1911 Encyclopædia Britannica/Pomponius, Lucius

POMPONIUS, LUCIUS, called Bononiensis from his birthplace Bononia, Latin comic poet, flourished about 90 B.C. (or earlier). He was the first to give an artistic form to the Atellanae Fabulae by arranging beforehand the details of the plot which had hitherto been left to improvisation, and providing a written text. The fragments show fondness for alliteration and playing upon words, skill in the use of rustic and farcical language, and a considerable amount of obscenity.

Fragments in O. Ribbeck, Scenicae romanorum poesis fragmenta (1897–1898); see Mommsen, Hist. of Rome (Eng. tr.), bk. iv. ch. 13; Teuffel-Schwabe, Hist. of Roman Literature (Eng. tr.), § 151.