LUCANUS (Marcus Anneus), a Latin poet, born at Corduba in Spain, about A. C. 39. He was the son of Anneus Mela, brother to Seneca, and of Acilia, daughter of Lucanus a very famous orator. When he was scarcely 14 years of age, he declaimed with applause, both in Greek and Latin: and became the rival of Persius. Nero, charmed with his wit, made him augur and quaestor before the due age: but at last Nero disparaging his verses, he was so offended at it, that he engaged himself in Piso's conspiracy, for which he had his veins cut, as his uncle Seneca had before him, A. C. 65. He wrote several poems; but we have none remaining beside his Pharsalia, of which an excellent English version has been given by Mr Nicholas Rowe.