Page:Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology (1870) - Volume 1.djvu/922

Rh 904 CURSOR. in which Atticus and Cicero were to be the heirs cf his property, Cicero receiving one-fourth, and Atticus the rest. Among Cicero's letters to his friends there are tliree addressed to Curias (vii. 23-26), and one (vii. 2i)) is addressed by Curius to Cicero. (Cic. ad.Fam. viii. 5, 6, xiii. 7, 17, 50, xvi. 4, 5, 9, 11, adJtt. vii. 2, 3, xvi. 3.) 5. M'. CuRius, a man notorious as a gambler, who, however, was notwithstanding this appointed judex hy Antony in u. c. 44. (Cic. J'hi/. v. 5, viii. 9.) ' 6. C. CuRius, a brother-in-law of C. Rabirius (the murderer of Saturninus), and father of the C. Rabirius Postumus, who was adopted by C. Rabirius. He was a man of equestrian rank, and is called prinaffs ordiiiis equestris. He was the largest fonner of the public revenue, and acquired great wealth by his underUikings, which he s{>ent in such a manner, that he seemed to acquire it only with the ew of obtaining the means for shewing his kindness and benevol«ice. Notwith- standing this noble character, he was once accused of having embezzled sums of public money, and with hanng destroyed a doctmient by fire; but he was most honounibly acquitted. (Cic }>ro liahir. jycrJ. 3, pro Rahir. Pud. 2, 17.) 7. Q. CuRius, a Roman senator, who bad once held the office of quaestor, came forward in u. c. <)4 as a candidate for the consulship ; but he not merely lost his election, but, being a man of a bad character and a notorious gambler, he was even ejected from the senate. He was a friend of Cati- l«ie, and an accomplice in his conspiracy ; but he betrayed the secret to his mistress Fulvia, through whom it became known to Cicero. Whether he perislied during the suppression of the conspiracy, or survived it, is uncertain. In the latter case, he may have been the sjime as the Curius mentioned by Appian {B.C. v. 137), who was in Bithynia with Cn. Domitius Ahenobarbus, and attempted to betray him, for which he paid with his life. (Cic. de Petit. Cons. 3, in Toij. Cand. p. 42, and Ascon. in Toy. Cand, p. 95, ed. Orelli ; Cic. ad Att. i. 1; Sallust, CWt/. 17, 23, 20'; Appian, B.C..Z.) [L. S.] CU'RIUS FORT UN ATI A'N US. [Foktu- NATIANUS.] CU'RIUS, VI'BIUS, a commander of the ca- valry in Caesar's anny, when he commenced the war against Pompey in Italy. Several of Pompey's generals at tiie time deserted to Vibius Curius." (Caes. li. C. i. 24 ; Cic. ad Att. ik 20, ix. CUROPALATES. LCodinus.] CURSOR, the name of a family of the Papiria gens, which was probably given to the first who bore it from distinguishing himself in running. 1. L. Papirius Cursor, censor in b. c. 393, and afterwards twice military tribune, in B. c. 387 and 385. (Liv. vi. 5, 11, ix.'34.) 2. Sp. Papirius Cursor, a son of the fonner, was military tribune in B.C. 380. (Liy. vi. 27.) 3. L. Papirius Cur.sor, a son of No. 2, does not occur in history till the time when he was made magister equitum to the dictator L. Papirius Crassus in b. c. 340. In b. c. 333 he was made consul with C. Poetelius Libo, and according to Kome juinals he obtained the same office a second time in B. c. 32b', the year in which the second Samnite war broke out. In the year following he was ai)j)oiiit«J dictator to cunduct the war in place CURSOR. of the consul L. Camillus, who had been tiiken seriously ill. Cursor and his magister equitum, Q. Fabius, afterwards surnamed Maximus, were the most distinguished generals of the time. Shortly after Papirius had taken the field, a doubt as to the validity of the auspices he had taken be- fore marching against the enemy, obliged him to return to Rome and take them again. Q. Fabius v.-as left behind to supply his place, but with the express command to avoid eveiy engagement with the enemy duiing the dictator's absence. But Fabius allowed himself to be drawn into a battle with the Samnites near a place called Irnbrinium or Imbrivium, and he gained a signal victory over theenemy. Papirius was fearfully exasperated at tliis want of military discipline, and h.astened back to the anny to punish the offender. He was pre- vented, however, from carrying his intention into effect by the soldiers, who sympathized with Fa- bius, and threatened the dictator with a mutiny. Fabius thereupon fled to Rome, where both the senate and the people interfered on his behalf. Papirius was thus obliged to pardon, though with- out forgiving him, .and returned to the army. He was looked upon by the soldiers as a tyrant, and in consequence of this disposition of his army, he was defeated in the first battle he fought against the enemy. But, after having condescended to regain the good-will of the soldiers by promising them the booty which they might make, he ob- tained a most complete victory over the Samnites, and then allowed his men to plunder the country far and wide. The Samnites now sued for a truce, which was granted by the dictator for one year, on condition tiiat they should clothe his whole army and give them pay for a year. Papirius thereupon returned to Rome, and celebrated a triumph. In B. c. 320, Papirius Cursor was made consul the second (oi- the third) time, and agjiin under- took the connnand against the Samnites in Apulia. It was however uncertain, even in the days of Livy, whether the consuls of that yeai* conducted the war with two annies, or whether it was car- ried on by a dictator and L. Papirius afe his magis- ter equitum. 1 1 is certain, however, that Papirius blockaded Luceriji, and that his camp was reduced to such extremities by the Samnites, who cut off all supplies, that he would have been lost, had he not been relieved by the army of his colleague, Q. Publilius Philo. He continued his operations in Apulia in the year B. c. 319 also, for which he was likewise appointed consul. About this time the Taren tines oft'ered to act as mediators between the Romans and Samnites, but were haughtily rejected by Papirius, who now made a successful attack upon the camp of the Samnites : they were compelled to retreat and to leave Luceria to its fate. Seven thousand Samnites at Luceria are said to have capitulated for a free departure, with- out their anns and baggage ; and the Frentanians, who attempted to revolt against the Romans, were obliged to submit as subjects and give hostages. After these things were accomplished, he returned to Rome and celebrated his second triumph. In B. c. 314 Papirius obtained the consulship for the fourth (or fifth) time. Although the war against the Samnites was still going on, neither Papirius nor his colleague Publilius Philo is men- tioned by Livy as having taken part in the cam- paigns of that year, which were conducted by
 * i ; Quintil. vi. 3. § 73.) [L. S.j