LUCIUS

See also:

• LUCIUS LUCCEIUS

LUCCEIUS  , Roman orator and historian, friend and correspondent of Cicero . A man of considerable wealth and literary tastes, he may be compared with Atticus . Disgusted at his failure to become consul in 6o, he retired from public life, and devoted himself to writing a history of the Social and Civil Wars . This was nearly completed, when Cicero earnestly requested him to write a separate history of his (Cicero's) consul-ship . Cicero had already sung his own praises in both Greek and Latin, but thought that a panegyric by Lucceius, who had taken considerable interest in the affairs of that critical period, would have greater weight . Cicero offered to supply the material, and hinted that Lucceius need not sacrifice laudation to accuracy . Lucceius almost promised, but did not perform . Nothing remains of any such work or of his history . In the civil war he took the side of Pompey; but, having been pardoned by Caesar, returned to Rome, where he lived in retirement until his death . Cicero's Letters (ed . Tyrrell and Purser), especially Ad Fain. v . 12 ; and Orelli, Onomasticon Tullianum .