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VIRGIL

VIRGIL, the prince of the Latin poets, was born in the year of Rome 684, under the consulship of Pompey and L. Crassus. He was the son of a potter of the village of Andes, about three miles from Mantua. He passed his early years at Cremona, from whence he removed to Rome, when his country was divided amongst the soldiers after the battle of Philippi. He was beloved by Augustus, and lived in habits of friendship with Mecænas, Horace, Pollio, and other distinguished persons. He was one day received at the theatre with acclamations that were only given to the emperor : and was observed frequently, as he passed through the streets of Rome, to secrete himself from the eager curiosity of the people. He possessed all that negligence and modesty so conspicuous in men of real genius, which appear, says Voltaire, to be given to persons of superior endowments, to shelter them from the envy of their contemporaries.

Virgil, during his residence at Mantua, studied the Greek language, and acquiring through that medium a knowledge of physic, of the mathematics and philosophy, he possessed himself of those solid attainments which assist talents, and secure their success.

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Through the friendship of Mecenas he was introduced to the emperor, who restored to him his estate; and afterwards loaded him with his favours. The various poems of Virgil-attest his gratitude.

He first wrote the Bucolics, and then the Georgics. After these were finished, and had been read by Augustus, he began the Æneid, at the desire of the Emperor. This great poem has left the palm of superiority undecided between Virgil and Homer. The poet was engaged eleven years on this immortal work, which he did not live to complete.

"The disposition of Virgil was remarkably timorous: as a proof of his modesty, the following anecdote is recorded. Having written this distich on his patron,

Nocte pluit totá, redeunt spectacula mané,
Divisum imperium cum Jove Casar habet,

he placed it in the night on the gate of the palace. Augustus, pleased with so fine a compliment, was desirous of knowing the author, when Bathyllus, a miserable poet, avowed the verses, and obtained the reward. On this, Virgil again wrote the same lines, and under them,

Hos ego versiculos feci, tulit alter honores;

with the beginning of another line in these words,

Sic vos non vobis,

four times repeated. Augustus desired to have these lines completed, which Bathyllus could not effect. This Virgil accomplished, and having thus proved himself the author of the distich, he received a recompence, and the usurper was banished."..

Virgil died at Brundusium, in the year 19 B.C. in the 57th year of his age. His remains were interred on a spot of the road leading from Naples to Puteoli, and the following epitaph was inscribed on his tomb:

Mantua me genuit ; Calabri rapuere; tenet nunc
Purthenope; cecini pascua, rura, duces.

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