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

970'MASO. MASSA:
far beyond his true merits. He possessed indeed 1. L. PAPIRIUS MASO, apparently the first
unconquerable energy and fortitude, with the person of this fname who obtained any of the offices
promptness of decision and fertility of resource of the state, was aedile about B.C. 312. From
exhibited by so many semi-barbarian chiefs; but Cicero calling him aedilicius, we learn that he did
though his Carthaginian education seems to have not obtain any higher dignity. (Cic. ad Fam. ix.
given him a degree of polish beyond that of his 21; comp. Pighius, Ann. vol. i p. 363.)
countrymen in general, his character was still that 2. C. PAPIRIUS, C. F. L. N. MASO, consul with'
of a true barbarian. He was faithless to the Car- M. Pomponius Matho in B. C. 231, carried on war
thaginians as soon as fortune began to turn against against the Corsicans, whom he subdued, though
them; and though he afterwards continued steady not without considerable loss. The senate refused
to the cause of the Romans, it was because he him a triumph, and he accordingly celebrated one
found it uniformly his interest to do so. His on the Alban mount. It was the first time that
attachment to them was never tried, like that of this was ever done, and the example thus set was
Ilieron, by adversity; and the moment he began frequently followed by subsequent generals, when
to think their farther progress inconsistent with they considered themselves entitled to a triumph,
his own schemes his fidelity began to waver. A but were refused the honour by the senate. It is
very just view of his character will be found in related of Maso, that he always wore a myrtle
Niebuhr (Lect. on Rom. Hist. vol. i. pp. 216, 217, crown instead of a laurel one, when he was present
291-292.) at the games of the Circus; and Paulus Diaconus
Masinissa was the father of a very numerous gives as the reason for his doing so, that he confamily; some authors even state that he had as quered the Corsicans in the "Myrtle Plains,"
many as fifty-four sons, the youngest of whom was Myrtei Campi. (Zonar. viii. 18. p. 401; -Fasti
born only four years before his death. Many of Capitol.; Plin. H. N. xv. 29. s. 38; Val. Max.
these, however, were the offspring of concubines, iii. 6. ~ 5; Paul. Diac. p. 144, ed. Muller.) From
and not considered legitimate according to the the booty obtained in Corsica, Maso dedicated a
Numidian laws. It appears that three only of his temple of Fons. (Cic. de Nat. Deor. iii. 20.) He
legitimate sons survived him, Micipsa, Mastanabal, was one of the pontifices, and died in B. c. 213.
and Gulussa. Between these three the kingdom, (Liv. xxv. 2.) Maso was the maternal grandfather
or rather the royal authority, was portioned out by of Scipio Africanus the younger, his daughter
Scipio, according to the dying directions of the old Papiria marrying Aemilius Paullus, the conqueror
king. (Appian, Pun. 105; Zonar. ix. 27; Liv. of Macedonia. (Plut. Aemnil. Paull. 5; Plin. 1. c.)
Epit. 1.; Oros. iv. 22; Sall. Jug. 5; Val. Max. v. 3. C. P aPIRIvs MAso, was, according to some
2, ext. 4.) Besides these the names of MASGABA annals, one of the triumviri for founding the coloand MISAGENES are mentioned in history, and are nies of Placentia and Cremona, in Cisalpine Gaul,
given under their respective names. [E. H. B.] in B.c. 218. (Liv. xxi. 25.) Asconius (in Cic.
MASI'STIUS or MACI'STIUS (Maacrlros, Pis. p. 3, ed. Orell.) calls him P. Papirius Maso.
MaKL'cTros), a Persian, of fine and commanding He may be the same as the consul [No. 2] or the
presence, was leader of the cavalry in the army decemvir sacrorum mentioned below. [No. 4.]
which Xerxes left behind in Greece under MAR- 4. C. PAPIRIUS, L. F. MASO, one of the decemDONIUS. When the Persian force, having entered viri sacrorum, died in B. C. 213. (Liv. xxv. 2.)
Boeotia, was drawn up on the right bank of the 5. L. PAPIRIUS MASO, -praetor urbanus B. C.
Asopus, with the Greeks opposite them along the 176. (Liv. xli. 14, 15.) He may have been the
skirts of Cithaeron, Mardonius, having waited irl- L. Papirius, praetor, who is said to have decided,
patiently and to no purpose for the enemy to de- in consequence of the uncertainty of the time of a
scend and fight him in the plain, sent Masistius woman's gestation, that a child. born within thirand the cavalry against them. In the combat teen months after copulation could be the heres.
which ensued, the horse of Masistius, being (Plin. H. N. vii. 5. s. 4.)
wounded in the side with an arrow, reared and 6. M. PAPIRIUS MASO, disinherited his brother
threw him. The Athenians rushed upon him im- (frater), Aelius Ligur, tribune of the plebs B. C.
mediately, but he was cased in complete armour, 57. (Cic. -pro Dom. 19, ad Att. v. 4.) This M.
which for a time protected him, till at last he was Papirius Maso may be the same as the M. Papirius,
slain by the thrust of a spear in his eye through a Roman knight and a friend of Pompey, who was
the visor of his helmet. The Persians tried des- slain by P. Clodius on the Appian Way. (Cic. pro
perately, but in vain, to rescue his body, which Mil. 7; Ascon. in Cic. Mil. p. 48; Schol. Bob. pro
was afterwards placed in a cart and led along the Mil. p. 284, ed. Orelli.)
Grecian lines, while the men gazed on it with ad- 7. C. (PAPIRIUS) MASO, was accused of repe.
miration. His countrymen mourned for him as tundae by T. Coponius, of Tibur, and condemned.
the most illustrious man in the army next to [C0PONIus, No. 1.] (Cic.pro Batb. 21.)
Mardonius. They shaved their own heads, as MASSA, BAE'BIUS, or BE'BIUS, one of the
well as their horses and their beasts of burden, and most infamous informers of the latter end of the
they raised a wailing, which, according to Hero- reign of Domitian, is first mentioned in A. D. 70,
dotus, was heard over the whole of Boeotia. (Herod. as one of the procurators in Africa, when he beix. 20-25; Plut. Arist. 14.) This Masistius trayed Piso, and is described by the great hisseems to have been a different person from the son torian as " am tune optimo cuique exitiosus."
of Siromitres, who commanded the Alarodians and (Tac. Hist. iv. 50.) He was afterwards governor
Saspeirians in the army of Xerxes. (Herod. vii. of the province of Baetica, which he oppressed so
79.) The breastplate of Masistius was dedicated, unmercifully, that he was accused by the inhabitas a trophy, in the temple of Athena Polias at ants on his return to Rome. The cause of the proAthens. (Paus. i. 27.) [E. E.] vincials was pleaded by Pliny the younger and
MASO, sometimes written MASSO, the name Herennius Senecio, and Massa was condemned in
of a patrician family of the Papiria gens. the same year -that Agricola died, A. D. 93; but he