Another _praetexta_ of Accius is preserved, the _Decius_, of which eleven short fragments remain. This play celebrates the victory of Quintus Fabius Maximus and P. Decius Mus over the Samnites and Gauls at Sentinum in 295 B.C. The climax of the play would be the self-immolation of Decius after the example of his father in the Latin war of 340 B.C. In addition to these plays of the Roman dramatists of the Republic, we have knowledge of a few which date from later times. There was a historical drama entitled _Iter_, by L. Cornelius Balbus, who dramatized the incidents of a journey which he made to Pompey's camp at Dyrrachium at the opening of civil war in 49 B.C. Balbus was under commission from Caesar to treat with the consul, L. Cornelius Lentulus, and other optimates who had fled from Rome, concerning their return to the city. The journey was a complete fiasco, so far as results were concerned; but the vanity of Balbus was so flattered by his (to him) important mission that he must needs dramatize his experiences and present the play under his own direction in his native city of Gades. We have mention also of an _Aeneas_ by Pomponius Secundus, and of two _praetextae_ by Curiatius Maternus, entitled _Domitius_ and _Cato_. These eleven historical plays are, as we have seen, for the most part, plays of occasion, and would be at best of but temporary interest, born of the special circumstances which inspired them. They are in no way comparable with such historical dramas on Roman subjects as Shakespeare's _Julius Caesar_ or _Coriolanus_, whose interest is for all times. We have still a twelfth play of this class, which enjoys the unique distinction of being the only Roman historical drama which has come down to us--the _Octavia_. Its authorship is unknown, although tradition gives it a place among the tragedies of Seneca, the philosopher. The general opinion of modern critics, however, is against this tradition, chiefly because one passage in the play, in the form of a prophecy, too circumstantially describes the death of Nero, which occurred three years after the death of Seneca. It is generally agreed that the play must have been written soon after the death of Nero, and by some one, possibly Maternus, who had been an eye-witness of the events, and who had been inspired by his sympathies for the unfortunate Octavia to write this story of her sufferings. OCTAVIA DRAMATIS PERSONAE OCTAVIA Stepsister and wife of Nero. _Nurse_ of Octavia. _Poppaea_ Mistress and afterward wife of Nero. _Ghost of Agrippina_ Mother of Nero, slain by him. _Nero_ Emperor of Rome. _Seneca_ Former tutor of Nero, and later one of his chief counselors. _Prefect of Roman Soldiers._ _Messenger._ _Chorus of Romans_ Sympathetic with Octavia. _Chorus_ Attached to the interests of the court. THE SCENE is laid throughout in different apartments of the palace of Nero, and is concerned with the events of the year 62 A.D. ACT I