A Dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology. By various writers. Ed. by William Smith. Illustrated by numerous engravings on wood.

LABEO. LABERIUS. 695
there ought to be testes rogali, one who was' acci- L.ABE'RTUS DE'CIMUS, a Roman eques, and
dentally present alterius rei causa could not be a a distinguished writer of mimes. He was born
witness. Ulpian qualifies the rule, by saying that about B. C. 107, and died in January 43 (Hieron.
a person, though asked to come for another purpose, in Euseb. Citron. Olymp. 184. 2), at Puteoli, in
might be a witness, if specially informed before the Campania. At Caesar's triumphal games in Ocattestation that he was wanted as such. The tober, B. c. 45, P. Syrus, a professional mimus,
question of Domitius Labeo may mean to ask seems to have challenged all his craft to a trial of
whether a person, invited to write the will, and not wit in extemporaneous farce; and Caesar, to whom
specially to witness it, was a good witness, if he Laberius may have been known through his friend
signed without further intimation that his testimony Cn. Matius, himself a mimiambic poet, offered him
was required. [J. T. G.] 500,000 sesterces to appear on the stage. Laberius
LA'BEO, Q. FA'BIUS, was quaestor urbanus was sixty years old, and the profession of a mimus
in B. C. 196. The augurs and priests had for some was infamous, but the wish of the dictator was
years resisted the payment of the tributum; but, equivalent to a command, and he reluctantly comafter a stout contest, Labeo and his colleague L. plied. Whether, by this somewhat wanton exerAurelius compelled them to yield the point, and cise of power, the usually indulgent Caesar meant
pay up all arrears. (Liv. xxxiii. 42.) In B. C. 189 to disgrace Laberius personally, or the equestrian
he was elected praetor, and was appointed by lot order generally, or merely to procure for the specto the command of the fleet. Eager for some op- tators of the games an unusual spectacle, is uncerportunity of distinguishing himself, he sailed from tain. Laberius, however, had revenge in his
Ephesus to Crete, where it was reported that a power, and took it. His prologue awakened comlarge number of Roman citizens were in a state of passion, and perhaps indignation: and during the
slavery. None but the Gortynii heeded his demand performance he adroitly availed himself of his
that they should be surrendered; but from them various characters to point his wit at his oppressor.
he obtained a considerable number (4000 according In -the person of a beaten Syrian slave he cried
to Valerius Antias), which afforded him a pretext out,for demanding a triumph. He then sent three
ships to Macedonia, to demand the withdrawment Marry Quirites, but we lose our freedom,
of the garrisons of Antiochus from Aenus and and all eyes were turned upon the dictator; and
Maronia. The treaty with Antiochus had just in another mime he uttered the pregnant maxim
been concluded by Cn. Manlius, and in accordance
Needs must he fear, w.ho makes all else adread.
with the terms of it Labeo was despatched to
Patara, to destroy the ships of the king which Caesar, impartially or vindictively, awarded the
were there. He afterwards got possession of Tel- prize to Syrus, saying to Laberius
missus, and then conducted the fleet back to Italy. Though I favoured you, Laberius, Syrus bears
The triumph which he demanded was accorded to Thogh I favoured you aberius Syrus bears
him, notwithstanding the opposition of the tribunes. the palm away.
(Liv. xxxvii. 47, 50, 60, xxxviii. 39, 47). In B. c. He returned to him, however, his equestrian ring,
185 he became a candidate for the consulship; but and permitted him to resume his seat among the
App. Claudius succeeded in getting his brother equites. As Laberius was passing by the senatoPublius elected in his stead. This was the second rian benches to the equestrian, Cicero called to him,
repulse of the kind which he had received. (Liv. " Were we not so crowded here, Laberius, I -would
xxxix. 32). In the followingyear he was appointed make room for you,"-a double allusion to the
one of the triumvirs for planting colonies at Potentia degradation of the histrionic eques and to the numand Pisaurum. (Id. 44). In B. C. 183 he was ber of low-born and foreign senators created by
elected consul with M. Claudius Marcellus. Li- Caesar. But Laberius parried the hit by replying,
guria was assigned to the consuls as their province. "I marvel, Cicero, you should be crowded, who
(Id. 45.) He was created pontifex in B. c. 180. (xl. usually sit:on two stools,"- Cicero being at the
42.) Cicero (De O0f. i. 10) has a story of a trick time unjustly suspected of wavering in his politics.';by which either Labeo, or somebody else, having As Laberius was leaving the stage at the conclubeen appointed arbitrator between the towns of Nola sion of a mime Syrus said to him,
and Neapolis, respecting some disputed land, obtained W
a tract of territory for the Romans. [C. P. M.] h
LA'BEO, POMPO'NIUS, governor of the pro- benches now applaud.
vince of Moesia for eight years, in the reign of In the next mime, Laberius, alluding at once to
Tiberius. The emperor, in a letter to the senate, Syrus' victory, and to Caesar's station, responded
denounced him as guilty of maladministration and in graver tone,other offences. Labeo by a voluntary death anti- None the firt place for ever can retain -
cipated the threatened execution. (A. D. 34.) His None the first place for ever can retain
wife Paxaea imitated his example. (Tac. Ann. iv. But, ever as the topmost round swift your fain,
47, vi. 29,; Dion Cass. lviii. d). CC. P. M.] Painful your station there and swift your fall.
47, vi. 29; Dion Cass. lviii. 24). [C. P. M.]
LA'BEO, TITI'DIUS, a Roman painter, cele- I fell-the next who wins with equal pa
brated for small panel pictures. He was of prae- he slippery height, falls too-pride lifts, and
torian rank, and was'at one time proconsul of
Gallia Narbonensis, in which office he made him- (Macrob. Sat. ii. 3, 7, vii. 3; Cic. ad Fnam. vii. 11,
self contemptible. He died at a great age, shortly xii. 18; Hor. Sat. i. 10, 6; Suet. Caes. 39; Sen.
before the time when Pliny the Elder wrote. (Plin. de Ira, ii. 11, Controv. iii. 18; comp. Ziegler, de
H. AN. xxxv. 4. s. 7.) The common reading is Alim. Roman. Gitting. 1788; Fabric. Bibl. Lat.
Ateijzs Labeo. Jan (Schlulzeit. 1833, p. 723) sug- i. 16, ~ 3.)
gested Titidius, which is adopted by Sillig, in his If the prologue of Laberius, the longest fragment
edition of Pliny. The MSS. are corrupt. [P. S.] of his works (Macrob. Sat. ii. 7), may be taken as
Y Y4