Roscius, A Romayne, and a player in Commedies, whome for his excellencie in pronunciation and gesture, the noble Cicero called his iewell, and so much delighted in him, that he contended with him whether Roscius could set foorth one sentence in mo fashions of gesture and countenaunce, or hee expresse the sanie sentence in a more diuersitie of eloquente wordes. The excellencie of this man in his arte, howe it was esteemed and fauoured of all the Romaynes, it appeareth well, in that they gaue to him for a continuall stipende, one thousande of their groates for euerye daye: which amounteth of out money to sixtene pound, thirteene shillinges and fonce pence. And Lucius Sylla being Dictatour, gaue to him a ring of Golde, which was the token of a knight at that time, as a coller or chayne of golde is at this time.Rothómagus.The citie of Roan in Normandie.
Lewis and Short: Latin dictionary
Roscĭus, i, m., the name of a Roman gens. I. L. Roscius, a Roman ambassador, slain in a revolt at Fidenæ, Liv. 4, 17, 2.— II. L. Roscius Otho, a friend of Cicero, who, when tribune of the people, A. U.C. 686, carried through a law that fourteen rows of seats in the theatre next to those of the senators should be appropriated to the knights, Cic. Mur. 19, 40; Liv. Epit. 99; Ascon. ap. Cornel. p. 784; Vell. 2, 32, 3; Plin. 7, 30, 31, 117; Juv. 14, 324. The law just referred to was called Lex Roscia, Cic. Phil. 2, 18, 44; Hor. Ep. 1, 1, 62; Tac. A. 15, 32.— III. Q. Roscius Gallus, a freedman from Lanuvium, a very celebrated actor, the intimate friend of Cicero, who defended him in an oration still extant. His excellence soon became proverbial: videtisne, quam nihil ab eo (sc. Roscio) nisi perfecte, nihil nisi cum summā venustate flat, etc.... Itaque hoc jam diu est consecutus, ut in quo quisque artificio excelleret, is in suo genere Roscius diceretur, Cic. de Or. 1, 28, 130; 59, 251; id. Arch. 8, 17; cf. id. Brut. 84, 290; Hor. Ep. 2, 1, 82. — Hence, B. Roscĭā-nus, a, um, adj., Roscian: imitatio senis, Roscius's, Cic. de Or. 2, 59, 242.—IV. Sex. Roscius, of Ameria, defended by Cicero, A. U. C. 674, in an oration still extant, Cic. Off. 2, 14, 51; id. Brut. 90, 312.—V. Lucius Roscius, who commanded a legion under Cæsar, Caes. B. G. 7, 53; id. B. C. 1, 10.