Lessico
Proculeio
Gaio
Caius Proculeius
Cavaliere
romano, familiare di Augusto
, che
divise le proprie sostanze coi suoi due fratelli, i quali avevano perduto ogni
loro avere nella guerra civile (condotta da Cesare contro
Pompeo dal 49 al 48 aC). Proculeio
non si tappò la bocca e il naso incrociando di tanto in tanto Cornelio Gallo, bensì
una sola volta, quando gli capitò di imbattersi in Valerio Largo
che, avendo accusato Cornelio Gallo, ne aveva provocato la morte per suicidio.
Oltretutto,
Cornelio Gallo era già morto per suicidio quando Proculeio adottò questa
trovata mimica contro Valerio Largo per esprimergli il suo disprezzo. I fatti sono narrati da Dione Cassio in Storia romana LIII, 23-24: “On the other hand, Cornelius
Gallus was encouraged to insolence by the honour shown him. Thus, he indulged
in a great deal of disrespectful gossip about Augustus and was guilty of many
reprehensible actions besides; for he not only set up images of himself
practically everywhere in Egypt, but also inscribed upon the pyramids a list
of his achievements. For this act he was accused by Valerius Largus, his
comrade and intimate, and was disfranchised by Augustus, so that he was
prevented from living in the emperor's provinces. After this had happened,
many others attacked him and brought numerous indictments against him. The
senate unanimously voted that he should be convicted in the courts, exiled,
and deprived of his estate, that his estate should be given to Augustus, and
that the senate itself should offer sacrifices. Overwhelmed by grief at this,
Gallus committed suicide before the decrees took effect; [24] and the
insincerity of the majority of people was again proved by his case, in that
they now treated the man whom formerly they had been wont to flatter in such a
way that they forced him to die by his own hand, and then went over to Largus
because he was beginning to grow powerful — though they were certain to vote
the same measures against him all, if a similar situation should arise in his
case. Proculeius, however, conceived such contempt for Largus that once, on
meeting him, he clapped his hand over his nose and mouth, thereby hinting to
the bystanders that it was not safe even to breathe in the man's presence.
Another man, although unknown to him, approached him with witnesses and asked
Largus if he knew him; then, when the other replied that he did not, he
recorded his denial on a tablet, as though the rascal could not blackmail even
a man whom he had not previously known. But we see how most men rather emulate
the deeds of others, even though they be evil deeds, than guard against their
fate, by what Marcus Egnatius Rufus did at this very time.[...]” (Cassius Dio, Roman History, Loeb Classical
Library, 9 volumes, Greek texts and facing English translation: Harvard
University Press, 1914 thru 1927. Translation by Earnest Cary)
Plinio
riferisce il modo in cui morì Proculeio: Gypso madido statim utendum est, quoniam celerrime coit; tamen rursus
tundi se et in farinam resolvi patitur. Usus gypsi in albariis, sigillis
aedificiorum et coronis gratissimus. Exemplum inlustre est, C. Proculeium,
Augusti Caesaris familiaritate subnixum, in stomachi dolore gypso poto
conscivisse sibi mortem. (Naturalis
historia XXXVI,183)
Caius Proculeius was a Roman Knight, a member of the equester ordo, and an intimate friend of Octavian, later Augustus. After Actium, in 31 BC, Augustus sent Proculeius to Antony and Cleopatra. His coinage is found in achaea, on the named islands. Tacitus mentions him exactly once, in Tiberius' speech to Sejanus on Sejanus' request for marriage to Livilla. Livilla was the widow of Tiberius' son Drusus. Tiberius did not know it at the time of the speech, but Sejanus and Livilla had poisoned Drusus in their conspiracy, later revealed. Tiberius forestalls Sejanus' request, claiming that because Gaius Proculieus a Knight, he was not permitted to marry Julia, Augustus' daughter. Augustus thought that this would elevate Proculieus beyond his station. (da www.rovenet.com)
Largus: An Augustan poet, who wrote an epic on the wanderings of Antenor (a Trojan noble, reputed founder of Padua), sometimes identified with Valerius Largus the accuser of Cornelius Gallus. (www.tkline.freeserve.co.uk) - Antenore: eroe troiano. Nell'Iliade è un uomo saggio e onesto, che consiglia ai suoi concittadini la restituzione di Elena. Secondo leggende posteriori, avrebbe tradito Troia, consegnando il Palladio ai Greci e aprendo il ventre del cavallo di legno e le porte della città. Giunto poi in Italia, vi avrebbe fondato Padova.
