Merula

• a Roman surname, e. g.
• • A Cn. Cornelius Merula, Liv. 33, 55.—
  • B L. Cornelius Merula, flamen Dialis, Vel. 2, 20; Val. Max. 9, 12, 5; Tac. A. 3, 58, 2.

• a river of Liguria, now Arosia, Plin. 3, 5, 7, § 48.

was a surname of the Gens Cornelia at Rome. It signifies an ouzle or blackbird. (Varr. R. R. 3.2. §§ 2. 38; Quint. Inst. 1.6.38.) The following Cornelii Merulae occur in history:--

1. L. Cornelius Merula, L. F., was consul in B. C. 193. His province was Gallia Cisalpina. Merula closed an active predatory campaign by a total defeat of the Boian Gauls in the neighbourhood of Mutina. But since h's victory cost the Romans dear, and the officers of Merula accused him of negligence on his march to Mutina, the senate refused him a triumph on his return to Rome. (Liv. 34.54, 55, 56, 57, 35.4, 5, 6, 8.)

2. Cn. (Cornelius?) Merula, was appointed legatus by the senate in B. C. 162-161, to adjust the disputes between the brothers Ptolemy Philometor and Physcon respecting the sovereignty of Cyprus. Merula accompanied Physcon to Crete and Asia Minor, and, after an ineffectual embassy to the elder brother at Alexandria, he induced the senate, on his return to Rome, to cancel the existing treaty with Philometor. (Plb. 31.18, 25, 26, 7, 32.1.)

3. L. Cornelius Merula, was flamen dialis, and, on the deposition of L. Cinna in B. C. 87, was elected consul in his place. [Cornelius Cinna, No. 2.] On the return of Marius from exile in the same year Merula was summoned to take his trial for illegally exercising the consulship. (Plut. Quaest. Rom. 113.) He had already resigned it, but his condemnation was certain. Merula therefore anticipated his sentence by opening his veins in the sanctuary of the Capitoline Jupiter. Before he inflicted his death-wounds he carefully laid aside his official head-dress (apex), and left a record in writing that he had not profaned by death the sacred emblem of his pontificate. His last breath was spent in imprecating curses on his murderers, Cinna and Marius. The priesthood of the flamen dialis was not filled up until 72 years after Merula's death. (Appian, App. BC 1, 65, 70, 75; Vell. 2.20, 22; Flor. 3.21.61; V. Max. 9.12.5; D. C. 54.36; Tac. Ann. 3.58; Plut. Mar. 41, 45; Plut. Quaest. Rom. 40; Diod. apud Val. Fr.; August. de Civ. Dei, 3.27; Dict. of Antiq. s. v. Flamen.) [W.B.D]

MERULA (Merula), a river of Liguria, mentioned only by Pliny (Plin. Nat. 3.5. s. 7), who places it between Albium Intemelium (Vintimiglia) and Albium Ingaunum (Albenga). The name is still retained (according to the best maps) by a stream which flows into the Mediterranean near the Capo delle Mele, about 10 miles W. of Albenga, but more commonly known as the Fiume d'Andora, from the village of that name near its mouth.

A flamen Dialis who, on the deposition of Cinna in B.C. 87, was elected consul, but committed suicide on the capture of Rome by Marius and Cinna (Plut. Mar. 41, 45).

Paulus (Paul van Merle). A Dutch classical scholar, born at Dordrecht in 1558, and Professor of History from 1592. Because of ill health he went to Rostock, where he died in 1607. He edited Eutropius, and, for the first time, the fragments of Ennius, besides writing other works of less importance. See Ennius.