Gaius Licinius Macer Calvus (28 May 82 BC[1] –) was an orator and poet of ancient Rome.
Son of Licinius Macer and thus a member of the gens Licinia, he was a friend of the poet Catullus, whose style and subject matter he shared.[2]
Calvus' oratorical style opposed the "Asian" school in favor of a simpler Attic model: he characterized Cicero as "Latin: solutum et enervem" (loose and nerveless), while Cicero described him as "Latin: exsanguem et aridum" (bloodless and dry).[3] [4] However, there was no enmity between these two, and Cicero praised Calvus highly.[5]
Tacitus mentions twenty-one of his speeches, including several speeches against Publius Vatinius.[6] Calvus likely prosecuted Vatinius multiple times, in 58 BC and then later in 54 BC, where he was defended by Cicero.[7] One of these trials (probably the second) is described in Catullus's poem 53.[8] At the trial one of the bystanders caused Catullus to laugh by crying out "Great gods, what an eloquent Latin: salaputium!". The meaning of the rare word Latin: salaputium has been disputed, but it has been suggested that it may have referred to Calvus' wit or short stature. There may also have been an obscene meaning.[9] [10]
Seneca the Elder mentions his short stature, and refers a story in which Calvus asked to be raised to a platform, so that he could defend one of his clients, Asinius Pollio, being attacked by supporters of Gaius Cato.[11] Seneca also tells a story of how, at a trial, the defendant jumped up and complained "I ask you, judges, am I to be condemned just because that man is a good speaker?"[12]
Catullus counted him as a close friend and addressed several poems to him. In one of these, no. 50, he describes how he and Calvus spent a pleasant afternoon taking turns to write short poems.[13]
Frédéric Plessis published fragments of Calvus in 1896.[14]