fescennines

From being in alternate strains, they admitted a treatment as if uttered by a single speaker, so at least we should infer from Macrobius's notice of the Fescennines sent by Augustus to Pollio, which were either lines of extempore raillery, or short biting epigrams, like that of Catullus on Vatinius, owing their title to the name solely to the pungency of their contents.

Charles Thomas Cruttwell - The History of Roman Literature : From the earliest period to the death of Marcus Aurelius

In a general way they were restricted to weddings, and we have in the first Epithalamium of Catullus, and some poems by Claudian, highly-refined specimens of this class of composition. The Fescennines owed their popularity to the light-hearted temper of the old Italians, and to a readiness at repartee which is still conspicuous at the present day in many parts of Italy.

Charles Thomas Cruttwell - The History of Roman Literature : From the earliest period to the death of Marcus Aurelius

Livy, in his sketch of the rise of Roman drama, alludes to these verses as altogether unpolished, and for the most part extemporaneous. In process of time the Fescennines seem to have modified both their form and character.

Charles Thomas Cruttwell - The History of Roman Literature : From the earliest period to the death of Marcus Aurelius

With more of the dramatic element than the Fescennines, the Saturae appear to have early found a footing in Rome, though their history is difficult to trace.

Charles Thomas Cruttwell - The History of Roman Literature : From the earliest period to the death of Marcus Aurelius