit the process of Hellenization of Roman drama.

Death & Later Legacy

• Caecilius is thought to have died around 168 BC (some sources suggest 166 BC).

• Jerome’s Chronicon and other sources place his death shortly after Ennius (who died 169 BC).

• After his death, his reputation was strong; he was remembered by later Roman authors and critics, and included among the canonical Roman comedians.

• Over centuries, his works gradually fell out of circulation, overshadowed by better-preserved dramatists like Plautus and Terence; yet in classical scholarship, he remains an important bridge between Greek models and Roman comedy.

Sample Fragments & (Attributed) Quotes

Because only fragments survive, no long quotations can reliably be attributed. A few mottos or sententious lines are preserved in later anthologies, such as:

• vivas ut potis, quando non quis ut velis (“Live as you can, since you cannot as you wish”) — a fragment often attributed to him.

• fac velis, perficies (“If you will, you will accomplish”) — another short fragment.

• homo homini deus est, si suum officium sciat (“Man is a god to man, if he knows his duty”) — attributed in manuscripts and commentary under his name.

These reflect his moral and social concerns even in comedic context.

Lessons & Influence

• Cultural translation in literature: Caecilius illustrates how Roman literature digested and adapted Greek cultural forms.

• Dramatic structure as craft: His attention to plot coherence and character earned him respect among critics.

• Balancing comedy and seriousness: Even in comedic form, his plays touched on ethical and social themes.

• Legacy through fragments: His case shows how literary memory often depends on citations, fragments, and echoes in later authors.

Conclusion

Caecilius Statius occupies a special place in the transition of Roman drama: a poet of foreign origin, who rose (from probable servitude) to shape Latin comedy through thoughtful adaptation of Greek models. Though his works survive only in fragments, ancient critics ranked him highly for plot, depth, and moral tone. Today, he is remembered as a crucial link in the evolution of Roman theatrical literature.