Ennius

Ennius, Quintus (239-169 b.c), a Latin poet, born at Brundisiuen. Cato the Censor brought him to Rome at the mature age of 38, and here he gained the friendship of the leading men and taught Greek. To a knowledge of Greek he added a thorough acquaintance with Oscan and Latin, and his writings seem to have helped to fix the Latin tongue. In another way he was the Spenser of Rome, for he was a "poets' poet," and the affectionate epithet applied to him was "Ennius noster." Of his many writings - epic, comedy, tragedy, annals, etc. - only fragments remain.