Lucius Orbilius Pupillus

Figure of unknown significance on the Cathedral of Benevento, which is believed to be the Orbilius statue mentioned by Suetonius in popular belief

Lucius Orbilius Pupillus , mostly simply Orbilius (* 113 BC in Benevento , † 13 BC in Rome ), was a Latin grammarian and educator .

Impoverished after the death of his parents, he served as an administrative clerk and soldier, according to Suetonius , before he opened his own school in his hometown of Benevento, which he set up in 63 BC when he was 50. Moved to Rome. There he gained professional recognition, but did not achieve prosperity and lived in the simplest of circumstances. With increasing age his nature hardened.

In Rome, Horace was one of the pupils of the over sixty year old. Later in a letter (Epist. 2, 1) he drew a short, unflattering portrait of his teacher, through which Orbilius became proverbial for posterity. He received the epithet plagosus (“rich in blows”) from his pupil, which Suetonius (gramm. 9, 2) attests to. Since then his name has stood for the type of petty, irascible and punitive teacher.

Orbilius died very old at the age of almost 100 years. He left a son of the same name who also taught grammar. Suetonius reports that a statue of Lucius Orbilius Pupillus was placed on the Capitol of Benevento, showing him sitting in the pallium .

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Suetonius: De grammaticis 9 ( online )
Horace: epistulae 2, 1 ( online )

Individual evidence

↑ Goffredo Coppola : I can assure you that the people of Benevento still show one of the old statues on the facade of the cathedral, which they say is that of Orbilius; but most do not know who Orbilius was, and consider him a saint, or at least a man of the Church. ( Il Gobbo al sole in Il Popolo d'Italia , July 5, 1939, p. 3)

personal data
SURNAME	Orbilius Pupillus, Lucius
ALTERNATIVE NAMES	Orbilius; Pupillus, Lucius Orbilius
BRIEF DESCRIPTION	Latin grammarian, teacher of Horace
DATE OF BIRTH	113 BC Chr.
PLACE OF BIRTH	Benevento
DATE OF DEATH	13 BC Chr.
Place of death	Rome

[1] Goffredo Coppola : I can assure you that the people of Benevento still show one of the old statues on the facade of the cathedral, which they say is that of Orbilius; but most do not know who Orbilius was, and consider him a saint, or at least a man of the Church. ( Il Gobbo al sole in Il Popolo d'Italia , July 5, 1939, p. 3)