CORVINUS MARCUS VALENIUS, a Roman general and orator, was born in 59 B.C. After studying at Athens he returned to Rome shortly after the death of Cesar, and became the attached follower of Cassius. His name was accordingly inserted by the triumvirs in the list of those whom they devoted to death, but was afterwards erased at the petition of his friends. Refusing the proffered friendship of the triumvirate, Messalla followed the fortunes of the republican army, and stood next in command to Brutus and Cassius. On the field of Philippi he turned the flank of Augustus, stormed his camp, and was once on the point of taking him prisoner. The death of the two republican generals left him in charge of the shattered remains of their army. He effected a safe retreat to the island of Thapsos, and there accepted honourable terms from Antony. Provident and politic, Messalla foresaw the downfall of Antony, and opportunely transferred his allegiance to Augustus. His military talents were successfully exerted in the service of the latter. He routed the Alpine tribe of the Salassians in 34 B.C., commanded the centre of the fleet at Actium in 31 B.C., and reduced the province of Aquitania in 27 B.C. For the last achievement he was honoured with a triumph on his return. Messalla had been appointed consul in 31 B.C., and was now, in 27 B.C., nominated prefect of the city. Shortly afterwards, however, he resigned all his public offices except his augurship. After suffering such a total derangement of his intellect that at times he forgot even his own name, he died about 11 A.D.

Of Messalla's many works— oratorical, historical, grammatical, and poetical—some of the titles alone remain. Yet a vague estimate of his literary merit may be formed from the testimonies of his contemporaries and successors. His works are eulogized by Seneca, Quintilian, and the two Plinies. The author of the dialogue De Oratoribus attributes greater elegance and chasteness to his orations than to those of Cicero. Kind-hearted, and a lover of literature, Messalla employed his opulence and political power in aiding and encouraging literary men. He restored Tibullus to his estate, and loved to gather round his table such men as Horace, Varius, Pollio, and Meccenas.