MACER (EMILIUS), an ancient Latin poet, was born at Verona, and flourished under Augustus Cæsar. Eusebius relates, that he died a few years after Virgil. Ovid speaks of a poem of his, on the nature and quality of birds, serpents, and herbs; which he says Macer being then very old had often read to him:
Sape fons volucres legit mihi granditer aca,
Quaque vocat serpens, qua juvat herba, Mæcer.
De Poetis, lib. ix. eleg. 10.
There is extant a poem upon the nature and power of herbs under Macer's name; but it is spurious. He also wrote a supplement to Homer, as Quintus Calaber did afterwards in Greek:
Tu canis aeterno galiquid refixat Homero:
Nec taceant Jovana Tricia bella maro.
De Poetis, lib. ii. eleg. 12.