Livius Andronicus

Lucius Livius Andronicus (c. 280/260 BCE–c. 200 BCE), not to be confused with the later historian Livy, was a Greco-Roman dramatist and epic poet who produced the first Roman dramatic work and translated many Greek works into Latin.^[1] He is regarded as the father of Roman drama and epic poetry and is most famous for his Latin translation of Homer’s Odyssey.^[2] In antiquity, Varro, Cicero, and Horace all considered Livius as the originator of Latin literature. He is the earliest Roman poet whose name is known.^[3]

Name

In ancient sources, he is referred to as simply Livius. His cognomen "Andronicus" is noted in Quintilian, though it can be traced back to Augustan times. It is possible that Andronicus is his Greek name and that Livius is his gentilicium, the family name of his patron. The praenomen L. is given by Aulus Gellius and Cassiodorus^[4].

Life

Cicero tells us that Accius says that Livius was captured from Tarentum, which is accepted by many scholars. Roman influence and hegemony began in Tarentum by 272 BCE; however, it was never captured. Livius, therefore, probably was not a war captive but could have been a Tarentine, especially since Suetonius calls him semigraecus. The only thing that is certain is that Livius was quite familiar with the Greek language.

Suetonius writes that Livius taught Greek and Latin in Rome, and that he taught the children of a Livius Salinator, who freed him in 188/7 BCE. Around this time, there were two Livii Salinatores; most scholars believe that the Livius Salinator who freed Livius was M. Livius Salinator ^[5].

After his work, rapid literary development began in Rome; as a result, Livius Andronicus soon lost favor. Cicero, Horace, and Ennius find his art primitive though he was their predecessor. The reading of his works in school probably lasted longer than his own literary success.^[6].

Odusia

Livius made a translation of the Odyssey, Odusia, for his classes in Saturnian verse. In some places, Livius translates the text quite literally, though in others he translated much more freely.^[7] His translation of the Odyssey had a great historical importance. Before then, the Mesopotamians and Egyptians had translated judicial and religious texts, but no one had yet translated a literary work written in a foreign language until the Roman empire. Livius’ translation made this fundamental Greek text accessible to Romans, and advanced literary culture in Latin. This project was one of the first examples of translation as artistic process. The work was to be enjoyed on its own, and Livius strove to preserve the artistic quality of original. Since there was no tradition of epic in Italy before him, Livius must have faced enormous problems. For example, he used archaizing forms to make his language more solemn and intense. His innovations will be important in history of Latin poetry.^[8]

In the fragments we have, it is clear that Livius had a desire to remain faithful to the original and to be clear, while having to alter untranslatable phrases and ideas. For example, the phrase "equal to the gods," which would have been unacceptable to Romans, was changed to "summus adprimus," "greatest and of first rank." Also, early Roman poetry made use of pathos, expressive force, and dramatic tension, so Livius interprets Homer with a mind to these ideas as well.^[9] In general, Livius did not make arbitrary change to the text; rather, he attempted to remain faithful to Homer and to the Latin language ^[10]

Other works

Livius’ first play, according to Cicero, was staged in 240 BCE. Livy tells us that Livius was the first to create a fabula with a plot. One story says that after straining his voice, Livius, who was also an actor, was the first to leave the singing to singers and limited the actors to dialogue.

The titles of his tragedies we know are Achilles, Aegisthus, Aiax Mastigophorus (Ajax with the Whip), Andromeda, Antiopa, Danae, Equos Troianus, Hermonia, and Tereus. Two titles of his comedies are certain, Gladiolus and Ludius, though the third, Virgo, is probably corrupt. These dramatic works of Livius Andronicus were consistent with Greek requirements of drama and probably had Greek models, and we have no more than 60 fragments, as quoted in other authors. Livius also composed palliatae, of which we have 6 fragments of 1 verse each and 1 title, Gladiolus, (Little Saber). His dramatic works were written in the iambic senarius and trochaic septenarius. They included both lyric passages (cantica) and dialogue (diverbia). His dramatic works had large element of solos for chief actor, often himself. It is not known whether he had a chorus.

According to Livy 27.37.7, Livius also composed a hymn for a chorus of 27 girls, a parthenion or girls’ song, in honor of Juno to be performed in public as part of religious ceremonies in 207 BCE. Because of the success of this hymn, Livius received public honors when his professional organization, the collegium scribarum histrionumque was installed in the Temple of Minerva on the Aventine. Actors and writers would gather here and offer gifts.

Date

Livius’ dates are based mostly on Cicero, Brutus 72 f. and Livy 27.37.7. Cicero tells us that he presented his first play in 240 BCE. This date has been followed by most ancient and modern scholars. On the other hand, Accius says Livius was captured from Tarentum in 209 BCE, and produced a play in 197 BCE; this is quite uncertain, and Cicero says he is wrong, since it would make Livius younger than Plautus and Naevius, though he was supposed to have been the first one to produce a play. Only the dates 240 and 207 BCE, the date of his parthenion, seem exempt from controversy.^[11]

Wikisource has original works written by or about:

Livius Andronicus

References

Sources

• Brockett, Oscar G. and Franklin J. Hildy. 2003. History of the Theatre. Ninth edition, International edition. Boston: Allyn and Bacon. ISBN 0205410502.
• Conte, Gian Biagio. 1994. Latin Literature: A History. Trans. Jospeh B. Solodow. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press.
• Livingston, Ivy. 2004. A Linguistic Commentary on Livius Andronicus. New York: Routledge.
• Rose, H.J. 1954. A Handbook of Latin Literature from the Earliest Times to the Death of St. Augustine. London, Methuen.
• von Albrecht, Michael. 1997. History of Latin Literature: From Livius Andronicus to Boethius: with Special Regard to Its Influence on World Literature. Vol. 1. Leiden: Brill.