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

706 LAELIUS. - LAELIUS.
Masinissa from the arms of Sophonisba, the beau- be, enfeebled the younger Laelius, who, though not
tiful and unfortunate daughter of Hasdrubal Barca devoid of military talents, as his campaign against
(Liv. xxx. 12). A second time also he was the the Lusitanian guerilla-chief Viriatus proved
usher of victory and of a train of illustrious captives (Cic. de Off ii. 11), was more of a statesman than
-Syphax and his Masaesylian nobles-to the a soldier, and more a philosopher than a statesman.
senate and people of Rome (xxx. 16, 17). He From Diogenes of Babylon [DIoGENEs, literary, 3],.
was detained in Italy until the last Carthaginian and afterwards from Panaetius, he imbibed the
envoys had received their final answer, and rejoined doctrines of the stoic school (Cic. de Fin. ii. 8);
Scipio in Africa in the latter months of B. c. 203 his father's friend Polybius was his friend also;
(xxx. 22, 25). At the battle of Zama in the fol- the wit and idiom of Terence were pointed and
lowing year, he commanded the Italian horse that polished by his and Scipio's conversation (Suet.
formed the extreme left of the Roman line. His vit. Terent. 2; Prolog. Terent Adelph. 15; Cic.
repulse and pursuit of the Numidian cavalry ex- ad Att. vii. 3; comp. Quint. Inst. x. 1. ~ 99); the
posed the enemy's flank, and his charge at the close satirist Lucilius was his familiar companion (Cic.
of the day, on Hannibal's reserve, determined de Fin. ii. 8; Hor. Sat. ii. 1, 65; Schol. Vet. in
Scipio's victory (Polyb. xv. 9, 12, 14; Liv. xxx. Hor. loc.); and Caelius Antipater dedicated to him
33-35; Appian, Pun. 41, 44). A third time his history of the Punic war (Cic. Orat. 69).?
Laelias was despatched to Rome: but he then Laelius was so distinguished also for his augural
announced not the fall of a city or of a single host, science, that, according to Cicero (.Phil. ii. 33),
but the consummation of a war, which for sixteen " Laelius" and' bonus augur" were. convertible
years had swept over Italy, and risen to the barriers terms. (Id. De Nat. Deor. iii. 2.)
of Rome itself. (Liv. xxx. 35, 40.) The political opinions of Laelius were different
The civil career of Laelius began after his at different periods of his life. At first he inclined
military life had comparatively closed. It was less to the party which aimed at renovating the plebs
brilliant, but his influence with the senate was at by making them again land-owners, and at raising
all times great. (Liv. xxxvii. 1.) If, as seems the equites into an efficient middle-class. He elprobable, he was nearly of the same age with his deavoured, probably during his tribunate, to procure
illustrious friend, Laelius was born about B. C. 235 a re-division of the state-demesnes, but, either
and may have been in his fortieth year when chosen alarmed at the hostility it excited, or convinced of
praetor in 196. His province was Sicily (Liv. its impracticability, he desisted from the attempt,
xxxiii. 24, 26). He failed in his first trial for the and for his forbearance received the appellation of
consulship. Scipio's popularity was on the wane, the Wise or the Prudent (Plut. Tib. Gracch. 8).
and the old patrician party in the ascendant (xxxv. Laelius indeed had neither the steady principles of
10). He was, however, elected consul in B. C. Tiberius, nor the fervid genius of C. Gracchus. He
190, two years after his rejection (Liv. xxxvi. 45). could discern, but he could not apply the remedy
Whether time and the accidents of party had for social evils; And after the tribunate of the
wrought any change in their ancient friendship, we elder Gracchus, B.c. 133, his sentiments underare not told; but it was through Scipio Afri- went a change. He assisted the consuls of a.c.
canus that Laelius lost his appointment to the pro- 132 in examining C. Blossius of Cumae and the
vince of Greece, and the command of the war other partizans of Tib. Gracchus (Cic. de Amic. 11;
against Antiochus the Great [ANTIOCHUS III.] comp. Plut. Tib. Gracch. 20), and in B.C. 130, he
(Liv. xxxvii. 1; Cic. Phlilipp. xi. 7), which he spoke against the Papirian Rogation,' which would
probably-desired as much for wealth as for glory, have enabled the tribunes of the plebs to be resince the Laelii were not rich (Cic. Cornel. ii. elected from year to year (Cic. de Amic. 25; Liv.
Fraym. 8, p. 453, Orelli). He obtained instead the Epit. 59). But although Laelius was the strenuous
province of Cisalpine Gaul, where he remained two opponent of the popular leaders of his age-the
years, engaged in colonisingthe ancient territory of tribunes C. Licinius Crassus, B. C. 1.45, C. Papirius
the Boians (Liv. xxxvii. 47, 50). In B. C. 174, he Carbo, B. C. 131, and C. Gracchus B. C. 123-122
was one of a commission of three, sent into Mace- -nature had denied him the qualities of a great
donia to counteract the negotiations of Carthage orator. His speeches read better than those of his
(Liv. xli. 22), and in B. C. 170 he was despatched contemporary and rival C. Servius Galba, yet
by the senate to inquire into certain charges brought Galba was doubtless the more eloquent. (Cic.
against C. Cassius, consul in B. C. 171, by some of Brut. 24.) Laelius in his own age was the model,
the Gaulish tribes of the Grisons. The date of and in history is the representative of the Greek
Laelius' death is unknown. (Zonar. ix. 13; Fron- culture which sprang up rapidly at Rome in the
tin. Strat. i. 1. ~ 3, i. 2. ~ 1, ii. 3. ~.16.) seventh century of the city. Serene and philoso2. C. LAELIUS SAPIENS, was son of the pre- phical by temperament (Cic. de Off. i. 26; Sen.
ceding. His intimacy with the younger Scipio Ep. 11), erudite and refined byeducation, Laelius
Africanus was as remarkable as his father's friend- was among the earliest examples of that cosmopolite
ship with the elder (Vell. ii. 127; Val. Max. iv. character (Cic. Tusc. iv. 3), which, in Cicero's time,
7. ~ 7), and it obtained an imperishable monument had nearly effaced the old Latin type, and of which
in Cicero's treatise "Laelius sive de Amicitia." the younger Brutus perhaps presents the fairest
He was- born about B. C. 186-5; was tribune of aspect. Smoothness-lenitas (Cic. de Orat. iii. 7.
the plebs in 151; praetor in 145 (Cic. de Amic. ~ 28), which he probably derived from his old
25); and consul, after being once rejected, in 140 master Diogenes (Gell. vii. 14), was the charac(Cic. Brut. 43, Tusc.. 19; Plut. Imp. Apopkthegm. teristic of his eloquence. It was better adapted
p. 200).: His character was dissimilar to that of
his father. The elder Laelius was an officer-of the * It isdoubtful, however, whether in this passage,
old Roman stamp, softened, perhaps, by his inter- and in Auct. ad Herennium, iv. 12, for Laelio, we
course with Polybius, but essentially practical and should not read L. Aelio. (Comp. Cic. pro Scaureo,
enterprising. A mild philosophy refined, and, it may p. 172, 285. Orelli.)