It has been supposed that this epitaph was written as a dying protest against the Hellenising influence of Ennius; but as Ennius came to Rome for the first time about B.C. 204, it is not likely, even if the life of Naevius was prolonged somewhat beyond that date, that the fame and influence of his younger rival could have spread so rapidly as to disturb the peace of the old poet in his exile. It might as fairly be regarded as proceeding from a jealousy of the merits of Plautus, as from hostility to the innovating tendency of Ennius. The words of the epitaph are simply expressive of the strong self-assertion and independence which Naevius maintained till the end of his active and somewhat turbulent career. He wrote a few tragedies, of which scarcely anything is known except the titles,--such as the _Andromache_, _Equus Trojanus_, _Hector Proficiscens_, _Lycurgus_,--the last founded on the same subject as the Bacchae of Euripides. The titles of nearly all these plays, as well as of the plays of Livius, imply the prevailing interest taken in the Homeric poems, and in all the events connected with the Trojan War. The following passage from the Lycurgus has some value as containing the germs of poetical diction:-- Vos, qui regalis corporis custodias Agitatis, ite actutum in frundiferos locos, Ingenio arbusta ubi nata sunt, non obsita[15]. He composed a number of comedies, and also some original plays, founded on events in Roman history,--one of them called _Romulus_, or _Alimonia Romuli et Remi_. The longest of the fragments attributed to him is a passage from a comedy, which has been, with less probability, attributed to Ennius. It is a description of a coquette, and shows considerable power of close satiric observation:-- Quasi pila In choro ludens datatim dat se, et communem facit: Alii adnutat, alii adnictat, alium amat, alium tenet; Alibi manus est occupata, alii percellit pedem; Alii spectandum dat annulum; a labris alium invocat; Cum alio cantat, attamen dat alii digito literas[16]. The chief characteristic illustrated by the scanty fragments of his dramas is the political spirit by which they were animated. Thus Cicero[17] refers to a passage in one of his plays (_ut est in Naevii ludo_) where, to the question, 'Who had, within so short a time, destroyed your great commonwealth?' the pregnant answer is given, Proveniebant oratores novi, stulti adolescentuli[18]. The nobles, whose enmity he provoked, were probably attacked by him in his comedies. One passage is quoted by Aulus Gellius, in which a failing of the great Scipio is exposed[19]. Other fragments are found indicative of his freedom of speech and bold independence of character:-- Quae ego in theatro hic meis probavi plausibus, Ea nunc audere quemquam regem rumpere? Quanto libertatem hanc hic superat servitus[20]? and this also[21]:--