Gaius Livius Drusus (jurist)

Gaius Livius Drusus was a jurist mentioned by Cicero in his work Tusculanae Disputationes. He became a successful jurist despite going blind young, or possibly even being blind at birth.[1]

Gaius Livius Drusus
Parent
FamilyLivii Drusi

Biography

Early life

Drusus was a son of Gaius Livius Drusus, he had two known siblings, a brother named Marcus Livius Drusus and a sister named Livia.[2]

Career

Despite being the eldest son Drusus never stood for election, likely due to his blindness.[3]

Drusus composed works of great use to students of law, and was cited by subsequent writers on the law. Celsus cites an opinion of Livius Drusus concerning a seller's rights at law, stating that the seller might bring an equitable action for damages against the buyer, to recover the expenses of the upkeep of a slave, whom the buyer, without due cause, had refused to accept. Priscian attributes to Drusus the sentence "Impubes libripens esse non potest, neque antestari" ("Young boys cannot stand on their feet before they can learn to balance").[4]

Although he was blind, Livius Drusus continued to give advice to the crowds which used to gather before his house in order to consult him.[5] Cicero stated "Drusus's house was crowded with clients. When they, whose business it was, could not see how to conduct themselves, they applied to a blind guide".[6]

Family

Drusus is not known to have been married or had any children.[7]

See also

References
  1. Briscoe, John (2019). Valerius Maximus, 'Facta et dicta memorabilia', Book 8: Text, Introduction, and Commentary. Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co KG. p. 134. ISBN 9783110664331.
  2. Treggiari, Susan (2019). Servilia and her Family. Oxford University Press. p. 40. ISBN 9780192564641.
  3. Treggiari, Susan (2019). Servilia and her Family. Oxford University Press. p. 39. ISBN 9780192564641.
  4. Smith, William, Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology, Vol I (1867). pg. 1077
  5. Cicero, Tusculanae Disputationes, V.38
  6. Cicero (2018). Tusculan Disputations. Jovian Press. ISBN 9781537824192.
  7. Münzer, Friedrich (1999). Roman Aristocratic Parties and Families. Johns Hopkins University Press. p. 287. ISBN 9780801859908.
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