... Sciebat Laelio et Scipioni non ingratam esse hanc opinionem, quae tum magis et usque ad posteriora tempora valuit.' Sueton. p. 31, also repeats a story that C. Laelius was the author of the lines _H.T._ 723 _sqq._ Cf. also Cic. _ad Att._ vii. 3, 10, 'Terentium, cuius fabellae propter elegantiam sermonis putabantur a C. Laelio scribi.' Quint. x. 1, 99, 'Licet Terentii scripta ad Scipionem Africanum referantur.' The remark that ll. 20-1 of the above extract from the _Adelph._ could not refer to young men like Scipio and Laelius was made even in antiquity. Sueton. _ibid._ p. 31, 'Santra (a grammarian of the time of Augustus) Terentium existimat, si modo in scribendo adiutoribus indiguerit, non tam Scipione et Laelio uti potuisse, qui tunc adulescentuli fuerint, quam C. Sulpicio Gallo, homine docto, quo console Megalensibus ludis initium fabularum dandarum fecerit, vel Q. Fabio Labeone et M. Popillio, consulari utroque ac poeta. Ideo ipsum non iuvenes designare qui se adiuvare dicantur, sed viros quorum operam et in bello et in otio et in negotio populus sit expertus.' In K. Dziatzko's opinion (second edition of _Phormio_, p. 10, Leipzig, 1885), the expression 'homines nobiles' points to the literary circle of Terence, including old as well as young men, while in what follows he touches upon the general reputation of those noble families among the Roman people. There is nothing to show that Terence got more than general support and advice from his friends. That his diction reflects the conversational language of the better classes is recognized. In B.C. 166, Terence submitted to Caecilius Statius, the examiner of plays, his first work, the _Andria_, which was accepted, and performed in that year. Sueton. _ibid._ pp. 28-9, 'Scripsit comoedias sex. Ex quibus primam Andriam cum aedilibus daret, iussus ante Caecilio recitare ad cenantem cum venisset, dicitur initium quidem fabulae, quod erat contemptiore vestitu, in subsellio iuxta lectulum residens legisse, post paucos vero versus invitatus ut accumberet cenasse una, dein cetera percucurrisse non sine magna Caecilii admiratione.' From the fact of Caecilius' not recognizing him we may conclude that Terence had as yet no connexion with the guild of poets. This fits in with _H.T._ prol. 23-4, 'Repente ad studium hunc se adplicasse musicum, amicum ingenio fretum, haud natura sua.' Hence probably arose the hatred of other writers, referred to as _isti_ (_Andr._ 15; 21); _iniqui_ (_H.T._ 27); cf. also _Hec._ prol. ii. 38, 'Nolite sinere per vos artem musicam recidere ad paucos.' As to further connexion between Caecilius and Terence, note (1) that they had a common actor Ambivius; (2) that Terence sometimes imitates Caecilius. Thus, according to Donatus, _Andr._ 805, 'ut quimus, aiunt, quando ut volumus non licet' is from Caecilius (l. 177 R.), 'vivas ut possis quando nec quis ut velis.' Cf. also _Adelph._ 985, 'Quod prolubium? quae istaec subitast largitas?'