Marcellus

Mārcellus, ī, m.: the name of a Roman family in which the most illustrious were Marcus Claudius Marcellus, the first successful opponent of Hannibal, and the conqueror of Syracuse (212, B.C.), 6.855; and his descendant, C. Claudius Marcellus, a son of Gaius Claudius Marcellus and Octavia, sister of Augustus; who was adopted by that emperor and died in early youth, 23 B.C., 6.883.

Marcellus, i, m. [dim. of Marcus],

• a Roman family name in the plebeian gens Claudia: inter Marcellos et Claudios patricios, Cic. de Or. 1, 39, 176: generosior Marcellis, Juv. 2, 145.—
• • B Esp., M. Claudius Marcellus, the taker of Syracuse, Liv. 25, 23 fin.; Cic. Off. 1, 18, 61; id. Rep. 1, 1, 1; 1, 14, 21; Verg. A. 6, 855; Hor. C. 1, 12, 46.— Another M. Claudius Marcellus, the nephew of Octavian and adopted by him, Vell. 2, 93; Tac. A. 1, 3; Prop. 3, 18 (cf. Verg. A. 6, 861 sq.); Hor. C. 1, 12, 46; Sen. ad Marc. 2, 3. —
• II Derivv.
• • A Marcellīa (ēa), ōrum, n., a festival in honor of the Marcelli in Syracuse, Cic. Verr. 2, 2, 21, § 51; 2, 2, 63, § 154.—
  • B Marcellĭānus, a, um, adj., of or belonging to a Marcellus, Marcellian: theatrum, named after M. Claudius Marcellus, the nephew of Augustus, Suet. Vesp. 19; id. Aug. 29.

Mārcellus, ī, m., Beiname der berühmten Familie der plebejischen Klaudier (s. Cic. de or. 1, 176), unter denen bes. bekannt M. Claudius Marcellus, Sieger über Hannibal bei Nola, Eroberer von Syrakus (Liv. 25, 23 sq.), Überwinder des Insubrerkönigs Viridomarus, Verg. Aen. 6, 855 sqq. Cic. de off. 1, 61. – M. Claudius Marcellus, der, Cäsars Feind, als Konsul das SC. de revocando Caesare beantragte, später von Cäsar begnadigt (dah. die Dankrede Ciceros an Cäsar pro M. Marcello). – M. Claudius Marcellus, der Schwestersohn des Augustus, ein gebildeter u. talentvoller junger Mann, von dem das röm. Volk die größten Erwartungen hegte, dessen Tod (zu Bajä i. J. 23 v. Chr.) aber die Livia, wie man glaubte, beschleunigte, Vell. 2, 93. Hor. carm. 1, 12, 45 sqq. (u. dazu Orelli). Sen. ad Marc. 2, 3. – Plur. Marcelli, Männer wie M., Cic. Pis. 58. – Dav.: a) Mārcellīa, ōrum, n. (Μαρκελλεια), das Marcellusfest, ein Ehrenfest der marcellischen Familie in Sizilien, Cic. Verr. 2, 51 u. 154. – b) Mārcelliānus, a, um, marcellianisch, theatrum, Suet. Vesp. 19, 1, von Augustus erbaut u. nach seinem Schwestersohne Marcellus benannt, s. Suet. Aug. 29, 4.

2 Mārcellus, (8) ī, m. , nom dʼune branche de la gens Claudia || not^t ¶ 1 M. Claudius Marcellus qui prit Syracuse : Cic. de Or. 1, 176 ; Liv. 25, 23 ¶ 2 le jeune Marcellus, neveu dʼAuguste : Virg. En. 6, 861 ; Vell. 2, 93 ; Tac. Ann. 1, 13.

Marcellus

The name of an illustrious plebeian family of the Claudia gens. (1) M. Claudius Marcellus, celebrated as having been five times consul and commander of Syracuse. In his first consulship, B.C. 222, Marcellus distinguished himself by slaying in battle with his own hand Britomartius or Virdomarus, the king of the Insubrian Gauls, whose spoils he afterwards dedicated as spolia opima in the temple of Iupiter Feretrius. This was the third and last instance in Roman history in which such an offering was made. Marcellus was one of the chief Roman generals in the Second Punic War. He took Syracuse in B.C. 212, after a siege of more than two years, in which all his powerful military engines were rendered wholly unavailing by the superior skill and science of Archimedes, who directed those of the besieged. On the capture of the city Archimedes was one of the inhabitants slain by the Roman soldiers. Marcellus fell in battle against Hannibal in 208, and was buried by the enemy with military honours.

(2) M. Claudius Marcellus, consul B.C. 51 and a bitter enemy of Caesar. In B.C. 46 he was pardoned by Caesar on the intercession of the Senate; whereupon Cicero returned thanks to Caesar in the oration Pro Marcello, which has come down to us. Marcellus, who was then living at Mitylené, set out on his return; but he was murdered at the Piraeus by one of his own attendants, P. Magius Chilo.

(3) C. Claudius Marcellus, brother of the preceding and also an enemy of Caesar. He was consul in 49, when the Civil War broke out.

(4) C. Claudius Marcellus, first cousin of the two preceding and, like them, an enemy of Caesar. He was consul in 50, but he did not join Pompey in Greece, and was therefore readily pardoned by Caesar.

(5) M. Claudius Marcellus, son of the preceding and of Octavia, the daughter of C. Octavius and sister of Augustus. He was born B.C. 43. Augustus, who had probably destined him for his successor, adopted him as his son, and gave him his daughter Iulia in marriage (B.C. 25). In 23 he was curule aedile, but died in the same year, to the great grief of Augustus as well as of his mother Octavia. The memory of Marcellus is immortalized by the well-known passage of Vergil (Aen. vi. 860-886), which was recited by the poet to Augustus and Octavia. In his honour, Augustus built the great theatre near the Forum Olitorium, remains of which still exist. See Vergilius.

Marcellus , Nonius

See Nonius.