Afranius

“ Afranius was the most celebrated writer of this last class of dramas, which were probably Greek pieces accommodated to Roman manners, since Afranius lived at a period when Roman literature was almost entirely imitative. It is difficult, no doubt, to see how an Athenian comedy could be bent to local usages foreign to its spirit and genius; but the Latin writers were not probably very nice about the adjustment; and the Comœdia Togata is so slightly mentioned by ancient writers, that we can hardly suppose that it comprehended a great class of national compositions. ”

“ Rome was now cosmopolitan enough so that a writer of comedy need not limit his range. In matter and sentiment Afranius reminded critics of Menander and Terence, yet his fragments show that, like Plautus, he availed himself of the advantages of very generous musical accompaniments. The most striking reference to him which has come down to us is that of Seneca who says that Afranius blended the spirit of comedy and tragedy in his work. ”

“ Whatever disputes Afranius's soldiers had afterwards amongst themselves, they voluntarily submitted to Caesar's decision. Afranius and Petreius, when pay was demanded by the legions, a sedition almost breaking out, asserted that the time had not yet come, and required that Caesar should take cognizance of it: and both parties were content with his decision. About a third part of their army being dismissed in two days, Caesar ordered two of his legions to go before, the rest to follow the vanquished enemy: that they should encamp at a small distance from each other. ”

“ As soon as Sertorius quitted the right wing to relieve the other part of the army, Afranius [154] put to flight his opponents and drove them to their [Pg 119] camp, which, he entered with the captives, it being now dark, and began to plunder, knowing nothing of the defeat of Pompeius, and being unable to stop his soldiers from seizing the booty. In the mean time Sertorius returned, after defeating the enemy who were opposed to him, and falling on the soldiers of Afranius, who were all in disorder and consequently panic-stricken, he slaughtered many of them. ”

“ Afranius commanded in the north and east, holding the southern spurs of the Pyrenees. Petreius, who was stationed in Lusitania, in the south-west, according to agreement, hurries up to the assistance of Afranius as soon as Cæsar approaches. The Pompeian and Cæsarian armies are brought into close quarters in the neighbourhood of Ilerda (Lerida) , on the little river Sicoris, or Segre, which runs into the Ebro. They are near the mountains here, and the nature of the fighting is controlled by the rapidity and size of the rivers, and the inequality of the ground. ”

“ So these escaped, but Afranius and Faustus would not come to him of their own free will, for they felt sure of destruction. They fled to Mauritania, where they were captured by Sittius. Caesar put them to death without a trial, on the ground that they were captives for a second time. ”

“ Afranius, regardless of his promise, joined Pompey at Dyrrhachium, and at the battle of Pharsalus (48) had charge of Pompey’s camp. On the defeat of Pompey, Afranius, despairing of pardon from Caesar, went to Africa, and was present at the disastrous battle of Thapsus (46) . Escaping from the field with a strong body of cavalry, he was afterwards taken prisoner, along with Faustus Sulla, by the troops of Sittius, and handed over to Caesar, whose veterans rose in tumult and put them to death.
See Hirtius, Bell. Afric. 95; Plutarch, Pompey ”

“ XXXVI. After the battle Pompeius set out to advance to the Hyrkanian [273] and Caspian sea, but he was turned from his route by the number of deadly reptiles, when he was three days' march from it. He retired to the Less Armenia; and he returned a friendly answer to the Kings of the Elymæi [274] and Medes who sent ambassadors, but against the Parthian king who had invaded Gordyene and was plundering the people of Tigranes, he sent Afranius with a force who drove him out and pursued him as far as the territory of Arbela. ”

“ The two parties engage, and as Afranius's men had reached the eminence first, our men were repulsed, and, on a reinforcement being sent, they were obliged to turn their backs and retreat to the standards of legions.
XLIV.—The manner of fighting of those soldiers was to run forward with great impetuosity and boldly take a post, and not to keep their ranks strictly, but to fight in small scattered parties: if hard pressed they thought it no disgrace to retire and give up the post, being accustomed to this manner of fighting among the Lusitanians and other barbarous nations ”

“ The danger of discovery does not seem so imminent, as to compel us to forego all attempt to rely on the support of Rome. Let us separate in the firm determination, to prepare and meditate everything that can help us towards our goal. I am chiefly thinking of Caius Aurelius, who made friends so rapidly with Norbanus, and who is regarded with less suspicion at the palace than Ulpius Trajanus. We will meet again fourteen days hence, here, in the house of Afranius, and at the same hour. ”

