Aulus Gellius
Gellius, Aulus (c. AD 130–perhaps 180), the (Latin) author of Noctes Atticae (‘Attic nights’), in twenty books, of which all survive except the beginning of the preface and book 8 (for which we have chapter headings). His birthplace is unknown, but he studied literature at Rome before proceeding to Athens where he visited Herodēs Atticus. His book is a random collection of short essays, based on the Greek and Latin books he had read and the conversations and lectures he had heard, and deals with a great variety of topics: philosophy, history, law, grammar, literary and textual criticism, antiquarian knowledge, and many other subjects. He began collecting his material during the winter nights in Attica and arranged it in later life for the amusement and instruction of his children. It contains thousands of curious and interesting passages from works no longer extant, and is a mine of information on Greek and Latin authors; we are particularly indebted to him for the preservation of many passages from early Latin literature, and, among many good stories, for that of Androclus and the lion (5. 14).
