SOURCE: “Naevius and Free Speech,” American Journal of Philology, Vol. XLVIII, No. 2, 1927, pp. 105-10.

In the following essay Frank offers his interpretation of Naevius’s most famous line, “Fato Metelli Romae fiunt consules,” and explains why it held a “double sting” for Metellus.

The famous senarius of Naevius Fato Metelli Romae fiunt consules was preserved only by Pseudo-Asconius¹ in commenting upon Cicero’s thrust at Metellus Creticus in the first Verrine oration, but it is clearly assumed as known by Caesius Bassus² who quotes the answer of Metellus. Wissowa³ following Zumpt attempted to prove the line much later than Naevius, on the ground that fato in the sense of “fatal necessity” could apply to the Metelli only in the post-Gracchan period when several Metelli became consuls in close succession. Marx⁴ rightly rejected Wissowa’s argument, pointing out that the Stoic use of the word fato was unnecessary and...