LIVES OF THE Roman POETS. CONTAINING A Critical and Hiftorical Account of Them and their Writings, with large Quotations of their moft celebrated Paffages, as far as was neceffary to compare and illuftrate their several Excellencies, as well as to discover wherein they were deficient. To which is added, A Chronological Table, fitted to the Years before and after CHRIST, fhewing the Times when they flourished and published their Works, and exhibiting the more remarkable Events coincident with them. Together with An INTRODUCTION Concerning the Origin and Progrefs of POETRY in general; and an ESSAY on Dramatic POETRY in particular. By L. CRUSIUS, late of St. JOHN's College, CAMBRIDGE. -Dulces ante omnia Mufæ Quarum facra fero Virg. Georg. The THIRD EDITION. In TWO VOLUME S. VOL. II. LONDON: Printed for W. INNYS and J. RICHARDSON, J. CLARKE, R. MANEY, C. BATHURST, and H. SHUTE COX. 1753, LIVES of the Roman POETS, With due Refpect and Gratitude, Is humbly inscribed By his most obliged And moft obedient Servant, LEWIS CRUSIUS. LIF I FE OF Valerius Flaccus. W E have very imperfect accounts left us of C. VALERIUS FLACCUS: We find him cotemporary with Martial; and QuintilianTM fays, he died very young, and left his Poem of the Argonautic expedition imperfect. There are many places that claim him, but Setia, now Sezza, a town of Campania, near Velitre, seems to have the best title, and he from thence bears the firname SETINUS. Martial intimates, that he lived at Padua ; if not, that he was born there, in the following Epigram, wherein he advises his friend to leave Poetry to practise at the Bar, as much the more profitable profeffion. But let us hear the Poet's own words: O mihi curarum pretium non vile mearum Quid poffunt hedera Bacchi dare? Palladis arbor Præter aquas Helicon, & ferta, lyrafque Deorum Quid tibi cum Cirrha? quid cum Permefidos unda ? VOL. II. * Inft. Orat. Lib. 10. C. 1. Illic |