person
Quintus Roscius Gallus
Roscius (the actor)
The greatest comic actor of late-Republican Rome (c. 126-62 BC), friend of Cicero, defended by him in 76 BC (Pro Roscio Comoedo); the Roman touchstone of perfect technique.
Reading notes
- Ad Familiares 9.22 §1 you remember Roscius
Q. Roscius Gallus (d. c. 62 BC) was the most celebrated comic actor of the late Republic and a friend of Cicero. Here Cicero recalls a song (canticum) from a comedy that Roscius performed, in which an obscene matter is conveyed entirely through decent words.