CAIUS, a celebrated Roman poet, and author of an epic poem in seventeen books, which contains a history of the second Punic war, was born in the reign of Tiberius, and is supposed to have derived the name of Italicus from the place of his birth; but whether he was born at Italica in Spain, or at Corfinium in Italy, which, according to Strabo, had the name of Italica given it during the Social war, is a point which is unascertained. When he came to Rome, he applied himself to the bar; and, by a close imitation of Cicero, succeeded so well, that he became a celebrated advocate, and a most accomplished orator. His merit and character recommended him to the highest offices in the republic, even to the consulship, of which he was possessed when Nero died. He is said to have lent his assistance in accusing persons of high rank and fortune, whom that wicked emperor had devoted to destruction; but he retrieved his character afterwards by a long and uniform course of virtuous behaviour. Vespasian sent him as proconsul into Asia, where he behaved with clean hands and unblemished reputation. After having thus spent the best part of his life in the service of his country, he resolved to consecrate the remainder to retirement and the muses. He had several fine villas in the country; one at Tusculum celebrated for having been Cicero's, and a farm near Naples, said to have been Virgil's, at which was his tomb, which Silius often visited.

He has imitated Virgil, and though he falls infinitely short of him, yet he has discovered a great and universal genius; which would have enabled him to succeed in some degree in whatever he undertook. Having been for some time afflicted with an imposthume, which was deemed incurable, he grew weary of life, to which, in the language of Pliny, he put an end with determined courage. There have been many editions of Silius Italicus. A neat and correct one was published at Leipsic in 1696, in 8vo, with short and useful notes by Cellarius; but the best are those cum notis integris Variorum et Arnoldi Drakenborei. Tract. ad Rhenum, 1717, in 4to.; and cum notis Rupertii, 2 vols. 8vo. Gott. 1795.