'Deferar in vicum vendentem tus et odores et piper et quidquid chartis amicitur ineptis.' Again, 5, 103, 'exclamet Melicerta perisse frontem de rebus'; from Hor. _Ep._ ii. 1, 80, 'clament periise pudorem cuncti paene patres.' He even borrows Horace's names: Pedius (1, 85), Natta (3, 31), Nerius (2, 14), Craterus (3, 65), Bestius (6, 37). The statement of Joannes Lydus (i. 41) that Persius imitated the mimic writer, Sophron, has little to support it. Probus says the work became immediately popular: 'Editum librum continuo mirari homines et diripere coeperunt.' Cf. also Quint. x. 1, 94, 'multum et verae gloriae quamvis uno libro Persius meruit'; Mart. iv. 29, 7, 'Saepius in libro memoratur Persius uno quam levis in tota Marsus Amazonide.' LUCAN. (1) LIFE. Besides references to Lucan in other writers, especially Statius, Martial, and Tacitus, we have three biographies of him: (1) a short and defective life, probably by Suetonius, and showing his well-known hatred of the Annaei; (2) one by Vacca, a commentator on Lucan, who lived probably in the sixth century, complete and favourable; (3) one in Codex Vossianus ii. The last two are in part derived from the first. M. Annaeus Lucanus was born at Corduba in Hispania Baetica, and was the son of M. Annaeus Mela, a Roman knight, and nephew of M. Annaeus Novatus (the Gallio of Acts 18, 12-17) and L. Annaeus Seneca the philosopher. Vacca, _vit. Luc._, 'M. Annaeus Lucanus patrem habuit M. Annaeum Melam ex provincia Baetica Hispaniae interioris Cordubensem equitem Romanum, illustrem inter suos, notum Romae et propter Senecam fratrem, clarum per omnes virtutes virum, et propter studium vitae quietioris ... Matrem habuit et regionis eiusdem et urbis Aciliam nomine, Acilii Lucani filiam ... cuius cognomen huic inditum apparet.' Tac. _Ann._ xvi. 17, 'Mela, quibus Gallio et Seneca, parentibus natus ... Idem Annaeum Lucanum genuerat, grande adiumentum claritudinis.' Lucan was born Nov. 3, A.D. 39, and was removed to Rome when eight months old. Vacca, _ibid._, 'Natus est iii. Non. Novembr. C. Caesare Germanico ii. L. Apronio Caesiano coss. Octavum mensem agens Romam translatus est.' He had a successful school and college career. One of his teachers was Cornutus, through whom he knew Persius (see p. 261). Vacca, _ibid._, 'A praeceptoribus tunc eminentissimis est eruditus eosque intra breve temporis spatium ingenio adaequavit ... Declamavit et graece et latine cum magna admiratione audientium.' His first literary success was the _laudes Neronis_ in A.D. 60; this led to his political advancement. Sueton. _vit. Luc._, 'Prima ingenii experimenta in Neronis laudibus dedit quinquennali certamine.'