“ Domitius Ahenobarbus also by always calling him Agamemnon and King of Kings made him odious. [Pg 279] Favonius too made himself no less disagreeable by his scoffing manner than others by the unseasonable freedom of their language, calling out, "Men, we shall not eat figs in Tusculum [364] even this year!" Lucius Afranius who had lost his forces in Iberia and on that account had fallen under the imputation of treachery, now seeing that Pompeius avoided a battle, said he was surprised that those who accused him did not advance and fight against the trafficker in provinces. ”

“ He seems to have written a little later than Terence. Titus Quinctius Atta has left to us the titles of eleven plays and about twenty-five lines of fragments. Little is known of him except the date of his death, 77 B. C. Lucius Afranius, the last and most important writer of this kind of comedies, was born probably not far from 150 B. C. Forty-two titles and more than four hundred lines of fragments now remain to attest his activity. The scenes of the plays are laid in the smaller towns of Italy, and the characters belong for the most part to the lower social classes. ”

“ For the games in the Circus he assigned places to the knights apart from the rest, [27] and even matched chariots drawn by four camels. At the plays which he gave for the "Eternity of the Empire," which by his order were called the Ludi Maximi, parts were taken by several men and women of both the orders; a well known Roman knight mounted an elephant and rode down a rope; [28] a Roman play of Afranius, too, was staged, entitled "The Fire," and the actors were allowed to carry off the furniture of the burning house and keep it. Every day all kinds of presents were thrown to the people ”

“ Afrānia, a Roman matron, who frequented the forum, forgetful of female decency. Valerius Maximus, bk. 8, ch. 3.
Lucius Afrānius, a Latin comic poet in the age of Terence, often compared to Menander, whose style he imitated. He is blamed for the unnatural gratifications which he mentions in his writings, some fragments of which are to be found in the Corpus Poetarum. Quintilian, bk. 10, ch. 1.—Suetonius, Nero, ch. 11.—Horace, bk. 2, ltr. 1, li. 57.—Cicero, de Finibus, bk. 1, ch. 3.—Aulus Gellius, bk. 13, ch. 8.――A general of Pompey, conquered by Cæsar in Spain. Suetonius, Julius Cæsar, ch. ”

“ Cardan informs us, that Gregory also caused the plays of Nævius, Ennius, and Afranius, to be burned. That he suppressed the works of Cicero, rests on the authority of a passage in an edict published by Louis XI., dated 1473, and quoted by Lyron in his Singularitéz Historiques522. St Antonius, who was Archbishop of Florence in the middle of the fifteenth century, is cited by Vossius as the most ancient author who has asserted that he burned the decades of Livy523. ”

“ Alphon. Thanks, mighty prince; but yet I seek not this:
It is not words must recompense my pain,
But deeds. When first I took up arms for you,
Your promise was, whatever my sword did win
In fight, as his Alphonsus should it crave.
See, then, where lies thy foe Flaminius,
Whose crown my sword hath conquer'd in the field;
Therefore, Belinus, make no long delay,
But that discharge you promis'd for to pay.
Beli. Will nothing else satisfy thy conquering mind
Besides the crown? Well, since thou hast it won,
Thou shalt it have, though far against my will. ”

“ What, dost thou think Flaminius hath no friends For to revenge his death on thee again? Yes, be you sure that, ere you scape from hence, Thy gasping ghost shall bear him company, Or else myself, fighting for his defense, Will be content by those thy hands to die. Alphonsus
Laelius, few words would better thee become, Especially as now the case doth stand; And didst thou know whom thou dost threaten thus, We should you have more calmer out of hand: For, Laelius, know that I Alphonsus am, The son and heir to old Carinus, whom The traitorous father of Flaminius Did secretly bereave his diadem. ”

“ Nay, proud Albinius, never build on that, For though the gods do chance for to appoint Alphonsus victor of Belinus’ land, Yet shalt thou never live to see that day; And therefore, Fabius, stand not lingering, But presently slash off his traitorous head. Albinius
Slash off his head? As though Albinius’ head Were then so easy to be slashed off. In faith, sir, no; when you are gone and dead, I hope to flourish like the pleasant spring. Belinus
Why, how now, Fabius! What, do you stand in doubt To do the deed? What fear you? ”

