About Publilius Syrus Publilius (less correctly Publius) Syrus, a Latin writer of maxims, flourished in the 1st century BC. He was a native of Syria, and was brought as a slave to Italy, but by his wit and talent he won the favor of his master, who freed and educated him. His mimes, in which he acted himself, had a great success in the provincial towns of Italy and at the games given by Caesar in 46 BC. Publilius was perhaps even more famous as an improviser, and received from Caesar himself the prize in a contest in which he vanquished all his competitors, including the celebrated Decimus Laberius.
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