Virgil

in Latin Publius Virgilius Maro, the most excellent of all the ancient Roman poets, was burn Oct. 15, U. C. 684, in the consulship of Pompey and Cra us, at a village called Andes, not far from Mantua. His father was undoubtedly of low birth and mean circumstances, but by his industry so much re. commended himself to his master, that he gave him his daughter, named Maia, in marriage, as a reward of his fidelity. Our poet, discovering early marks of a very fine genius, was sent at twelve years old to study at Cremona, where. he continued till his seventeenth year. He was then removed to Milan, and from thence to Naples, being the residence of several teachers of philosophy and polite learning; and applied himself heartily to. the study of the best Greek and Roman writers. But physic and mathematics were his favourite sciences, which he cultivated with much care. He learned the Kpicurean philosophy under the celebrated Syro. His acquaintance with Varus, his first patron, commenced by his being fellow-student with him under this philosopher. We have no certain knowledge of the time and occasion of Virgil’sgoing to Rome, how his connections with the wits and men of quality began, nor how he was introduced to the court of August us, In the warmth of early youth, he framed a noble design, of writing an heroic poem On the Wars of Rome; but, after some attempts, was discouraged from proceeding, by the roughne and asperity of the old Roman names. He turned himself, therefore, to pastoral; and, being captivated with the beauty and sweetne of Theocritus, was ambitious to introduce this new species of poetry among the Romans. His first performance in this way is supposed to have been written U. C. 709, the year before the death of Julius Cesar, when the poet was in his 25th year: it is entitled, Alexis. Po ibly Pale am on was his second. Mr. Warton places Silenus next; which is said to have been publicly recited on the stage by Cytheris, a celebrated comedian. Virgil’s fifth eclogue is composed in allusion to the death and deification of Cesar. The battle of Philippi in 712 having put an end to the Roman hberty, the veteran soldiers began to murmur for their pay; and August us, to reward them, distributed among them the lands of Mantua and Cremo- Virgil was involved in this common calamity, and applied to Varus and Pollio, who warmly recommended him to August us, and procured for him his patrimony again. Full of gratitude to August us, he composed the Tityrus, in which he introduces two shepherds: one of them, complaining of the distraction of the times, and of the havock the soldiers made among the Mantuan farmers; the other, re- _ Joicing for the recovery of his estate, and promising to honour the person who restored it to him asa god. But our poet's joy was not of long continuance; for, we are told, that when he returned to take po e ion of his farm, he was violently a aulted by the intruder, and would have certainly been killed by him, if he had not escaped by swimming hastily over the Mincio. Upon this unexpected disappointment, melancholy and dejected, he returned to Rome, to renew his petition; and, during his journey, seems to have composed his ninth eclogue. The celebrated eclogue, entitled - Pollio, was composed in 714, upon the following occasion. The consul Pollio on the part of Antony, and Mecenas on the part of Czsar, had made up the differences between them; by agreeing, that Octavia, half-sister to Cesar, should be given in marriage to Antony. This agreement caused an universal joy; and Virgil, in this eclogue, testified his. It is dedicated to Pollio by name, who was at that time consul; and therefore we are sure of the date of this eclogue, as it is known that he enjoyed that high office in 714. In 715, Pollio was sent against the Parthini, a people of I[llyricum; and during this expedition, Virgil addre ed to him a beautiful eclogue, called Pharmaceutria. ih tenth and last eclogue is addre ed to Gal- Being in his 34th year, he retired to Naples; and laid the plan of his inimitable Georgics, which he undertook at the entreaties of Macenas, to whom he dedicated them. They are divided into four books; and the subjects of them are particularly specified in the four first lines of the first book. Corn and ploughing are the subject of the first book, vines of the second, cattle of the third, and bees of the fourth, He is supposed to have been in his 45th year when he began to write the Aineid. This poem ahr very well be considered as a political work. Virgil wrote in defence of the new usurpation of the state; and all that can be offered in his vindication, which however seems enough, is, that the Roman government could no Jonger be kept fro in falling into a single hand, and that the usurper he wrote for was ag good a one as they could have. _ But, whatever may be said of his motives for writing it, the poem. has in all ages been highly applauded. August us was eager to peruse it before it was finished; and entreated him by letters to communicate it. The poet at length complied, and read himself the sixth book to the emperor, when Octavia, who had just lost her son Mar cell us, the darling of Rome, and adopted son of August us, made one of the audience. Virgil had artfully inserted a beautiful lamentation for the death of young Mar cell us; upon hearing which, Octavia could bear no more, but fainted away, overcome with surprise and sorrow. When she recovered, she made the poet a present of ten sesterces for every line, which ameunted in the whole to above 2000/, The Zneid being brought to a conclusion, but not to the perfection our author intended to give it, he resolved to travel into Greece, to correct and polish it at leisure. August us, re- — turning victorious from the East, met with Virgil at Athens, who thought himself obliged to attend the emperor to Lialy, but the poet was suddenly seized with a fatal distemper, which, being increased by the agitation of the ve el, ut an end to his life as soon as he landed at Beeston ait He died September 22d, in his 52d year. He had ordered in his will, that the Aineid should be burnt as an unfinished poem; but August us forbade it, and had it delivered to Varius and Tucca, with the strictest charge to make no additions, but only to publish it~ correctly. He died with such steadine and tranquillity, as to. be able to dictate his own epitaph. His bones were carried to Naples, according to his earnest request; and a monument was erected at a small distance from the city. The genuine and undisputed works of this poet are ten Eclogues, or Bucolics, four books of Georgics, and the Aineid in twelve books, The Culex, the Ceiris, and some smaller pieces, called Catalecta, are subjoined to some editions of his works. For critical accounts of the various editions of Virgil, the reader is referred to | Dr. Clarke’s Bibliographical Dictionary, and Dibdin's Introduction to the Cla ics. Vireit (Polydore). See PoLYDORE. Vy vy 110