Marcus Mamlius

Marcus Mamlius, a Latin poet, of unknown date and history. Bentley supposed that he was an Asiatic, and Huet that he was a Carthaginian, and there are indications in his only known poem, the Astronomica, that it was written under Augustus. The first manuscript was discovered by Poggio in 1416, and was printed at Nuremberg in 1472 or 1473. Other MSS. were afterward found, from which later editions were prepared. There is an English metrical translation by Creech (London, 1697).

Marcus Minucius Felix

Marcus Minucius Felix, a Latin Christian writer, belonging, according to St. Jerome, to the first half of the 3d century. He was a native of Africa, but removed to Rome, and became distinguished as an advocate before his conversion to Christianity. He wrote an apology for Christianity entitled Octavius. It is a dialogue defending the Christians from the calumnies then in circulation against them, and giving much information concerning the manners and customs of the times. It was at one time supposed that Octavius formed part of Arnobius's treatise Adversus Gentes. Baldwin first published it in an independent form, and assigned it to its real author (Heidelberg, 1560). Editions of the dialogue were published at Ley den in 1709, and at Cambridge, Eng., in 1712; and it has been translated into German by Kusswurm (Hamburg, 1824) and Liibkert (Leipsic, 1836), and into English by Richard James (Oxford, 1836).

Marcus Paciviis

Marcus Paciviis, a Roman dramatic poet, born in Brundusium about 219 B. C, died there about 130. He passed most of his life in Rome, where he devoted himself with considerable success to painting, and executed some works in the temple of Hercules in the forum Boarium. The ancient writers agree in styling him one of the greatest of the Latin tragic poets; and though most of his subjects were borrowed from the Greek dramatists, his plays were not mere translations. He composed several tragedies founded on Roman history, besides a play called Dulorcstes. Only fragments of his writings are now extant. They were collected by Henry Stephens (Paris, 1564), and have been printed by Bothe in his "Fragments of the Latin Scenic Poets" (Leipsic, 1834), and in several editions of the Corpus Poetarum Latinorum.

Marcus Vitruvius Pollio

Marcus Vitruvius Pollio, a Roman architect, of whom it is only known that he probably served as a military engineer under Caesar and Augustus. His treatise De Architectura is a compendium of the works of Greek writers, with much of his own knowledge and experience. The first edition was printed at Rome about 1486, and it has been many times edited and reprinted; the latest editions are those of J. G. Schneider (3 vols. 8vo, Leipsic, 1807-'8), Stratico (4 vols., Udine, 1825-'30), Marini (4 vols, fol., Rome, 1836), and Rose and MtlllerStrubing (Leipsic, 1867). There are English translations by Robert Castell (2 vols, fol., London, 1730); by W. Newton, with notes and plates (2 vols, fol., 1771-'91); by W. Wilkins (4to, 1812); and by Joseph Gwilt (8vo, 1826).