BIBLIOTHECA PORTICUS OCTAVIAE
established by
Octavia after the death
of Marcellus in 23 B.C. (Plut. Marc. 30; Ov.
Trist. iii. 1.
69) in the
porticus Octaviae (Boyd 8-10, 33-34). It was arranged by
C. Melissus,
a freedman of Maecenas (Suet. de gramm. 21), and
divided into two
sections, one for Greek and one for Latin books (
CIL vi.
2347-9,
1 4431-5,
5192). Library and books were burned in 80 A.D. (Cass.
Dio lxvi. 24),
but the books were probably replaced in the new building
(Suet. Dom. 20).
For the history of the building, and its parts, see
PORTICUS OCTAVIAE.