Lucius Accius
Roman tragic poet and literary scholar of the 2nd–1st century BC.
Lucius Accius (c. 170 – c. 86 BC), also known as Lucius Attius, was a Roman tragic poet and literary scholar. He was born in 170 BC at Pisaurum, a town founded in the Ager Gallicus in 184 BC, to parents who were a freedman and a freedwoman, likely from Rome. The exact year of his death is unknown, but he lived to a great age; the orator Cicero, who was 64 years younger, reported having conversed with Accius on literary matters. Accius was a prolific writer who enjoyed a very high reputation. The titles and substantial fragments—amounting to about 700 lines—of some fifty plays have survived. Based on these titles and fragments, scholars believe most, if not all, of these works were tragic, though Pliny the Younger ranked him among the erotic poets. His poetic career can be traced over 36 years, from 140 BC to 104 BC. Most of his plays were imitations or free translations of Greek originals, especially those of Aeschylus; his earliest was likely the *Atreus*, performed in 140 BC but now lost. He also wrote on Roman subjects, such as the *Brutus*, which examined the tyranny of Lucius Tarquinius Superbus and his expulsion by Lucius Junius Brutus, probably composed in honor of his patron D. Brutus. His favorite themes were the legends of the Trojan War and the house of Pelops. Although only fragments remain—the most important preserved by Cicero—they justify the admiration ancient writers expressed for him, particularly praising the strength and vigor of his language and the sublimity of his thoughts. His grandiloquent style was occasionally mocked by peers, but he continued to be cited long after his death. Accius also produced literary works such as the *Libri Didascalicon*, a verse treatise on the history of Greek and Roman poetry and dramatic art, and other works like *Libri Pragmaticon*, *Parerga*, and *Praxidica*, of which no fragments survive, as well as a hexameter *Annales* on Roman history. As a grammarian, he attempted innovations in Latin orthography and grammar, mostly to better reflect pronunciation; few caught on, though his preference against giving Greek names Latin endings had supporters, notably Varro. A spelling convention of writing long vowels double (e.g., *aa* for long ā) is associated with him. Politically conservative and noted for his dignity and reserve, Accius believed literary talent deserved more respect than noble birth. He was con
- died
- c. 86 BC (uncertain)
- field
- Tragic poetry, literary scholarship, grammar
- nationality
- Roman
- known_for
- Prolific tragic poet; fragments of about fifty plays; innovations in Latin ortho
Lore & Background
He was the son of a freedman. The year of his death is unknown, but he must have lived to a great age, since Cicero (born 106 BC, hence 64 years younger) reports having conversed with him on literary matters. He also wrote on Roman subjects, such as the Brutus, probably in honor of his patron D. Brutus. Accius was politically conservative and noted for his dignity and reserve, though he believed literary gifts deserved more respect than noble birth. He was by some accounts self-important, with later anecdotal sources claiming he erected a statue of himself in the temple of the Muses, though this story is often considered apocryphal.
Reader's Guide
Lucius Accius stands as a pivotal figure in Roman literature, bridging the early Republican tradition of Ennius and the later Ciceronian age. His prolific output—titles and fragments of some fifty plays survive—demonstrates the dominance of Greek models, especially Aeschylus, in shaping Roman tragedy. Though only fragments remain, ancient writers praised him for the strength and vigor of his language and the sublimity of his thoughts, even as some peers mocked his grandiloquence. His influence extended beyond poetry: as a grammarian, he attempted orthographic reforms, such as writing long vowels double (e.g., aa for long ā), and advocated against giving Greek names Latin endings, a preference supported by Varro. His line 'oderint dum metuant' ('let them hate, so long as they fear') from the Atreus became a famous expression of tyrannical power. Accius' legacy is preserved through citations by later authors, including Cicero, and his works continued to be referenced long after his death, cementing his role as a key transmitter of Greek tragic themes to Rome.
Did You Know?
- Cicero, born 64 years after Accius, reports having conversed with him on literary matters.
- His line 'oderint dum metuant' ('let them hate, so long as they fear') from the Atreus became a famous expression of tyrannical power.
Gallery
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Lucius Accius?
He was a Roman playwright and scholar active in the late second and early first centuries BC, best remembered for his contributions to tragic drama and the study of language. He lived roughly from 170 to 86 BC.
What is Lucius Accius known for?
He is credited with composing approximately fifty tragedies and also made notable contributions to grammar and the conventions of Latin spelling. In his own time he enjoyed an exceptionally high literary reputation among his contemporaries.
Where was Lucius Accius born and what was his family background?
He came from Pisaurum, a settlement established in 184 BC within the Ager Gallicus, and his father had been a freed slave, placing the family in a modest social position.
Why does Lucius Accius matter to the study of Roman literature?
His plays helped shape the development of Latin tragedy, and his grammatical and orthographic work influenced how later scholars approached the language. Ancient critics consistently ranked him among the finest Roman poets of his generation.
How much of Lucius Accius's writing survives today?
Only scattered fragments of his roughly fifty plays remain, along with brief references in later grammarians and commentators. No complete text of any of his tragedies has come down to the modern era.
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