Asconius, Pedianus

, an ancient grammarian of Padua who, it is generally supposed, was acquainted with Virgil. Yet Jerome says, that he flourished under the Vespasians, which is rather at too great a distance for one and the same man but Jerome’s account is rejected by more recent writers, who think that he lived under the empire of Augustus, and died under that of Nero, aged eighty-five. His “Enarrationes in Ciceronis Orationes,” were first published at Venice, in 1477, which is a veryscarce edition. They were afterwards published at Florence, 8vo, 1513, and have since been incorporated in the editions of Cicero, by Grnter, Gronovius, and Olivet. He had also written a life of Virgil, and another of Sallust, the loss of which may be regretted. ²