POLLIO (Caius Asinius), a celebrated Latin poet and orator, was of consular dignity, and composed some tragedies which were esteemed, but are now lost. He was the first who opened at Rome a library for the use of the public. He was the friend of Mark Antony; which prevented his complying with the solicitations of Augustus, who pressed him to embrace his party. At length Augustus having wrote some verses against Pollio, he was urged to answer them: on which he said, "I shall take care of writing against a man who has the power of proscribing us." He is praised by Virgil and Horace, whose patron he was.
There was another Pollio, a friend of Augustus, who used to feed his fishes with human flesh. This cruelty was discovered when one of his servants broke a glass in the presence of Augustus, who had been invited to a feast. The master ordered the servant to be seized, but he threw himself at the feet of the emperor, and begged him to intercede, and not to suffer him to be devoured by fishes. Upon this the causes of his apprehension
Pollux. were examined; and Augustus, astonished at the barbarity of his favourite, caused the servant to be dismissed, all the fish ponds to be filled up, and the crystal glasses of Pollux to be broken to pieces.