Granius

• name of a Roman gens: Q. Granius, a praeco, famous for his puns, Lucil. ap. Cic. Brut. 43, 160; 46, 172; Cic. Planc. 14, 33 al.

1. Q. Granius, a clerk employed by the auctioneers at Rome to collect the money at sales. His wit and caustic humour rendered him famous among his contemporaries, and have transmitted his name to posterity. Although his occupation was humble (comp. Hor. Ep. 1.7. 56), his talents raised him to the highest society in Rome (Cic. Fam. 9.15; Schol. Bob. pro Planc. p. 259, Orelli); the satirist Lucilius made frequent mention of him (Cic. Brut. 43, ad Att. 6.3), and the name Granius became a proverbial expression for a man of wit. Cicero remarks that the only event at all memorable in the tribuneship of L. Licinius Crassus the orator [Crassus, No. 23] was his supping with Granius (Brut. 43). Some of the replies of Granius are recorded by Cicero (Cic. de Orat. 2.60, 62). They may be denominated puns, and are not always intelligible in another language. In B. C. 111, the consuls P. Cornelius Scipio Nasica, and L. Calpurnius Bestia [Bestia, No. 1.], suspended all public business, that the levies for the war with Jugurtha might proceed without interruption. Scipio, seeing Granius idle in the forum, asked him " whether he grieved at the auctions being put off? " " No," was the clerk's reply ; "but I am at the legations being put off." The point of the reply lies in the double meaning of " rejectae" in the original; the senate had sent more than one fruitless embassy (legatio) to Jugurtha, who bribed both the legati and the senate. In B. C. 91, the celebrated tribune of the plebs, M. Livius Drusus [Drusus, No. 6.], meeting Granius, asked him " How speeds your business? " "Nay, Drusus," rejoined the auction-clerk, "how speeds yours ?" Drusus being at the time unable to perform his promises to the Italian allies and subjects of Rome. Catulus, Crassus, and Antonius, and the leading men of all parties at Rome in the seventh century of the city, were in turn the objects of Granius' licence of speech. (Cic. pro Planc. 14.)

2, 3. Cn. and Q. Granii, two brothers of senatorian rank at Rome in B. C. 87. One of them was step-son to C. Marius. The two Granii were proscribed with Marius on Sulla's first occupation of Rome in that year. One of these brothers, the step-son, accompanied Marius in his light form the city, was separated from him in the neighbour hood of Minturnae, escaped to the island of Aenaria, on the coast of Campania, and afterwards accompanied him to Africa. (Plut. Mar. 35, 37, 40 : App B. C. 1.60, 62.)

4. C. Granius, a dramatic poet whose date and history are unknown. From Nonius (s. v. Cardo) he appears to have been the author of a tragedy called " Peliades." (Bothe, Poet. Sc. Lat. Fragm. vol. v. p. 271.)

5. Granius, decurio of Puteoli in B. C. 78. A tax had been imposed on the Italian cities for the restoration of the Capitol at Rome, which had been burnt down during the civil war between Marius and Sulla, B. C. 83. Granius, in anticipation of Sulla's death, which was daily expected, kept back the levy on his municipium. Sulla, highly incensed at the delay, since he had set his heart on dedicating the Capitol, and inscribing it with his name, summoned Granius to his house at Cumae, and caused him to be strangled in his presence. (Plut. Sull. 37; V. Max. 9.3.8.)

6. P. Granius, a merchant of Puteoli, engaged in the Sicilian trade, who appeared in evidence against C. Verres, B. C. 70. (Cic. in Verr. 5.59.)

7. A. GRANIUS, a native of Putcoli, of equestrian rank at Rome, was killed among the Caesarian officers at Dyrrhachium, in B. C. 48. (Caesar, Caes. Civ. 3.71.)

8. Q. Granius, accused Calpurnius Piso in A. D. 24 of treasonable speeches against Tiberius, of keeping poison in his house, and of entering the senate with concealed weapons. Granius obtained a conviction of the accused. (Tac. Ann. 4.21.) [W.B.D]