“ More would I say, but horses that be free Do need no spurs, and soldiers which themselves Long and desire to buckle with the foe Do need no words to egg them to the same. Enter Alphonsus, with a canopy carried over him by three lords, hailing over each corner a king’s head, crowned; with him, Albinius, Laelius, Miles, with crowns on their heads, and their soldiers.
Besides the same, behold whereas our foes Are marching towards us most speedily. Courage, my lords, ours is the victory. Alphonsus
Thou pagan dog, how darest thou be so bold To set thy foot within Alphonsus’ land? ”

“ Miles, thy share the Milan Dukedom is, For, well I wot, thy sword deserved no less; Set the crown on his head.
The which Alphonsus frankly giveth thee, In presence of his warlike men at arms; And if that any stomach this my deed, Alphonsus can revenge thy wrong with speed. Sound trumpets and drums.
Now to Albinius, which in all my toils I have both faithful, yea, and friendly found: Since that the gods and friendly fates assign This present time to me to recompense The sundry pleasures thou hast done to me, Sit down by them, and on thy faithful head Take the crown from thy own head. ”

“ Carinus
Albinius, go call forth Amurack: We’ll see what he doth say unto this match. Exit Albinius; bring forth Amurack.
Most mighty Turk, I, with my warlike son Alphonsus, loathing that so great a prince As you should live in such unseemly sort, Have sent for you to proffer life or death; Life, if you do consent to our demand, And death, if that you dare gainsay the same. Your wife, high Fausta, with Iphigina, Have given consent that this my warlike son Should have your daughter for his bedfellow ”

“ Will you not admit that we are not inventing this charge against you, but that your freedman has been this long time seeking some defence against this charge? Your freedman and officer, one most intimate, and indeed connected with you and your children in everything, writes to Apronius, that it is universally pointed out to Metellus that Apronius had been your partner in the tenths. “Make him see the dishonesty of the cultivators: they shall suffer for it, if the gods will.” ”

“ Albinius
My friend, what art thou, that so like a spy Dost sneak about Belinus’ royal camp? Alphonsus
I am a man. Fabius
A man? We know the same: But prithee, tell me, and set scoffing by, What countryman thou art, and why you come, That we may soon resolve the king thereof? ”

“ Then hie, Alphonsus, hie, To try thy fortune where thy fates do call. A noble mind disdains to hide his head, And let his foes triumph in his overthrow. Alphonsus starts to go out, but Albinius enters and speaks. ”

“ Fabius succeeded Domitius, and marched northwards across the Isara. [Sidenote: The Arverni.] Near its junction with the Rhone, on August 8, 121, he defeated with tremendous carnage the Arverni who had crossed to help the Allobroges. [Sidenote: Defeat of the Arverni, B.C. 121.] The number of the slain amounted, it is said, to 120,000 or 150,000. The king of the Arverni was caught and sent to Rome, and the Allobroges became Roman subjects. It was the year of the death of Caius Gracchus, of the famous vintage, and of a great eruption of Mount Etna. ”

“ To show, Albinius, what is mine intent.
Albi. Whate'er Alphonsus fittest doth esteem,
Albinius for his profit best will deem. [Exit.
Alphon. Now do I see both gods and fortune too
Do join their powers to raise Alphonsus' fame;
For in this broil I do not greatly doubt
[Pg 16] But that I shall my cousin's courage tame.
But see whereas Belinus' army comes,
And he himself, unless I guess awry:
Whoe'er it be, I do not pass [37] a pin;
Alphonsus means his soldier for to be.
[He stands aside. [38]
SCENE II.—The Camp of Belinus. ”

“ But stay a while, and I will bring you word What King Belinus says unto the same. Belinus
What news, Albinius? Who is that we see? Albinius
It is, my lord, a soldier that you see, Who fain would serve your grace in these your wars, But that, I fear, his service is too dear. Belinus
Too dear, why so? What doth the soldier crave? Albinius
He craves, my lord, all things that with his sword He doth obtain, whatever that they be. Belinus
Content, my friend; if thou wilt succor me, Whate’er you get, that challenge as thine own, Belinus gives it frankly unto thee, Although it be the crown of Aragon. ”