astronomer and as the first Roman who predicted an eclipse before the
battle of Pydna. See Liv. 44, 37.

P. 21. -- DESCRIBERE: technically used of the drawing of mathematical
figures. _Ingredior_ often has an infinitive dependent on it even in the
best Latin; _e.g._ Cic. Top. 1 _nos maiores res scribere ingressos_.

50. ACUTIS: requiring keenness of intellect. -- NAEVIUS: see n. on 20. --
TRUCULENTO ... PSEUDOLO: these plays of Plautus (lived from 254 to 184
B.C.) we still possess. The Truculentus is so named from one of the
characters, a slave of savage disposition who is wheedled; the Pseudolus
from a cheating slave. The latter name is commonly supposed to be a
transcription from a Greek word ψευδυλος, which however nowhere occurs; and
as the change from Greek υ to Latin _o_ is not found before _l_, Corssen
assumes ψευδαλος as the original word. The form _Pseudulus_ of the name is
probably later than _Pseudolus_. -- LIVIUM: Livius Andronicus, the founder
of Latin literature (lived from about 285 to 204 B.C.), who translated the
Odyssey, also many Greek tragedies. Livius was a Greek captured by Livius
Salinator at Tarentum in 275 B.C.; for a time he was the slave of Livius,
and, according to custom, took his name when set free. For an account of
his writings see Cruttwell's Hist. of Roman Literature, Ch. 3; Sellar,
Roman Poets of the Rep., Ch. 3. -- DOCUISSET: 'had brought on to the
stage'. _Docere_ (like διδασκειν in Greek, which has the same use) meant
originally to instruct the performers in the play. -- CENTONE TUDITANOQUE
CONSULIBUS: _i.e._ in 240 B.C. The use of _que_ here is noticeable; when a
date is given by reference to the consuls of the year it is usual to insert
_et_ (not _que_ or _atque_, which rarely occur) between the two names, if
only the _cognomina_ (as here) be given. If the full names be given, then
they are put side by side without _et_. Cf. n. on 10. -- CRASSI: see n. on
27. -- PONTIFICI ET CIVILIS IURIS: the _ius pontificium_ regarded mainly