Metelli [Me tell us]

, the surname of the family of the Cæcilii at Rome, the most known of whom were:—A general who defeated the Achæans, took Thebes, and invaded Macedonia, . ――Quintus Cæcilius, who rendered himself illustrious by his succe es against Jugurtha the Numidian king, from which he was surnamed Numidicus . He took, in this expedition, the celebrated Marius as his lieutenant, and he had soon cause to repent of the confidence he had placed in him. Marius raised himself to power by defaming the character of his benefactor, and Me tell us was recalled to Rome, and accused of extortion and ill-management. Marius was appointed succe or to finish the Numidian war, and Me tell us was acquitted of the crimes laid to his charge before the tribunal of the Roman knights, who observed that the probity of his whole life and the greatne of his exploits were greater proofs of his innocence than the most powerful arguments. Cicero , On Oratory , bk. 1 , ch. 48 .— Sallust , Jugurthine War .――Lucius Cæcilius, another, who saved from the flames the palladium, when Vesta’s temple was on fire. He was then high priest. He lost his sight and one of his arms in doing it, and the senate, to reward his zeal and piety, permitted him always to be drawn to the senate-house in a chariot, an honour which no one had ever before enjoyed. He also gained a great victory over the Cart hag in i ans in the first Punic war, and led in his triumph 13 generals and 120 elephants taken from the enemy. He was honoured with the dictatorship, and the office of master of horse, . ――Quintus Cæcilius Celer, another, who distinguished himself by his spirited exertions against Cat i line. He married Clodia the sister of Clodius, who disgraced him by her incontinence and lasciviousne . He died 57 years B.C. He was greatly lamented by Cicero, who shed tears at the lo of one of his most faithful and valuable friends. Cicero , For Marcus Cæcilius. ――Lucius Cæcilius, a tribune in the civil wars of Julius Cæsar and Pompey. He favoured the cause of Pompey, and opposed Cæsar when he entered Rome with a victorious army. He refused to open the gates of Saturn’s temple, in which were deposited great treasures, upon which they were broken open by Cæsar, and Me tell us retired, when threatened with death.――Quintus Cæcilius, the grandson of the high priest, who saved the palladium from the flames, was a warlike general, who, from his conquest of Crete and Macedonia, was surnamed Macedonicus . He had six sons, of whom four are particularly mentioned by Plutarch.――Quintus Cæcilius, surnamed Balearicus , from his conquest of the Baleares.――Lucius Cæcilius, surnamed Diadem at us , but supposed the same as that called Lucius with the surname of Dalmatic us , from a victory obtained over the Dalmatians during his consulship with Mutius Scævola.――Caius Cæcilius, surnamed Caprarius , who was consul with Carbo, A.U.C. 641.――The fourth was Marcus, and of these four brothers it is remarkable, that two of them triumphed in one day, but over what nations is not mentioned by Eutropius , ch. 4 .――Nepos, a consul, . ――Another, who accused Caius Curio, his father’s detractor, and who also vented his resentment against Cicero when going to banishment.――Another, who, as tribune, opposed the ambition of Julius Cæsar.――A general of the Roman armies against the Sicilians and Cart hag in i ans. Before he marched he offered sacrifices to all the gods, except Vesta, for which neglect the godde was so incensed that she demanded the blood of his daughter Metella. When Metella was going to be immolated, the godde placed a heifer in her place, and carried her to a temple at Lanuvium, of which she became the prieste .――Lucius Cæcilius, or Quintus, surnamed Cretic us , from his conquest in Crete, B.C. 66, is supposed by some to be the son of Me tell us Macedonicus.――Cimber, one of the conspirators against Julius Cæsar. It was he who gave the signal to attack and murder the dictator in the senate-house.――Pius, a general in Spain, against Sertorius, on whose head he set a price of 100 talents, and 20,000 acres of land. He distinguished himself also in the Marsian war, and was high priest. He obtained the name of Pius from the sorrow he showed during the banishment of his father Me tell us Numidicus , whom he caused to be recalled. Paterculus , bk. 2 , ch. 5 .— Sallust , Jugurthine War , ch. 44 .――A consul who commanded in Africa, . Valerius Maximus. — Pliny. — Plutarch. — Livy. — Paterculus , bk. 2 .— Florus , bk. 3 , ch. 8 .— Pausanias , bk. 7 , chs. 8 & 13.— Cicero , Tusculanæ Dis put at i ones , . — Juvenal , satire 3, li. 138 .— Appian , Civil Wars .— Cæsar , Civil War .— Sallust , Jugurthine War .