Naevius, Gnaeus
Naevius, Gnaeus,stage poet of Campanian birth (west central Italy) and obscure social attachments, possibly a client of the Claudii Marcelli. He saw military service in the last years of the First Punic War (see Rome (history), §1.4). His theatrical career began as early as 235 and was over by 204. Many stories were told of the insulting remarks he made about men of the nobility from the stage or in other contexts. Plautus, Mil 210–12 was interpreted to refer to a spell by him in prison. He died in the Punic city of Utica.
Titles of 32 plays on themes of the Attic ‘New’ Comedy (see comedy (Greek), New) are transmitted (Acontizomenos, Agitatoria, Agrypnuntes, assitogiola, Carbonaria, Chlamydaria, Colax, cemetria, Corollaria, Dementes, Demetrius, Dolus, Figulus, Glaucoma,...
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