Sulpicia

, an ancient Roman poetess, the wife of Calenus, flourished about the year 90, and was so admired as to be thought worthy of the title of the Roman Sappho. We have nothing left of her but a satire, or rather fragment of a satire, against Domitian, who published a decree for the banishment of the philosophers from Rome. This satire was published at Strasburgh, with other poems, by G. Merula,! 509, 4to, and may be found in other collections, but has usually been printed at the end of the “Satires of Juvenal,” to whom, as well as to Ausonius, it has been attributed by some critics. Grainger likewise added it to his “Tibullus,” with a translation and notes. From the invocation it should seem, that she was the author of many other po.ems, and the first Roman lady who taught her sex to vie with the Greeks in poetry. Her language is easy and elegant, and she seems to have had a happy talent lor satire. She is mentioned by Martial and Sidonius Apollinans, and is said to have addressed to her husband Calenus, who was a Roman knight, “A poem on conjugal love,” but this is lost. | Her satire has been reprinted by Wernsdorf in the third volume of the “Poetae Minores Latini,” where may be seen some useful remarks respecting her works. ¹